Lower Manhattan, New York City

Aerial photo of southern tip of Manhattan from the Upper New York Bay, dated May 5, 1928 (10 A.M.). Source: Mitchel Field, N.Y., Records of the Army Air Forces. Below, another photo from the same source, taken on the same day, showing skyscrapers in the southern tip of Manhattan.

The 1920s were years of great cultural and economic transformation in the world and New York City was at the center of it. Large groups of immigrants continued to arrive, specially Russians, Italians, Irish and German. It was a great period for the African American music in Manhattan, specially in Harlem.

Most skyscrapers seen were built in the first three decades of 20th century. The pace of construction slowed greatly in the mid-1930s. Battery Park is in the foreground and the two tracks come from the combined Sixth and Ninth Avenue lines to the South Ferry terminal to the right.