Comments on: Photo Location - NYC - Lower East Side

Question: Photo Location - NYC - Lower East Side

toftflin — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:40:26 -0800

WeeGeeFilter/NYCFilter: Does anyone know where exactly the photo "Lower East Side" (also here) by Weegee (Arthur Fellig) was taken? I am interested in finding the exact street address. [MI]

My friend is coming to visit me in Manhattan and they love this photo. I thought it would be a good idea if I could take them to that exact spot. I have no clue if the buildings still exist since the photo was taken in 1937 but I thought I'd bounce this one off the collective mind of MeFi. Anyone have a clue or possibly recognize the background? I know its a stretch.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:01:16 -0800

I think I recognize the liquor store (hush, you) in the background, and certainly those stairs look like they'd still be around. (Something tells me it's on First Avenue north of Houston, but I could easily be wrong.)

Regardless, I'll be wandering around down there tonight. I can report back if this hasn't been solved by then.

By: jeremias

jeremias — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:07:51 -0800

I haven't lived in NYC for a few years, but it looks like in the far background you can see a horizontal sign labeled "Astor", there's also a vertical sign above labeled "Liquor".

Asto would lead me to believe it was near Astor place which is a stretch for the Lower East Side, but still possible with broad labeling. There actually is still a liquor store there. But if my memory is correct that stretch of buildings was not similar. You could also try calling the New York Historical Society. They're used to those sort of calls.

By: mds35

mds35 — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 10:19:02 -0800

Looks to me like it might be a stretch of East Broadway near Rutgers or Clinton, but I can't be sure.

Try checking with the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Someone there might know.

By: Jack Karaoke

Jack Karaoke — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 10:33:04 -0800

It also looks like there's a barbers pole. I doubt it's Astor place, unfortunately.

The International Center for Photography also might be fruitful. According to the ICP bio, he lived at 5 Center Market Place from 1934-1947, which would cover when this photo was taken. I'd start there.

That's a good call on the Tenement Museum, I've heard that shot described as "children playing outside their LES tenement."

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 11:39:29 -0800

I am on Astor Place right now and that is just about definitely not. It looks like the sign says "Store" to me.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:38:53 -0800

Just got off the phone with a researcher at the Tenement Museum. He's gonna take a look at it and get back to me.

By: toftflin

toftflin — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 13:21:55 -0800

You guys are awesome. I am taking all of your info and planning a recon mission to the LES.

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 14:36:48 -0800

MY guess is that it wasn't take very far into the "lower east side." The architecture looks too good, fancy.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 15:29:14 -0800

I heard back from Dave Favaloro, the research assistant at the Tenement Museum. Here's what his e-mail says:

I'm sorry, but I can't say where on the LES the photo was taken. I will, however, ask around the Museum to see if anyone else here might know. Incidentally, Centre Market, where you mentioned Weegee lived at the time, is a one block street located south of Broome St and turns into Baxter heading south. What's depicted in the photo looks similar to the architecture in that part of town, but I can't say exactly where.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Wed, 26 Jan 2005 15:49:55 -0800

I've also sent an e-mail to the New York Public Library's Ask-A-Librarian service...they may be able to at least give me a list of LES intersections that had liquor stores on them in 1937.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 28 Jan 2005 17:11:58 -0800

Well... ?

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Sat, 29 Jan 2005 20:51:23 -0800

No response yet.

By: mds35

mds35 — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 09:01:20 -0800

Well...?