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Amazing Vintage Photos of New York City’s Streets And People From The 1930s

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The 1930s was a struggling and tough era for New Yorkers, as the Great Depression took a toll on the city and the country. The unemployment rates were high, the people who still had the jobs were facing huge wage cuts. Many New Yorkers found themselves so poor they could not afford to eat on their own expense and they were evicted from their homes.

Here are some amazing historical photographs of New York City from the 1930s that show the lives of ordinary New Yorkers, the diverse people of the city, the places they live, work and play and their daily activities. These photographs were captured by Berenice Abbot, a pioneer female photographer of the 20th century. Abbott documented the side streets, stores, commuters and domestic areas of the huge city in her photographs. The Federal Art Project distributed her images to high schools, libraries and other public institutions.

Take a look at some of Abbott’s marvelous snapshots of New York city from the 1930s. Also check, the heartbreaking photos of New York slums from the early 20th century.

#1 Automat, 977 Eighth Avenue, Manhattan. Man takes pie out of Automat, stone counters and walls below metal and glass display.

Automat, 977 Eighth Avenue, Manhattan. Man takes pie out of Automat, stone counters and walls below metal and glass display.

5 Points
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#3 Radio Row, Cortlandt Street, Manhattan.

Radio Row, Cortlandt Street, Manhattan.

Men window shop in store selling radios, elevated railroad station, Ninth Avenue line, right center, subway entrance visible.

3 Points
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#4 Scene at Fulton Street fish market, the most important wholesale fish market in the US and an integral part of the East River waterfront for almost two centuries.

Scene at Fulton Street fish market, the most important wholesale fish market in the US and an integral part of the East River waterfront for almost two centuries.

The market is now disassembled in order to be reconstructed a few meters away from its original location.

3 Points
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#5 Pedestrians on Harlem Sidewalk, New York City, 1930.

Pedestrians on Harlem Sidewalk, New York City, 1930.

3 Points
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#6 Mannequins Reliable Play Figure Company Lower East Side, New York City, 1930s.

Mannequins Reliable Play Figure Company Lower East Side, New York City, 1930s.

3 Points
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#7 Policemen Take Part in Memorial Day Parade on Central, New York City, 1930.

Policemen Take Part in Memorial Day Parade on Central, New York City, 1930.

3 Points
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#8 Brooklyn Bridge with Pier 21, New York City, 1939.

Brooklyn Bridge with Pier 21, New York City, 1939.

3 Points
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#9 Hester Street, between Allen and Orchard Streets, Manhattan.

Hester Street, between Allen and Orchard Streets, Manhattan.

Looking down from window on street scene including peddlers, women sitting on stoop, baby carriages, fabric and clothing stores and pedestrians.

2 Points
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#10 Harlem Street: II. 422-424 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan.

Harlem Street: II. 422-424 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan.

Women sit on steps of house that serves as a church, with barber- shop below, white man talks to barber, beauty shop, and auto school next door.

2 Points
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#11 Henry Street, Manhattan.

Henry Street, Manhattan.

Abbot’s expertise in achieving a great depth of field is evident in this shot of a Manhattan street displaying the architectural variety of an evolving urban environment.

2 Points
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#12 Oyster Houses, South Street and Pike Slip, Manhattan.

Oyster Houses, South Street and Pike Slip, Manhattan.

George M. Still and N.P. Housman Oyster Co.’s with piles of oyster shells in front and the Manhattan Bridge above.

2 Points
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#13 Newsstand, 32nd Street and Third Avenue, Manhattan.

Newsstand, 32nd Street and Third Avenue, Manhattan.

Newstand next to State Coffee Shoppe, large display of magazines, ads for sundaes, Coca-Cola above, boxes of sodas below, man at left.

2 Points
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#14 General view, looking southwest to Manhattan from Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan.

General view, looking southwest to Manhattan from Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan.

Looking down Monroe Street toward Municipal building and financial district; children play on corner near church, parking lot, left.

2 Points
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#15 Oak and New Chambers Streets, Manhattan.

Oak and New Chambers Streets, Manhattan.

Festive lights in curlicue designs arch over street, men with tall ladder, wagons, cars, billboards; ‘el’ and Municipal Bldg. just visible.

2 Points
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#16 Traveling tin shop, Brooklyn.

Traveling tin shop, Brooklyn.

Tinker looks over his shoulder at camera while he ties box to wagon already loaded with pans, brushes, basins, etc.

2 Points
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#17 Herald Square, 34th and Broadway, Manhattan.

Herald Square, 34th and Broadway, Manhattan.

Looking down on busy intersection, people crossing, buses, trucks, cabs, other autos, Macy’s entrance just visible with union picket in front.

2 Points
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#18 Willow and Poplar Street.

Willow and Poplar Street.

Laundry wagon, cars, along sloping street lined with rowhouses, skyline of Manhattan visible above buildings at end of the street.

2 Points
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#19 Mulberry and Prince Streets, Manhattan.

Mulberry and Prince Streets, Manhattan.

Building with gambrel roof, dormers on corner, small houses along street where man pushes cart, large buildings topped with water towers beyond.

2 Points
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#20 Penn Station, Interior, Manhattan. Massive steel uprights in the center and to the left, with lighter steel tracery and windows above; men stand near stairway to trains.

Penn Station, Interior, Manhattan. Massive steel uprights in the center and to the left, with lighter steel tracery and windows above; men stand near stairway to trains.

2 Points
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#21 Pedestrians at Union Square in New York City were photographed mid-stride on an especially sunny and warm day.

Pedestrians at Union Square in New York City were photographed mid-stride on an especially sunny and warm day.

Union Square has long been a center of commercial activity, as well as a busy intersection where people catch one of the many subway or bus lines that run along Lexington Avenue, Columbus or Broadway.

2 Points
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#22 Manhattan Skyline: I.

Manhattan Skyline: I.

South Street and Jones Lane, Manhattan. Looking from pier toward Manhattan, tugboats moored left, Downtown Skyport, right, skyscrapers in the background.

2 Points
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#24 Workers at Squibb Building Construction Site 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, 1930.

Workers at Squibb Building Construction Site 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#25 Dump Truck at Construction Site, New York City, 1930.

Dump Truck at Construction Site, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#26 48th Street Near Fifth Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, 1930.

48th Street Near Fifth Avenue, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#27 Looking down on rooftops, West 57th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenue, New York City, 1930.

Looking down on rooftops, West 57th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenue, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#28 A young Chinese boy standing on a dolly, New York City, 1930.

A young Chinese boy standing on a dolly, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#29 Crowd on the beach at Coney Island, New York City, 1930.

Crowd on the beach at Coney Island, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#30 Read the Sun’ newspaper stand near City Hall Park, New York City, 1930.

Read the Sun' newspaper stand near City Hall Park, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#31 Retail Establishments on Hester Street Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

Retail Establishments on Hester Street Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#32 A shack in Hooverville, Central Park, New York City, 1930.

A shack in Hooverville, Central Park, New York City, 1930.

2 Points
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#33 A Jewish hat merchant on the Lower East Side, New York City, 1930s.

A Jewish hat merchant on the Lower East Side, New York City, 1930s.

2 Points
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#34 A ‘Bowery Bum’ or homeless man, New York City, 1932.

A 'Bowery Bum' or homeless man, New York City, 1932.

2 Points
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#35 A coach of the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, New York City, 1932.

A coach of the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, New York City, 1932.

2 Points
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#37 The Sumner Healey Antique Shop, New York City, 1936.

The Sumner Healey Antique Shop, New York City, 1936.

2 Points
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#39 The Erie Railroad ferry station, New York City, 1938.

The Erie Railroad ferry station, New York City, 1938.

2 Points
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#40 Pike and Henry Streets, Manhattan.

Pike and Henry Streets, Manhattan.

Looking down Pike Street toward the Manhattan Bridge, street half in shadow, rubble in gutters, some traffic.

1 Point
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#41 Fulton Street Dock, Manhattan skyline, Manhattan.

Fulton Street Dock, Manhattan skyline, Manhattan.

Men walk on pier where sailing vessels are moored, skyline beyond.

1 Point
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#42 Waterfront, South Street, Manhattan.

Waterfront, South Street, Manhattan.

Brooklyn Bridge span as it reaches land above South Street near James, tall buildings rise beyond.

1 Point
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#43 Union Square, Manhattan.

Union Square, Manhattan.

Looking up at statue of Lafayette from behind and left, S. Klein’s store, a bank, a hotel and the Consolidated Edison Building, beyond.

1 Point
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#44 Madison Square, looking northeast, Manhattan.

Madison Square, looking northeast, Manhattan.

Policeman stands in front of Seward statue, shoe-shine man lounges on railing, right, Metropolitan Life building rises above park.

1 Point
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#45 Department of Docks and Police Station, Pier A, North River, Manhattan.

Department of Docks and Police Station, Pier A, North River, Manhattan.

Long building wtih clock tower at far end housing Dept. of Docks and a Police station; man walks toward camera near newsstand in foreground.

1 Point
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#46 A & P (Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.), 246 Third Avenue, Manhattan.

A & P (Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.), 246 Third Avenue, Manhattan.

Window display showing can goods, eggs, crackers, etc. and signs for sale items, ads with Kate Smith inviting you to try 2 different coffees.

1 Point
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#47 ‘El,’ Sixth Avenue Line, 28th Street Station, Manhattan.

‘El,’ Sixth Avenue Line, 28th Street Station, Manhattan.

Street clogged with traffic below ‘el,’ stairs leading up have ads painted on them, sign on station: ‘RIDE ON THE OPEN AIR ELEVATED.’

1 Point
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#48 Looking down from ‘el’ station at intersection of 34th and Broadway; pedestrians, traffice, Macy’s and billboards, Saks at 34th St.

Looking down from ‘el’ station at intersection of 34th and Broadway; pedestrians, traffice, Macy’s and billboards, Saks at 34th St.

1 Point
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#49 Looking south at Greyhound Bus Terminal, 33rd and 34th Streets between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, Manhattan.

Looking south at Greyhound Bus Terminal, 33rd and 34th Streets between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, Manhattan.

1 Point
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#50 Corner of East 10th Street and Avenue D, Manhattan.

Corner of East 10th Street and Avenue D, Manhattan.

Two women converse on corner in front of Corn Exchange Bank Trust Co., truck at curb, other building at right.

1 Point
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#52 Construction Site for Squibb Building 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, 1930.

Construction Site for Squibb Building 745 Fifth Avenue, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#53 Henry Kirke Browns Statue of George Washington, New York City, 1930.

Henry Kirke Browns Statue of George Washington, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#54 Henry Kirk Browns Statue of Abraham Lincoln awaiting relocation from Union Square, New York City, 1930.

Henry Kirk Browns Statue of Abraham Lincoln awaiting relocation from Union Square, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#55 Preparing to Hoist Washington Statue in Union Square, New York City, 1930.

Preparing to Hoist Washington Statue in Union Square, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#56 Tourists looking at the view from the Empire State Building, New York City, New York, circa 1930.

Tourists looking at the view from the Empire State Building, New York City, New York, circa 1930.

1 Point
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#57 An open trolley and Paramount Theater 43rd Street, New York City, 1930.

An open trolley and Paramount Theater 43rd Street, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#58 An oyster vendor on the Lower East Side near Grand Street, New York City, 1930.

An oyster vendor on the Lower East Side near Grand Street, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#59 Sidewalk display of electrical fans Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

Sidewalk display of electrical fans Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#60 An empty shop, R Friedman and Silver, on the Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

An empty shop, R Friedman and Silver, on the Lower East Side, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#61 The fish market near Fulton and South Streets, Lower Manhattan, New York City, 1930.

The fish market near Fulton and South Streets, Lower Manhattan, New York City, 1930.

1 Point
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#64 A man playing cards in New York’s East Side, 1938.

A man playing cards in New York's East Side, 1938.

1 Point
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#65 Blossom Restaurant, 103 Bowery, Manhattan.

Blossom Restaurant, 103 Bowery, Manhattan.

Men stand at entrance to barbershop, pole in front, under the Blossom Restaurant, which has menu painted on windows and board out front.

0 Points
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#66 Huts and unemployed, West Houston and Mercer Street, Manhattan.

Huts and unemployed, West Houston and Mercer Street, Manhattan.

Men share a light in front of hut with open door, milk can and washtub inside, hut to left has pictures in frames adorning the outside of it.

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6 Comments

  1. Pic 43:

    My dad’s first salaried job after coming to NYC after being liberated from Dachau was as a Window Display Designer for S. Klein.

    Their motto was “S. Klein On The Square,” a double-meaning in that they offered fair deals and were located on Union Square.

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