Knickerbocker Hotel, New York City

The 14-story Knickerbocker Hotel on the southeast corner of Broadway and 42nd Street (1462-1470 Broadway). Photo by Detroit Publishing Co. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

This photo was possibly taken in October 1909 at time of Hudson-Fulton celebration. The hotel displays the flag specially made for the celebration, with the letters HF in red. It was the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton's first successful commercial application of the paddle steamer.

We can see that the 4-story building on the south side of 42nd Street (bottom right of this photo), which was once part of the old Metropole Hotel, was demolished. A sign indicated that the "Heidelberg Building" would be erected on the site. A syndicate headed by Charles Pasche leased the property, in May 1909, in order to build a 30-story skyscraper, which never happened. Instead, an advertising tower was erected in the place. In 2004, the 48-story Times Square Tower was completed on the site.

The 14-story Knickerbocker Hotel, in Beaux-Arts style, opened in 1906. It was built on the site of the old 5-story St. Cloud Hotel, which opened in 1868.