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1938: Small businesses thrive along downtown's Sixth Avenue near Broadway. Image SD History Center |
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1938: Harlem Neighborhood, New York City: Street car and well dressed pedestrians. |
EVOCATIVE IMAGES--Vintage photographs,
especially those of urban settings, are fascinating because they reveal layers
of the past from fashion to architecture.
The two retro images here were taken in 1938. One was snapped in New York City at the corner
of Seventh Avenue and 125th Street and the other in San Diego near
Sixth Avenue and Broadway.
The
modern Manhattan image of the same intersection 75-years later shows a
utilitarian transformation. The major
change being a large New York State office high rise went up a decade ago in
place of vintage shops along 125th Street (now called Adam Clayton
Powell, Jr. Avenue). In 1938, the Harlem neighborhood was teeming with activity
and small businesses—note the fashion statements and the vintage cars and
business signage. In 2013, the Google
map image shows an equally busy intersection but with fewer mom and pop
businesses.
In 1938, San Diego’s downtown was perhaps the most vibrant it has ever been. Note the large collection of small businesses along Sixth Avenue, but in 2013 the years have not been kind along this stretch of downtown.
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2013: Harlem neighborhood with backpacks and buses. |
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2013: San Diego's Sixth Avenue: faded glory |
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