A Photographer in 1911 Captured New York’s Fifth Avenue Like ‘Google Street View’

A Photographer in 1911 Captured New York’s Fifth Avenue Like ‘Google Street View’
Busy bussiness area around West 46th Street, with a florist, jeweler, art dealer or women's apparel importer. (NYPL)
Ingrid Longauerová
4/19/2016
Updated:
4/29/2016

About 200 years ago, Fifth Avenue was a mere country road leading to Yorkville, which was a small village at the time. But as New York City grew, so did the city’s famous artery. 

At the turn of 20th century, the avenue perfectly reflected the huge changes that were happening in the city, and Fifth Avenue became synonymous with fashionable life, expensive mansions, as well as the city’s cultural and social institutions. 

In 1907, Fifth Avenue was earmarked as a factory hub, but its residents and fellow New Yorkers formed a movement to save the special character that the avenue had. And it was around this time photographer Burton Welles decided to capture Fifth Avenue with his wide-angle lens—from one end to the other.  

Click on the plus sign to enlarge the photos.

From Washington Arch to West 8th Street. (NYPL)
From Washington Arch to West 8th Street. (NYPL)

 

East 7th St. Duncan, with the historic Hotel Brevoort, demolished in 1954. (NYPL)
East 7th St. Duncan, with the historic Hotel Brevoort, demolished in 1954. (NYPL)

 

From E. 14th S. to W. 18th St. (NYPL)
From E. 14th S. to W. 18th St. (NYPL)

 

W.18th St. (NYPL)
W.18th St. (NYPL)

 

Fifth Ave. between W. 10th and 11th St., with The Old First Presbyterian Church. (NYPL)
Fifth Ave. between W. 10th and 11th St., with The Old First Presbyterian Church. (NYPL)

 

Madison Square Garden with the Metropolitan Tower. (NYPL)
Madison Square Garden with the Metropolitan Tower. (NYPL)

 

E. 29th St. (NYPL)
E. 29th St. (NYPL)

 

Overlooking W. 34th St. (NYPL)
Overlooking W. 34th St. (NYPL)

 

The Waldorf Astoria (on the left), opened in 1893 and brought commercialization to the whole of Fifth Ave. (NYPL)
The Waldorf Astoria (on the left), opened in 1893 and brought commercialization to the whole of Fifth Ave. (NYPL)

 

Businesses around E. 35th St. (NYPL)
Businesses around E. 35th St. (NYPL)

 

E. 43rd St. with the Temple Emanu-El of Reform Judaism, which was demolished in 1927 after the temple was moved to the Upper East Side. (NYPL)
E. 43rd St. with the Temple Emanu-El of Reform Judaism, which was demolished in 1927 after the temple was moved to the Upper East Side. (NYPL)

 

The New Public Library at W. 42nd St. (NYPL)
The New Public Library at W. 42nd St. (NYPL)

 

The busy business area around W. 46th St., with a florist, jeweler, art dealer, and women's apparel importer. (NYPL)
The busy business area around W. 46th St., with a florist, jeweler, art dealer, and women's apparel importer. (NYPL)

 

Home of S.R. Guggenheim at E. 58th St. (NYPL)
Home of S.R. Guggenheim at E. 58th St. (NYPL)

 

St. Patrick's Cathedral at E. 51st St. (NYPL)
St. Patrick's Cathedral at E. 51st St. (NYPL)

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (NYPL)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (NYPL)

 

Apartments at E. 85th St. (NYPL)
Apartments at E. 85th St. (NYPL)

 

Andrew Carnegie's residence at E. 90th St., which remains the same today. (NYPL)
Andrew Carnegie's residence at E. 90th St., which remains the same today. (NYPL)

See the whole collection at the NYPL website.

Ingrid Longauerová is a long time employee at the Epoch Media Group. She started working with The Epoch Times as a freelance journalist in 2007 before coming to New York and work in the Web Production department. She is currently a senior graphic designer for the Elite Magazine, a premier luxury lifestyle magazine for affluent Chinese in America produced by the EMG.
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