Spectacular Photos of New York City in the 1930s by Samuel Gottscho

Photographer Samuel Herman Gottscho (1875–1971) captured American architectural, landscape, and nature scenes. Originally from Brooklyn, New York City, he moved to New Jersey as a child. After acquiring his first camera, he took his first photograph at Coney Island in 1896. He photographed houses and gardens part-time between 1896 and 1920, as he enjoyed nature, rural life, and landscapes.

Having attended several architectural photograph exhibitions, Gottscho sought the advice of several architects and landscape architects to become a better photographer. At age 50, Gottscho left his job as a traveling lace and fabric salesman to become a commercial photographer. His photographs appeared in American Architect and Architecture, Architectural Record in this period. He regularly contributed to the New York Times with portraits and architectural photography. His photographs were also published in magazines dedicated to home décor in New York and Connecticut suburbs. He contributed illustrated articles on wildflowers to the Times from the early 1940s to the late 1960s.

#1 Midtown Manhattan view from McGraw-Hill Building, New York City, October 9, 1931

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#2 Midtown Manhattan, New York City, December 15, 1931

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#3 Midtown skyline from Central Park at 85th Street, New York City, April 16, 1931

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#4 River House, 52nd St. and E. River, New York City. Shore line with clouds, December 1931

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#5 River House, 52nd St. and E. River, New York City. View of power house, December 1931

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#6 River House, 52nd Street and East River, looking south from 27th floor, New York, December 15, 1931

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#7 The opening day of the Empire State Building, New York City, 1931

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#8 View from the parapet on the 27th floor of the River House at 52nd St. and E. River, New York City, December 1931

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#9 International Music Hall, Radio City, New York City. House with curtain down, from main orchestra, December 7, 1932

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#10 Lower Manhattan from foot of Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, April 4, 1932

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#11 Times Square at dusk, looking south from 47th Street, New York City, January 6, 1932

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#12 Times Square from above, New York City, February 16, 1932

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#13 View from Empire State Building to Chrysler Building, and Queensboro Bridge, New York City, low viewpoint, January 1932

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#14 Central Park, New York City, 1933

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#15 Financial district from Hotel Bossert, New York City, March 15, 1933

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#16 Fishing boat at Fulton Market Pier, New York City, April 11, 1933

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#17 General view of New York Hospital and Queens from Madison Avenue, January 1933

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#18 Looking down South Street in New York City, November 1933

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#19 Looking north from the Empire State Building, New York City, September 11, 1933

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#20 Midtown Manhattan skyline, night view from RCA Building, New York City, circa 1933

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#21 Night view of New York City from St. George Hotel to financial district, January 6, 1933

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#22 RCA Building, Rockefeller Center, New York City, Septembre 1933

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#23 Rockefeller Center and the RCA Building from 515 Madison Avenue, New York City, December 5, 1933

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#24 View from St. George Hotel, New York City, 1933

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#25 View of plaza buildings, over park lake, New York City, January 1933

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#26 Brooklyn docks, view of Manhattan, New York City, 1934

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#27 Midtown Manhattan, New York at night, circa 1934

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#28 Steuben Glass, business at 718 5th Ave., New York City. Exterior, general view, September 1937

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#29 Rockefeller Center, from the south, New York, 1938

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#30 315 Seventh Avenue, New York City. (William Hohauser’s 1920s skyscraper), October 8, 1939

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#31 Entrance to the Ford Motor Building at World’s Fair, New York City, May 12, 1939

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#32 General view of barroom of Seagram’s Distillers Corp., Chrysler Building, New York City, August 1939

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#33 House of Glass No. 4, New York World’s Fair, June 12, 1939

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#34 Midtown Manhattan and Empire State building at dusk, New York City, circa 1930s

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#35 Below Manhattan Bridge, New York City, 1930

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