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History of Times Square in Pictures (1904 - 1989)

Formerly known as Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the then newly erected Times Building, now One Times Square. It is the site of the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop, which began on December 31, 1907, and continues to attract over a million visitors to Times Square every year

1904: Times Square at Night

The bright lights of Times Square are not a new phenomenon as this picture reveals, albeit on a much smaller scale.

1907: Election Night in Times Square

Voters congregate near the Times Building at the "Great White Way" (Broadway from 42nd to 34th Sts.)

1908: Times Square, New York

A daytime photograph of Times Square and the New Times Building, with pedestrians and trolleys in the foreground.

1923: Times Square Looking North

A night time photograph of Broadway and Times Square looking North from 45th Street.

1927: Air Mail Plane on Display in Times Square

A group of onlookers crowd around the Post Office's Air Mail plane in the middle of Times Square.

1943: A Rainy Day in Times Square

Photograph of wet street and pavements at Time Square with the Times Building barely visible through the rain.

1943: Times Square Advertisement

Photograph of an iconic Times Square advertisement for Camel Cigarettes, featuring actual smoke blowing onto the street.

1943: Rainy Day in Times Square

Photograph of traffic and pedestrians with umbrellas walking along Times Square in midtown Manhattan.

1944: D Day at Times Square

Photograph of sailors and civilians watching an electronic sign in Times Square for news of D-Day invasion.

1945: Crowd at Times Square on V-J Day

Crowd of people, many waving, in Times Square on V-J Day at time of announcement of the Japanese surrender in 1945.

1945: Kissed in Times Square

Photograph of a sailor kissing an unknown woman in Times Square upon the announcement of Japan's surrender.

1945: Times Square Crowd Celebrates the Surrender of Japan

Crowds Gather in Times Square to Celebrate V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day) on Tuesday August 14, 1945

1947: Jazz Band at Times Square

A portrait of musicians Art Hodes, Kaiser Marshall, Henry (Clay) Goodwin, Sandy Williams, and Cecil (Xavier) Scott, playing on the back of a wagon in Times Square.

1947: Portrait of Jazz Musicians in Times Square

Photograph of jazz musicians Art Hodes, Kaiser Marshall, Henry (Clay) Goodwin, Sandy Williams, and Cecil (Xavier) Scott at Times Square.

1953: Times Square Showing Advertisements

Photograph of Times Square showing advertisements and businesses such as the Crossroad's Cafe and Nedicks.

1953: Times Square at Night

Aerial Photograph of a busy night in Times Square, illuminated by its many billboards, storefronts and the lights of passing traffic.

1954: Times Square Traffic

Photograph looking north at traffic along 7th Avenue facing Times Square with its many billboards and storefronts.

1956: Marquee in Times Square

Photograph of Marquee in Times Square - The neighborhood would become renowned for go-go bars and peep show establishments.

1973: Rush Hour Traffic in Times Square

Photograph of gridlock traffic in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

1989: Sailor Photographing a Police Man in Times Square

A sailor on liberty during Fleet Week photographs a New York City policeman on horseback in Times Square.

1989: Three Sailors Posing in Times Square

Three sailors stop to look around Times Square while on liberty during Fleet Week.


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History of NYC - 10,000+ Years Ago

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Is History101.nyc?

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.

What Time Periods, Eras, Decades of NYC History are available?

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:

Dutch Era: When New York Was New Amsterdam

NYC in the 1600s

Georgian Era

NYC in the 1700s • NYC from 1800 to 1850

Victorian Era

NYC in the 1850s • NYC in the 1860s • NYC in the 1870s • NYC in the 1880s

Progressive Era

NYC in the 1890s • NYC from 1900 to 1905 • 1905 to 1910 • 1910 to 1915 • 

World War 1

NYC from 1915 to 1920

Art Deco

NYC from 1920 to 1925 • NYC from 1925 to 1930

Depression Era

NYC from 1930 to 1935 • NYC from 1935 to 1940

World War 2

NYC from 1940 to 1945

MidCentury Modern Era

NYC from 1945 to 1950 • 1950 to 1955 • 1955 to 1960 • 1960 to 1965 • 1965 to 1970

Energy Crisis

NYC from 1970 to 1975 • 1975 to 1980

Reagan Era

NYC from 1980 to 1985 • 1985 to 1990
What is an "art print" and how is it different from a regular poster?

Art prints are engineered to stand out. They are are digital restorations of photographs, lithographs, paintings and other historic works of art. These prints require a higher resolution press than standard posters, and are printed on archival-quality paper or a flat textured wallpaper substrate.

Is an Art Print more expensive than a regular Poster?

Yes, Art prints are typically more expensive than posters. Considering the additional value in both execution and material, along with the exclusive nature of this collection. While many of the images on this site were originally public domain, most of them were damaged or of subpar quality. Our graphic designers have spent countless hours restoring each one to current HD standards.

It is rare to encounter this level of curation, or the restorative drive required to retouch hundreds of photos by hand. There are already tons of online poster shops who gladly sell you cheap prints, but we're definitely not that type of shop and believe our pricing to be a of fair value for the quality being produced.

Discounts for Educational Institutions are available upon inquiry.

Can I License Any of These Images?

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.

Who started History101.nyc?

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.

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