The story behind the scene

Pennsylvania Station opened in 1910. McKim, Mead and White designed a vast terminal with a classical stone exterior and a waiting room inspired by ancient Roman baths.

The station gave the Pennsylvania Railroad a direct entrance to Manhattan through new river tunnels. Its scale reflected the importance of rail travel to the city.

By the early 1960s, declining rail revenues and the site’s development value had made redevelopment attractive to the railroad. The replacement put an arena and offices above a rebuilt underground station.

Architects and preservation campaigners protested. Demolition nevertheless began in October 1963 and continued until 1966. The loss strengthened an existing preservation movement and helped build support for New York’s 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law.

What you’re seeing

The historical photograph shows the east facade on Seventh Avenue around 1910 to 1920. Pedestrians and vehicles pass below long rows of columns. In the modern view, glass, signs and the station entrance occupy a frontage with little resemblance to the original.

Why this photo matters

The railway continued operating while the grand building above it was removed. That distinction is the loss made visible here: New York kept the transport connection and surrendered the public architecture.

Photographs featured in Origins: New York, Manhattan, pages 326 to 327. Historical photograph: Detroit Publishing Co., c.1910 to 1920, Library of Congress, 2016812426. Modern photograph: Devyn Tapia.

Further reading: New York Preservation Archive Project; Museum of the City of New York; PBS American Experience.