Oldest Photograph Of New York City
We know New York City as the hustling, bustling hub of economy, business and fashion. But that wasn’t always the case. As the oldest photo of NYC depicts, it was more like the Old West than the urban super center we recognized today. We’re not sure of who took this photograph, but it was taken in 1848 of the Upper West Side, known as Manhattan today.
While this image shows a quaint and quiet rural life, New York City grew quickly. New York, with a population of 96,000 in 1810, surged far beyond its rivals, reaching a population of 1,080,000 in 1860, compared to 566,000 in Philadelphia, 212,000 in Baltimore and 178,000 in Boston. But the Big Apple had its fair share of struggles during this time. From cholera outbreaks to fires, the growth and vitalization of the iconic city was hard won.
