Cushman's New York Photos

Drop whatever you are doing and go check out the Charles W. Cushman archive. They've got a series of New York City photographs from the 1940s and 1950s that will literally blow your socks off. It's all there- from the Old Fulton Market pictures above, Wall Street, the Waterfront, LES, more LES, Pearl Street, the East Village, and 42nd Street. All beautifully notated. Gothamist hopes that in fifty years, people will look back on the archives of the New York City photoblogs and feel a similar sense of wonder.

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December 31, 2003 2:15 PM

Comments [rss]

rocky hanrahan

I have been on this site for several years now and and it has changed my life for ever. they are fascinating! especially the boston photos! thank you mr. cushman!

Jimmy Legs

those photos are amazing. i never see photos from that era that are actually in color.

990000

wow

Jim

Thanks for this great window onto the past!

Jen

What is amazing is that these photographs were in storage from 1972 (when Cushman bequeathed them) till 1999 (when a university archivist found them). Apparently the slides were in suitcases, neatly labeled. It's so great that Indiana University has put it online for everyone to enjoy.

aron

wow

Tamara

WOW, the wonderful thing about the pics is the quality...heck, some could be digital photos with that kind of quality. Happy New Year!

joe s

Very nice. The original photoblogger?

rion

phenom find, jake.

but with continued nyc archiving to do, i think this find means that new year's resolution "less 'blog'" is not the way to go in 2004. ;-)

happy new year!

karatechimp

I like the hotdog vendor shot. Good color.

eli

I like how even the bums are wearing suits (sans ties only) and hats.

hatchback

Those photos are amazing, Jake. And what sets them apart from historic New York photos you often see is that they're in color. That goes a long way toward cutting through that whole nostalgic/old-timey haze that can come between viewer and the photo's subject.