Extraordinary colour photographs reveal 1940s life in the Big Apple in all its glory

[PSPS]

How times have changed in New York City! Extraordinary colour photographs reveal 1940s life in the Big Apple in all its glory

- Photos by Indiana snapper Charles Weever Cushman in 1941 and 1942
- Expensive colour Kodachrome was used to take impressive collection
- Many buildings have since been demolished but some of them still stand

By Mark Duell

It’s been 70 years since an Indiana photographer visited New York City and returned home with an amazing collection of holiday snaps.

But Charles Weever Cushman’s pictures are even more impressive today, as they were taken on pricey colour Kodachrome and look far more recent than they actually are.

He went around the city taking photos of architecture such as the Brooklyn Bridge and other parts of the Manhattan skyline - and it’s hard to believe they were taken while World War Two was going on.



Daily life: This street seen from October 3, 1942, is just one from a huge collection by Charles W. Cushman

More at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036932/New-York-City-photos-Charles-W-Cushman-reveal-1940s-life-Big-Apple.html

[elleng]

1. Thank you! My family was there!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

2. k and r

[NYC_SKP]

3. Except for the cars and clothes, many neighborhoods look much the same.

Thanks for the post!

:kick:

[Withywindle]

5. that's just what I was thinking!

And with the quality of the film and the images, they really do look contemporary. These could be shots from a movie set in the 40s but filmed today.


I have my doubts about the caption on the one with the "homeless men," though. They're better dressed than almost anyone you see on the street today! (Or maybe I just think fedoras always look good)

[JI7]

28. i think everyone just dressed better then

they probably didn't buy as many clothes. but had a few pieces which were better quality.

it's not just homeless but everyone else is dressed better than most people would be today.

[jwirr]

44. More than likely their jobs prior to the depression required suits.

That was what they had. I know that for farmers it was just the opposite. They often came to church in coveralls.

[jaxx]

4. Wonderful pictures.

Thanks!

[MannyGoldstein]

6. That really is extraordinary, thank you! nt

[leftstreet]

7. K&R

Thanks for posting this

[The Genealogist]

8. Thanks for sharing...great old photos

[Brigid]

9. Wow!

These pictures are just amazing!

[Odin2005]

10. I got a chuckle from the pic of the hot-dog stand.

[Beartracks]

12. Like McSorley's, I wanted to see the comparison pic!

That same cart is still out there vending today. I'm sure of it!

=============================

[tech5270]

11. Thanks for that, it's been a few years since I've been there

but it is amazing how little the street scenes have changed. McSorley's really does look much as it did in the day. I can remember pounding some of those streets with my niece and ex the last time I was there. Except for the fire escapes, vehicles and dress, it still looks much the same.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Thanks for sharing

[Golden Raisin]

14. Nostalgic and fascinating.

One thing that jumps out is how much more formal and well-dressed the clothing was for men, women & children.

[Raine]

15. COOL ... THANKS so much! nt

[ProdigalJunkMail]

16. Was just at McSorley's on Tuesday night

thanks for the pics...very nice find!

sP

[MinneapolisMatt]

17. Fantastic!

:toast:

[Broderick]

18. Neat!

[laruemtt]

19. Ma & Pa got hitched in

NYC in 1940 - thanks for posting these!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

20. oddly I didn't a shot of the storefront for

Genco Olive Oil (Genco Pura)... ;-)

sP

[monmouth]

21. The little girl crossing the street with her mother is now (hopefully)

in her early 70s....Just a perspective..

[Pooka Fey]

22. K&R

[whathehell]

23. GREAT Photos!...Thanks! n/t

[ceile]

24. Wow. K&R

[lunatica]

25. kick'd and rec'd

[treestar]

26. Beautiful!

Thank you. I picture that era in Black and White too much!

[hunter]

27. I love the Cushman collection.

The guy got around, a mad obsession.

I've found quite a few pictures of places I remember that are now radically changed or gone.

[Gin]

29. really interesting....thank you for posting....new business idea

from the pics...sweet potato cart..

[Canuckistanian]

30. Just think

That little girl in blue is probably over 70 years old now...

[Chorophyll]

31. Thank you!

I'm New York born-and-raised (both parents from Brooklyn) but I've never seen color photos from the 40s. This really made me smile.

[DeSwiss]

32. Great find! Brings back memories of yesteryear. Thanks! - K&R n/t

[Jakes Progress]

33. Cool. Thank you.

[bettyellen]

34. OMG-A PARKING SPACE!

[NBachers]

40. Best laugh of the day!

[valerief]

35. Luscious pics! nt

[nytemare]

36. I almost expect to see Bogey smoking a cigarette.

Thanks for sharing!

[grahampuba]

37. Orchard and Delancy? nt

[fascisthunter]

38. I LOVE looking at pictures of the past

old america.... just awesome!

[MrMickeysMom]

39. I love that hot sweet potato vendor set up...

He's got it all, fire, stove, fresh produce... plus... the potatoes look healthy! I'd have gotten one.

[NBachers]

41. Thanks so much for posting this

Luscious Kodachrome- Thanks, Kodak

I love watching urban noir movies from this era- I'd love to step into that picture and buy one of those sweet potatoes.

[Blue_In_AK]

42. Photography creates immortality

preserving moments in time.

[1776Forever]

43. Wow look at the men in their suits and hats & ladies in dresses. A different world then. Thanks n/t

[TwilightGardener]

46. Yes--that's what stood out for me too. Even the homeless men looked

decent and presentable. When I was a little girl, in the 70's, my mother and grandmothers would still dress up to go downtown. Times change, and not always for the better.

[TwilightGardener]

45. Never been to NYC, but I am fascinated by photos of days gone by (in this case, my

grandparents' heyday). Thanks for posting.

[blackspade]

47. I wonder if we could return to 1940s energy consumption?

Great pics.

AN excellent historical resource.
I would live to see more 1940s-modern comparison shots!

[Art_from_Ark]

48. The picture of the sweet potato vendor particularly caught my attention

Sweet potato vendors in Japan still use a similar type of stove to bake their "yaki imo"-- and the stoves, with open flames, are often in the beds of Japanese-style pick-up trucks!

[Jennivell]

49. I can't believe they discontinued Kodachrome

The government should have stepped in and sponsored its continuation somehow, for purposes just like this one. Will there be any digital photos of present-day New York left in another 70 years?

[NYC Liberal]

50. Fantastic photos! There is even more here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imlsdcc/sets/72157623607353234/

[dionysus]

51. wow. really cool

[Evasporque]

52. What a treat...somewhere are cans of 16mm film

From the same era of small town rural South Dakota from 40s-70s....

My mother had them and I told her repeatedly to take them to the historical society for preservation... I don't know if she ever did.

I remember watching some of the films as a child and seeing daily life in a small prairie town....