Like many other cities in the aftermath of a global war and pandemic, New York was ready to kick off a decade with a spirit of celebration. Society would break much new ground, including a boon in home ownership, and the expansion of civil rights. In the US, the sale of alcohol became prohibited, but this did little to stop the speakeasies which would define nightlife. Many great traditions and institutions were established during this time, including Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and New York Port Authority, The Cotton Club and New Yorker Magazine.
A night time photograph of Broadway and Times Square looking North from 45th Street.
Photograph of construction workers repairing granite stonework for the pavement on a New York City street.
A photograph of cars and pedestrians making their way around Columbus Circle looking north.
An aerial view looking towards the southern tip of Downtown Manhattan from the Woolworth Building, which was the tallest building in the world from 1913 to 1930.
An illustration depicting a bird's eye view of Columbia University, South Field and surrounding campus grounds.
Photograph of downtown Manhattan's iconic skyline from the shores of Jersey City.
Photograph of The New York City Public Library, looking north on 5th Avenue from 42nd Street.
Photograph of Hudson Street, covered with snow and crowded with automobiles, trucks, wagons, and horses.
Photograph of 11 year old Tony, who shines shoes in Union Square making anywhere from $2 to $4 per day.
Photograph of The Cunard Building, also known as the Standard & Poors Building - a 22-story office building located at 25 Broadway next to Bowling Green Park.
Photograph of three men participating in a gardening experiment at Bryant Park.
Photograph of a crowded street scene in front of The New York City Public Library at 5th Avenue & 40th Street.
Photograph of fans waiting to buy their ticket at the right field rgandstand of Yankee Stadium.
Photograph of baseball fans lined up for World Series bleacher seats at Yankee Stadium.
Babe Ruth and The New York Yankees on Opening Day Wednesday, April 18, 1923
Frank Chance & Miller Huggins, managers of the Red Sox & Yankees shaking hands before the opening game at Yankee Stadium, kicking off decades of rivalry between NYC and Boston.
Photograph of Jacob Ruppert, Governor Al Smith & his wife escorted by police on the field of Yankee Stadium on opening day.
Photograph of police saluting the flag while the band plays on the field of Yankee Stadium on opening day.
Photograpg of the packed stands behind the dug out at Yankee Stadium on opening day.
Team portrait of the New York Yankees (Babe Ruth is in the center of the picture).
Photograph of the New York Yankees posing for a portrait during spring training in New Orleans.
The corner of Broadway and Park Place, with pedestrians walking along street. A sign on top of the building reads "Irving Underhill General Photographer"
Photograph of the newly constructed Bellevue, the first public hospital in the United States.
A group of New York women transcribing popular fiction into Braille for blinded ex-service man under the direction of the New York County Chapter ARC.
Photograph of workers in the NYC Chapter Red Cross turning old clothes into warm, substantial garments for the needy children of central Europe.
A photograph of pedestrians on Wall Street with Trinity Church in the background.
Photograph of a young mechanic tightening the bolts of a steam pump with a wrench.
Welcome to the History of New York City - A Unique Online Gallery of NYC's Origins, Curated and Digitally Restored by Fine Print New York.
We're opening our archives to present this Collection of Vintage Photos, Historical Images and Rare Lithographs. This Exclusive Series of High Quality Art Prints are only Available for Purchase Exclusively on this Site.
We cover a great portion of the city's history, ranging from its earliest days as New Amsterdam to the late 1980s. Artists are currently working on photos from the 90s to present day,
Here's a current list of what is covered:
Digital licenses are available for educational institutions (schools, universities, non-profit organizations). Please contact legal@fineprintnyc.com to discuss conditions for licensing.
NOTE: Any form of commercialization or redistribution of these images, either as tangible goods or third party licenses, is expressly forbidden.
Joseph Gornail, printer/photographer and founder of Fine Print New York. Joseph grew up in SoHo, Manhattan and is part of a long lineage of NYC printers, learning the family trade from his grandfather. While working for Dolo Records/Stretch Armstrong in 1996, Joseph founded All City Marketing & Printing, and in 1999 Co-Founded the legendary street wear company "Orchard Street " with lifelong friends Benjamin Holloway and Greig Bennett. Fine Print NYC was established in 2004 with a Nike project being the launchpad for a commercial printing company that has not only survived, but thrived in the digital age.
Steven Garcia, designer/illustrator and creative director of Fine Print New York. Born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Steven attended Fashion Industries High School and F.I.T. before building a successful career at Saatchi & Saatchi for as a professional retoucher and storyboard artist in 1995. Steven started ShinyDesign in 1998 and partnered with Fine Print in 2004 as the exclusive design firm for the company. Steven has independently worked on major advertising campaigns for many brands over the years, such as Snapple, The Waldorf Astoria and Sony to name a few.
Together, Joseph & Steven are responsible for the curation and direction of the History101.nyc project, which has been under development since 2006. They have a long history of collaborating together, going back as far as 2001 when Joseph was gallery manager and Steven was a curator at The New York City Urban Experience, an art gallery & museum that was located at 85 South Street and owned by Mike Saes of the Nike Bridge Runners and True Yorkers.
315 Madison Avenue • NYC 10017 • (212)619-5446 • art@fineprintnyc.com
History101.NYC is an ad-free learning resource available to the public at no charge.
This project is dedicated to exploring New York’s fascinating heritage through the restoration of vintage photographs and prints.