Photographic record of South Bronx rebuilding efforts from the NYC Department of Housing, Preservation and Development Collection.
open weekdays 9 AM - 12 PM & 1 PM - 4 PM
1904 photo of John B. McDonald, Mayor Seth Low, and William Parsons driving the last spike to complete New York City’s first subway tunnel.
United Nations headquarters opened in 1945 on Manhattan’s east side, establishing New York City as an international center of diplomacy.
Architectural rendering of Idlewild Airport, now JFK, showing curved terminal, runways, planes, and boats during its 1940s construction era.
Black and white photo of Astoria Park Pool, a 1936 New Deal project built under Mayor La Guardia, with Triborough Bridge visible in the background.
Handwritten 1835 license document granting authorization for operation of the Staten Island Ferry.
1975 “Welcome to Fear City” pamphlet distributed to tourists by law enforcement after city budget cuts.
1953 “Nueva York y Usted” guidebook for Puerto Rican residents, offering resources on jobs, housing, community groups, and city services.
Black and white photograph of Mayor Ed Koch signing the 1986 gay rights bill at his desk in New York City.
1980s Bronx tax photograph showing flattened lots and burned-out buildings.
Photograph of vendors and shoppers at a bustling sidewalk pushcart market on First Avenue.
Black and white photograph of Elvis Presley receiving a polio vaccine from NYC health officials in 1956 to promote vaccination.