It’s Thanksgiving Day, 1931, in New York City.
By early 1932, one in three city residents will be out of work. Roughly 1.6 million were on the relief rolls, according to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Down and out New Yorkers began building a Hooverville in Central Park.
And an astounding 10,000 men waited for their turn to sit down to dinner at the Municipal Lodging House, the public city shelter for homeless men, women, and children at the foot of East 25th Street.
This New York City Department of Records photo captured a group of these men in bulky overcoats and hats. They’re young and old, mostly oblivious to the camera and focused only on consuming their turkey and potatoes.
Tags: 1930s New York City, being poor in New York City, charity dinner NYC, Hooverville in Central Park, Municipal Lodging House NYC, New York during the Depression, Thanksgiving in New York, Thanksgiving traditions New York City
Ephemeral New York 
November 24, 2016 at 3:13 pm |
What about the women and children — could they not share in the meal? I know many charities and shelters — including the police courts — gave out food to men, women, and children, but this strikes me odd that it’s all men.
November 24, 2016 at 4:18 pm |
Good question HC. My understanding is that they separated men and women/children for safety reasons; there were far fewer women/kids using the Lodging House, and some of these men were probably not gentleman. This was basically a place of last resort. But I’ll look around to see if there’s any deeper explanation.
November 24, 2016 at 3:36 pm |
Very interesting and pertinent post. The NYT article (10,000 men) was enlightening as well. As always, a very professional, knowledgeable post.
November 24, 2016 at 3:54 pm |
Interesting and pertinent. Thanks for the link to the NYT paper from that time.
November 24, 2016 at 4:18 pm |
Thank you!
November 27, 2016 at 7:05 pm |
Terrific article. I noticed a typo–it’s relief rolls, not roles.
November 27, 2016 at 10:00 pm |
Thank you–fixed!
December 12, 2016 at 8:23 am |
[…] Lane was the site of the Municipal Lodging House, built in 1909 to house mostly homeless, often derelict men (top and second photos), but also women […]
December 23, 2019 at 7:43 am |
[…] fourth images show women and kids posing in front of a Christmas tree at what’s likely the Municipal Lodging House, the public city shelter for homeless men, women, and children at the end of 25th Street on the […]