How times have changed in New York City! Extraordinary colour photographs reveal 1940s life....

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 13th September 2011 | Mark Duell

[PotatoHeadMick]

Extraordinary colour photographs reveal 1940s life in the Big Apple in all its glory Photos by Indiana snapper Charles Weever Cushman in 1941 and 1942 Expensive colour Kodachrome was used to take impressive collection Many buildings have since been demolished but some of them still stand

It’s been 70 years since an Indiana photographer visited New York City and returned home with an amazing collection of holiday snaps.

But Charles Weever Cushman’s pictures are even more impressive today, as they were taken on pricey colour Kodachrome and look far more recent than they actually are.

He went around the city taking photos of architecture such as the Brooklyn Bridge and other parts of the Manhattan skyline - and it’s hard to believe they were taken while World War Two was going on.

[PotatoHeadMick]

Amazing snapshots of a lost world.

[Thane_Banquo]

Can’t believe how well dressed those three homeless people were.

[cripplecreek]

The 3 homeless men sure don’t look like the homeless today.

[cripplecreek]

No kidding. I’d get arrested for vagrancy based on the way I dress normally.

[Larry Lucido]

Bump for later.

[Chode]

McSorleys is my favorite bar in NYC and it's hardly changed a lick

[truthguy]

If I had a time machine I'd get into it. I not sure I'd set it for NYC 1941-2, but I'd go back to pre 1960 somewhere. It was a much better country in those days. I think most smart people posting here know why.

Three more observations:

1. Notice that there seem to be no fat people.
2. Notice that there is little or no trash on the street.
3. Notice not a bit of graffiti anywhere!

Gee, I wonder why.

[Fiji Hill]

Interestingly, McSorley’s bar is featured. It gained notoriety for refusing to admit women until forced to do so by a court order in the 1970’s, and it didn’t have a lady’s room until the mid-1980’s.

[DManA]

NYC is endlessly fascinating.

[ken21]

interestimg.

[Chode]

1942

[Larry Lucido]

If you go to Loui's in Brooklyn, be sure to try the veal.

[ToxicMich]

Thanks for the link! These are gorgeous pictures! Real work of arts.

[seoul62]

Thank you for sharing.

[capydick]

Damn - you were reading my mind - I was going to post the same pic! The place has barely changed!

[fwdude]

Notice how nearly all the men wore suits, just because they were in public?

[.45 Long Colt]

They just don’t make homeless like they used to.

[PotatoHeadMick]

Some of the commenters on the site say NYC remained the same up until the late 1960’s. Can anyone with a knowledge of the city say if that is true?

If so it must have been a huge and very sudden change to go from this to the ghastly place which was the site of so many grim TV cop shows and movies in the mid 1970’s.

I suspect the transformation must have taken longer than that.

[Chode]

I have to go to the bathroom. Is that all right?

[Chode]

some things never change, thank God...