Berenice Abbott took this 1936 photo. What wonderful details: the old street lamp far off on the right, the corner drugstore sign on the left, rubbish (or mud?) beside the curb, and a horse being lead down Madison Street a block away.
And of course, there’s the Manhattan Bridge, looming like an apparition.
With the exception of the bridge, this corner looks very different today.
The rickety tenements casting all those noirish shadows have been knocked down, partially replaced by the institution-like Rutgers Houses. Pike Street is much wider and has a few trees.
Tags: Berenice Abbott, Chinatown street scenes, corner of Henry and Pike Streets, Henry Street, Manhattan Bridge, New York then and now, Pike Street
August 25, 2009 at 3:59 pm |
The first picture looks so romantic, even though I know it’s not, while the second looks so utilitarian…rather very ugly.
August 25, 2009 at 5:20 pm |
[...] Looking south on Pike Street circa 1936. That stretch of real estate looks mighty different these days. Check out the comparison [Ephemeral NY] [...]
September 9, 2009 at 4:32 am |
wow – thats crazy how much its changed…seemingly not for the better IMO -