The American Museum of Natural History just launched its horse exhibit, which makes this a good time to consider the equine era in New York City. It’s only been 100 years or so since cars and trucks began to replace horses as a major mode of transit above ground. This photo is from 1888; check out the horses pulling streetcars (to Harlem!) at Bowery and Canal.
Reminders of horse power abound, like this equine water fountain under the 59th Street Bridge. It was built in 1919 for use in the open-air market that existed there at the time, a market likely packed with horse carts, which were still a common sight in the 1940s and even the 1950s.
I only know of two other horse drinking fountains in the city. One is on Central Park South just inside the park off Sixth Avenue; the other sits at the Southeast corner of the park. Both were presented to the ASPCA in the early 1900s. And they both still work!
Tags: bowery, central park, Horses
June 15, 2008 at 11:54 pm |
for horses
hooper fountain
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_newsroom/daily_plants/daily_plant_main.php?id=10992
there’s also the gigantic water fountain (near bethesda fountain) in central park that used to be for horses,
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE2DB113BF93BA3575BC0A96E958260
however, after the restoration 10 yrs ago, horses aren’t allowed to drink from it.
September 17, 2008 at 1:10 am |
[...] old livery stable ad is on its last legs, a faded reminder of when New York City depended on horses for industry and [...]
January 31, 2012 at 3:39 pm |
If you’ve never seen it, Harold Lloyd’s Speedy, filmed on location in NY, Bronx and Brooklyn in 1928, is about his efforts to save the city’s remaining horse car line from destruction. It’s a lot of fun and the shots of NYC in the ’20s are fascinating. A book just came out last year by John Bengston details then and now scenes from the film.
January 31, 2012 at 4:25 pm |
that sounds cool, thanks for sending it in. I love discovering old movies shot on location in NYC.
December 8, 2012 at 4:26 am |
[...] Here are a few other old horse troughs around Manhattan, one in Central Park and another hiding in the East 50s. [...]