PRI4060
36 black-and-white photographs; photographs printed on 20.5 x 12.5 cm. paper and are mounted on board (28 x 36 cm.), two to a board, except for 33 and 34, which initially also were mounted that way but that board has been cut in half.
Collection is open for research. White cotton gloves must be worn when handling photographs. Library does not own copyright.
Gift of Hugh Flick; accessioned December 1981
Billie Aul, Senior Librarian, Manuscripts and Special Collections, 1993; revised 2010
This collection appears to have been designed to illustrate a history of the Home Savings Bank, Albany, New York; the bank can be seen in many of the photographs. The photos have cropping marks but the publication that they were intended for has not been identified. One of the photos is on page 5 of Home Savings Bank of City of Albany: Its History and Achievements, 1872-1922 (Albany, N.Y.: J.B. Lyon Co., printers, 1922). Many other buildings and streets of downtown Albany are also featured in these photos, which altogether provide a good overview of the changing cityscape of Albany from the 1850s to the 1970s. In some cases, buildings were erected, and later razed within the time frame of these photos: for example, the Tweddle Building and Ten Eyck Hotel. Changes in modes of transportation and its infrastructure are also depicted. This collection also includes aerial views showing State and Pearl streets, circa 1928, and of the Empire State Plaza under construction about 1970.
List of Photographs:
Photograph | Description |
|---|---|
1 | Cover of Bank [Pass] Book No. 1, Home Savings Bank of the City of Albany [1872] (13.5 x 9 cm.) |
2 | View of the front of 40 State Street, the Commercial Bank Building, ca. 1870s (14.5 x 10 cm.), housing: |
3 | Horse-drawn trolley labeled "Lumber District," ca. 1915; the "Lumber District" was located along the Erie Canal from Lawrence Street to North Street (11 x 14 cm.) |
4 | "Elm Tree Corner," northwest corner of State and Pearl, ca. 1850s (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) |
5 | Electric trolley and horse-drawn carriage on State Street near St. Peter's Episcopal Church (11 x 14 cm.) |
6 | View of port (8 x 14 cm.) showing: |
7 | Tweddle Building at northwest corner of State and Pearl streets after fire, 1883; the building housed a concert hall on the upper floors with bank and other retail stores occupying the lower floors (12.5 x 10 cm.) |
8 | Wider view of northwest corner of State and Pearl, ca. 1912; (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) showing: |
9 | Exterior of Empire Theater, [South Pearl Street?] (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) Advertisements are posted for: |
10 | Circus parade, with elephants, possibly on South Pearl Street; electric trolley on track next to parade (12 x 14.5 cm.) |
11 | View of North Pearl Street from State Street, ca. 1905 (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) showing: |
12 | State Street looking up from Pearl Street, ca. 1881-1882 (14.5 x 11.5 cm.) showing: |
13 | Northeast corner of State and Pearl streets, ca. 1922 (11.5 x 17 cm.) showing: |
14 | Northeast corner of State and Pearl streets, ca. 1913 (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) showing: |
15 | Northeast corner of State and Pearl streets, ca. 1918 (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) showing: |
16 | Northeast corner of State and Pearl streets (11.5 x 14.5 cm.), ca. 1912, showing: |
17 | North Pearl Street in winter, ca. 1891 (11 x 13.5 cm.) showing: |
18 | Northeast corner State and Pearl streets decorated with flags and bunting, ca. 1910 (11 x 16.5 cm.), showing: |
19 | Unidentified residential street scene showing a number of children dwarfed in height by the snow banks; possibly taken after the Blizzard of March 1888 (11.5 x 13.5 cm.) |
20 | Opera House entrance after large snowfall; situated on the west side of South Pearl Street between Hudson Avenue and Beaver Street (14.5 x 10 cm.) |
21 | Horse-drawn wagons and one motor-bus at a covered shed and loading dock, possibly at the public market, ca. 1912 (11.5 x 15 cm.) |
22 | Albany basin (port): view from Hudson River bridge showing Steamer W.M. Whitney and other steamboats at dock, ca. 1891 (11.5 x 14.5 cm.) |
23 | Aerial view of Albany public market looking towards the northeast showing buildings along Beaver and Grand streets, ca. 1918 (11.5 x 14 cm.); also showing: |
24 | Waterfront view at Albany Basin; Quay Street at Hudson Avenue taken shortly before the buildings were demolished to make way for the construction of the Delaware & Hudson Building, ca. 1913 (11.5 x 13.5 cm.) showing: |
25 | Broadway and State Street taken from D&H Building, ca. 1915 (11.5 x 14.5 cm.). Good cityscape showing (L-R) New York Telephone Building, Capitol Building, City Hall carillon tower, and Education Building at the top of the hill; in foreground is seen part of the Post Office and the Federal Building, the First Trust Company Building (northwest corner), a side of the Hampton Hotel, and the "Plaza" still under construction at the time. |
26 | Northwest corner Pearl Street at State Street, 1872; trees obscure most of the buildings; sign on one building: "Plank Book Manufactory" (10 x 16 cm.) / [This picture is also on page 5 of Home Savings Bank of City of Albany: Its History and Achievements, 1872-1922 (Albany, N.Y.: J.B. Lyon Co., printers, 1922). New York State Library call number: C,332.1097474,H765,88-17716] |
27 | Parade of World War I veterans, which appears to be at the site of the public market, along Hudson Avenue, ca. 1919 (10 x 14.5 cm.). The sign for Proctor's Theatre can be seen in the background. |
28 | United Traction Company streetcar #609 (West Albany route) with ad "Henry Johnson Licked a Dozen Germans – How Many Stamps Have you Licked?" ca. 1918 (10.5 x 16 cm.) |
29 | Construction site, location not identified (11 x 14.5 cm.) |
30 | North corners of State and Pearl streets, ca. 1916 (11.5 x 15 cm.) showing: |
31 | North Pearl Street – A view looking primarily at buildings on the east side of the street, ca. early 1910s (11.5 x 14.5 cm.), showing (right to left): |
32 | Corner of North Pearl and State, ca. 1927 (14.5 x 11 cm.), showing: |
33 | Aerial view of downtown Albany centered on State and Pearl streets, ca. 1928 (11.5 x 17 cm.), showing: |
34 | Aerial view of Albany showing construction of the Empire State Plaza, ca. 1969. Corning Tower, Swan Street Building, Agency Building 4, and Legislative Office Building are visible. Also under construction at the time, was One Commerce Plaza (Twin Towers), the building at the corner of Washington Avenue and Swan Street. Also visible is the construction of the arterial from 787 to the plaza and the bridge across the Hudson River to Rensselaer. The original Dunn Memorial Bridge, constructed ca. 1932, is also in view. (16.5 x 11.5 cm.) |
35 | Aerial view of Albany looking northwest, showing the construction of the Empire State Plaza, ca. 1971. Corning Tower, Swan Street Building, Agency Building 4, and Legislative Office Building are almost complete while Agency Buildings 2 and 3 are under construction. Also shows much of downtown Albany, including a vacant lot where the Ten Eyck Hotel had stood. A portion of the arterial from 787 to the plaza is complete and carrying traffic. (11.5 x 16 cm.) |
36 | Aerial view of Albany looking north showing construction of the Empire State Plaza and surrounding infrastructure, ca. 1971; Hudson River is on the right showing the new Dunn Memorial Bridge and remnants of the support piers of the old bridge. (11.5 x 16.5 cm.) |