New-York Historical Society
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Unidentified artist, A Southeast Prospect of the City of New York, ca. 1756-1761. Oil on canvas. New-York Historical Society, 1904.1. On view this summer in From Colony to Nation: 200 Years of American Painting.
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George P. Hall & Son, Luna Park, Coney Island, 1908. Gelatin silver print. New-York Historical Society
Today in 1903: Coney Island’s Luna Park opens to the illumination of 122,000 bulbs; upscale Luna offers “electro-scenic mechanical illusions” and allows weary mothers to check their babies along with their parcels.
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When Was the First Apartment Building Constructed in NYC?
Although multiple-unit tenements were being constructed in the 1830s, these were not considered true apartments because the units did not include a private toilet. The “Stuyvesant,” located at 142 East 18th Street and designed by architect Morris Hunt, is generally regarded as the first upscale apartment building in New York. It was built in 1869-1870.
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New York Tenement Cross Section, ca. mid-19th Century. New-York Historical Society #39649
On May 14, 1867, the passage of New York’s first tenement house law requires buildings to be equipped with fire escapes, hall ventilation, trash receptacles, and sewage facilities.
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Louis Lang, Return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment, N.Y.S.M. from the Seat of War, 1862-1863. Oil on canvas. New-York Historical Society. From The Civil War in 60 Objects by Harold Holzer and the New-York Historical Society.
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Crowded ships brought American troops back to New York harbor for months after V-E Day, 5/8/1945. Photo: Troopship returning to New York harbor, 1945. Gelatin silver print. New-York Historical Society #85722d. Now on exhibit through May 27: WWII & NYC.
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Today in 1945: New Yorkers celebrated V-E Day following Germany’s surrender to the World War II Allies. After three dark years, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty turned on their lights in honor of the joyous occasion. Photo: Statue of Liberty on V-E Day. Gelatin silver print. New-York Historical Society #86607d. Now on exhibit through May 27: WWII & NYC.
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Today in 1849, photographer Jacob Riis, whose exposes initiated slum clearance programs & new laws, was born in Denmark. Photo: Jacob Riis, Bohemian Cigarmakers. Gelatin silver print. New-York Historical Society
