|
||
|
|
|
|
East River Wharves Before the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooks Brothers Cherry Street Establishment
Three original 19th-century photographs of New York City which capture distinct aspects of the city’s bustling maritime and urban landscape during the post-Civil War era. The photographs were made by an anonymous visitor to the city circa 1870. They are mounted on one side of a card mount, with neat handwritten captions.
The three photographs are captioned as follows:
- 'Sound' Steamers employed in the passenger traffic between New York and Boston. 3 x 3 inches. Arched-top print.
- High Bridge carrying the Croton water into New York, over the Spuyten Duyvil River. 3 x 3 inches. Arched-top print.
- Wharves on the East River, showing Brooklyn Ferry Boats. [Shows the Brooks Brothers establishment on Cherry Street]. 6 x 4 inches.
The top left photograph shows a "Sound" steamer employed on the route between New York and Boston, reflecting the era's reliance on steamships for regional passenger transport. The top right image depicts the High Bridge, part of the Croton Aqueduct, signifying the city's mid-19th-century efforts to supply fresh water to its growing population. The bottom photograph, the largest of the three, presents wharves along the East River, crowded with piers and ferryboats, in the present Two Bridges neighborhood. This image illustrates the heavy maritime trade and the interconnectedness of New York and Brooklyn before the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge. Several signs can be discerned on buildings along Water Street, including the original Brooks Brothers "clothing establishment" location at 116 Cherry Street. Other businesses: Abeel Brothers, Iron & Steel; Together, these images offer a glimpse into New York's role as a commercial hub, its infrastructural development, and the importance of waterborne transportation in the 19th century.
The Manhattan shown in these photographs was a city in transformation, with transportation, commerce, and infrastructure driving a rapid expansion. The images capture New York’s dynamic urban landscape as it prepared for its future as the world’s preeminent metropolis.
![(Yellowstone) [Album of 98 color lithograph post cards of Yellowstone National Park: Geysers, Buffalo, Natural Wonders]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/100920.jpg)
![(American Art & Antiques) [Photograph of art and antique-filled room with portraits of Washington, Jefferson and Madison, antique firearms, including rifles and swords, and other objets d'art] with [Photograph of a room with statue of Three Muses and extensive collection of antiques and art]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/89406.jpg)
![(California - 19th-Century Photographs) [Album of 33 photographs of California, Oregon, and Washington, including Yosemite Valley, Stanford University, Sutro Heights in San Francisco; Mt. Hood; Mt. St. Helens; Portland, Oregon]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/94083.jpg)
