Tenement Dominated Orchard Street
Orchard street, once the site of a lush orchard, sat at the heart of Lower East Side tenement housing. The street, lined with the five, six, or seven story walk-up buildings, was initially settled by German immigrants. Over time, Jewish immigrants settled the area, coming from Ellis Island to settle in this densely populated, bustling street lined with shop awnings and buildings with fire escapes dominating their street side.
This image shows the busy street life on Orchard Street. People walk on the street, only clearing if a cart or vehicle needs to pass. The buildings have balconies, putting this image before the time fire escapes were required by law and the upper stories. These building fronts would soon be covered in fire escapes. The balconies appear to be used as secondary storage space, but also provided a respite from the sweltering interior during warm months.
