St. Paul's Chapel, New York City

Historic St. Paul's Chapel on Lower Broadway. Behind loom the towers of the World Trade Center. Photo for the series, Documerica: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, between 1972–1977. Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

The Twin Towers (World Trade Center) were completed in 1973 (the same year of this photograph), the world's highest construction of the time. They were tragically destroyed on September 11, 2001.

This is the intersection of Broadway, Park Row and Vesey Street. The historic St. Paul's Chapel was completed in the late 18th century. The Astor House Building (right), on the corner of Vesey Street, was completed in 1916 on the site of the old Astor House, opened in 1830 as a luxury hotel. The 29-story 195 Broadway Building (originally the Telephone and Telegraph Building), completed about 1916 and expanded later, is on the left.