1870 Along Canal Street, looking west towards the Hudson River, this snapshot of the past is reminiscent of the Old West, with its horses, wagons, trolley tracks and wooden buildings. The history of New York City (1855–1897) started with the inauguration in 1855 of Fernando Wood as the first mayor from Tammany Hall, an institution that would dominate the city throughout this period. Growth of the poor immigrant working class combined with increasing economic consolidation eventually became The Five Boroughs in 1898. Ulysses S. Grant, our eighteenth president from 1869 to1877 is laid to rest at Grant’s Tomb in Morningside Heights. Photo: Anonymous
2015 Probably the most congested intersection in the city, especially during festivals. Crowds shop the narrow sidewalks, street vendors and storeowners compete for space on Canal Street where you can buy practically anything. It is hard to imagine this famous bustling street, bordering between Little Italy and Chinatown was once a Fresh Water Pond. Polluted from commercial waste, it was drained in 1814 with the pond’s underground springs redirected to flow into the Hudson River. Photo: Stan Fine
