Series II: Photograph Albums
Scope and Contents note
Series II consists of a series of three photograph albums with an accompanying typewritten text and clippings on the history of various locations along Broadway in Manhattan. Hine has entitled his volumes Broadway, New York From the Sky Scraper to the Wild Flower. The 274 photographs in these volumes are platinum prints with the exception of five cyanotypes. The photographs date from 1885-1908; many are undated. The volumes and the prints within them are arranged geographically, following Broadway from south to north. The volumes have been disbound due to their fragile condition, and the pages have been numbered to retain their original order.
Volume I, The Battery to Twenty Third Street, includes views of various intersections below 23rd Street and includes photographs of the Equitable Building, St. Paul's Cathedral, Grace Church, City Hall and City Hall Park, the Tiffany Building, views of the centennial celebration of George Washington's Presidential inauguration in 1889, and a variety of night and river views. The unbound pages of this volume have been placed in two separate boxes; Box 7 covers Broadway from the Bowling Green north to Chambers Street and Box 8 covers from Duane Street through 23rd Street.
Volume II, Twenty Third Street to One Hundred and Fifth Street, continues to follow Broadway on its path through midtown Manhattan and the Upper West Side. Notable inclusions are the temporary arch constructed at Fifth Avenue and Broadway for the Washington Inauguration Centennial, Madison Square Garden, many Broadway theaters, the entrance to Joe Weber's Bazar to benefit San Francisco earthquake victims, the Herald Building, the Times Building, Hotel Astor, Columbus Circle, construction sites at 78th and 79th Streets, the Vandenheuval Mansion on the eve of its demolition, and numerous crowd and night views.
Volume III, One Hundred and Fifth Street to the Wild Flowers, includes photographs of Columbia University, Barnard College, Grant's Tomb, the Church of the Intercession, the Bradley Farm, the Dykeman House and various other small houses and buildings along Broadway. This volume contains pastoral portraits of rural life toward the northern end of Broadway including farms, gardens, chicken yards, and the wild flowers of the volume's title.