Panoramic Map of New York
Map Cover: large | flickr
Map Front: small | large | flickr
Picked this map up a few months ago at a used bookstore, but kept forgetting to actually scan the thing. It’s pretty funky, with a weird perspective that you don’t usually see these days. The map has no date, but sometime around 1950 would be a decent estimate.
There’s a transit map on the back, but it needs some more work before it gets posted. We’ll save that project for a rainy day, I’ve already put far too much effort into stitching this one together.
Update: Recent comments also indicate that the map is likely from around the time of the 1939 World’s Fair. I’ve also added a copy of the transportation map on the back. Had scanned it in but forgot to stitch the images together.
Map Back: small | large | flickr
[...] Vintage panoramic map of NYC [...]
Best part of it is that the LES is labled Ghetto!
1950? There are no highways, or any post WW2 buildings — late 20’s or 30’s more likely!!!
1940’s or earlier — I can see no sign of the Grant Street Houses, Peter Cooper, Sty town, nor any public housing project.
However, Rockerfeller Center is there, so it can’t be from before the 30’s.
very cool, though. Thanks!!
Upon closer examination, this was obviously prepared for the 1939 World’s Fair!!!
upper right corner has inset that reads “all roads and transit lines lead to the [1939] world’s fair”, so it must be 1938 or 1939 since that’s stated in the present tense.
Yea, my grandmother has a subway map and brochure for the 1950s world fair. Shows all the old lines that dont exist, like the 3rd Ave ‘L’ in Bay Ridge. So the BQE use to be Northern Blvd? Cant tell…
Hunh, the labeling of streets in Astoria is totally wrong! Northern Boulevard does decidedly not intersect Astoria Blvd at the food of the Triborough Bridge…!
Very cool item, though!
awesome
Thanks for the feedback. I figured the map was probably a bit earlier, but I’m not from New York and don’t know the history that well. The “All roads point to the world fair” is a pretty good indicator though.
Fun. The Library of Congress has a bunch more panoramics of NY, mostly older.
[...] Cool Map of NYC c.1940 [via] [...]
[...] For zoom-in fun in a time before Robert Moses the early Moses years, click on through. · Panoramic Map of New York [Eightface] [...]
Grew up in Flushing. Map is from 1940. Although Whitestone Bridge is not on map (map doesn’t extend far enough into Queens) which opened in 1939, Midtown Tunnel appears on the map, which opened in 1940. However, it is unclear from the lines indicating the tunnel whether it’s proposed or completed. Based upon the foregoing, map is either from 1939 for the opening of the Fair, or from 1940. In either case, it’s terrific. Note the Met Opera house on 39th and Bdwy, before its move to Lincoln Center in 1962.