Broadway, 41st St. to 43rd St. Knickerbocker Hotel, New York City

East side Broadway, from West 41st Street to West 43rd Street, about 1915. Hotel Aberdeen, former Stuart House, and later Hotel Calvert, is on the corner of W 41st Street, on the right. The 14-story Knickerbocker Hotel is on the corner of W 42nd Street. Hotel Wallick is on the corner of 43rd Street. At the extreme left is the Hotel Rector. Photo from the collections of the New York Public Library.

The area north of 42nd Street is known as Times Square since 1904. Times Station opened the same year. Many hotels opened in the area in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Improved transportation was the main driver of development around Times Square, especially the subway line in 1904. But the biggest highlight of the time was the large number of new theaters.