About 200 years ago, Fifth Avenue was a mere country road leading to Yorkville, which was a small village at the time. But as New York City grew, so did the city’s famous artery.
At the turn of 20th century, the avenue perfectly reflected the huge changes that were happening in the city, and Fifth Avenue became synonymous with fashionable life, expensive mansions, as well as the city’s cultural and social institutions.
Photographer Burton Welles decided to capture Fifth Avenue with his wide-angle lens—from one end to the other.
In 1907, Fifth Avenue was earmarked as a factory hub, but its residents and fellow New Yorkers formed a movement to save the special character that the avenue had. And it was around this time photographer Burton Welles decided to capture Fifth Avenue with his wide-angle lens—from one end to the other.
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From Washington Arch to West 8th Street. NYPL
East 7th St. Duncan, with the historic Hotel Brevoort, demolished in 1954. NYPL
From E. 14th S. to W. 18th St. NYPL
W.18th St. NYPL
Fifth Ave. between W. 10th and 11th St., with The Old First Presbyterian Church. NYPL
Madison Square Garden with the Metropolitan Tower. NYPL
E. 29th St. NYPL
Overlooking W. 34th St. NYPL
The Waldorf Astoria (on the left), opened in 1893 and brought commercialization to the whole of Fifth Ave. NYPL
Businesses around E. 35th St. NYPL
E. 43rd St. with the Temple Emanu-El of Reform Judaism, which was demolished in 1927 after the temple was moved to the Upper East Side. NYPL
The New Public Library at W. 42nd St. NYPL
The busy business area around W. 46th St., with a florist, jeweler, art dealer, and women's apparel importer. NYPL
Home of S.R. Guggenheim at E. 58th St. NYPL
St. Patrick's Cathedral at E. 51st St. NYPL
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. NYPL
Apartments at E. 85th St. NYPL
Andrew Carnegie's residence at E. 90th St., which remains the same today. NYPL
Ingrid Longauerová is a long time employee at the Epoch Media Group. She started working with The Epoch Times as a freelance journalist in 2007 before coming to New York and work in the Web Production department. She is currently a senior graphic designer for the Elite Magazine, a premier luxury lifestyle magazine for affluent Chinese in America produced by the EMG.
