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in New York City

The Everyday Extraordinary: How FAP Photos Celebrate the Beauty of Ordinary Life in 1936 New York City

by Dennis Saul

1936 found New York City still grappling with the hardships of the Great Depression. Unemployment remained high, poverty was widespread, and the city’s infrastructure strained under the weight of economic hardship. The Federal Art Project (FAP) continued to play a vital role in documenting the city’s struggles and triumphs, capturing the essence of life in New York during this year.

The economic disparity in New York City was stark in 1936. The opulent lifestyles of the wealthy stood in stark contrast to the poverty and hardship faced by many working-class families. The bustling streets of Midtown Manhattan, with their theaters, shops, and restaurants, offered a glimpse of prosperity, while the neglected neighborhoods of the outer boroughs bore the brunt of the Depression’s impact.

The FAP photographers captured these contrasts, documenting the city’s diverse neighborhoods and the people who called them home. Their images revealed the struggles of those living in poverty, as well as the resilience of communities coming together to support one another.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA), of which the FAP was a part, played a crucial role in New York City in 1936. The WPA provided employment opportunities for thousands of New Yorkers, putting them to work on infrastructure projects that benefited the city as a whole. New roads, bridges, and parks were built, improving the city’s infrastructure and providing much-needed jobs.

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The FAP photographers documented these public works projects, capturing the efforts of everyday New Yorkers working to rebuild their city. Their images showcased the dignity of labor and the importance of community in overcoming adversity.

A Cultural Hub

Despite the economic challenges, New York City remained a vibrant cultural hub in 1936. The city’s theaters, museums, and music halls continued to attract audiences, offering a much-needed escape from the hardships of daily life. The FAP supported a wide range of artistic endeavors, including murals, sculptures, and photography exhibitions, enriching the city’s cultural landscape.

The FAP photographers also documented the everyday lives of New Yorkers in 1936. They captured scenes of people working, playing, and interacting with their environment. Their images revealed the resilience of New Yorkers, their ability to find joy and connection even in the face of adversity.

#1 Man reading near a pot-bellied stove, 1936.

Man reading near a pot-bellied stove, 1936.

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#2 Children playing in a vacant lot, 1936.

Children playing in a vacant lot, 1936.

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#3 Sabrette hot dog stand, 1936.

Sabrette hot dog stand, 1936.

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#4 Brooklyn Bridge, 1936.

Brooklyn Bridge, 1936.

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#5 Horse and wagon, 1936.

Horse and wagon, 1936.

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#6 Books, 1936.

Books, 1936.

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#7 Cluttered attic space, 1936.

Cluttered attic space, 1936.

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#8 Supervised playground game, 1936.

Supervised playground game, 1936.

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#9 The perimeter of Central Park, 1936.

The perimeter of Central Park, 1936.

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#10 Manhattan Street scene, 1936.

Manhattan Street scene, 1936.

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#11 Street scene, 1936.

Street scene, 1936.

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#12 Tenement building, 1936.

Tenement building, 1936.

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#13 Man on a wooden ladder, 1936.

Man on a wooden ladder, 1936.

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#14 Wooden rear house, 1936.

Wooden rear house, 1936.

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#15 Stokes Coal Co., 1936.

Stokes Coal Co., 1936.

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#16 Crane, 1936.

Crane, 1936.

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#17 Flag bearers, 1936.

Flag bearers, 1936.

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#18 Littered vacant lot, 1936.

Littered vacant lot, 1936.

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#19 Tenements, 1936.

Tenements, 1936.

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#20 Candy store, 1936.

Candy store, 1936.

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#21 Woman leaning from a window, 1936.

Woman leaning from a window, 1936.

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#22 Children, 1936.

Children, 1936.

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#23 Manhattan from under the Brooklyn Bridge, 1936.

Manhattan from under the Brooklyn Bridge, 1936.

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#24 Backs of tenements, 1936.

Backs of tenements, 1936.

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#25 Three boys leaning on an iron fence, 1936.

Three boys leaning on an iron fence, 1936.

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#26 Tenement backs, 1936.

Tenement backs, 1936.

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#27 Street scene, 1936.

Street scene, 1936.

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#28 Storefronts, 1936

Storefronts, 1936

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#29 Federal Music Project and the Robot, 1936

Federal Music Project and the Robot, 1936

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#30 Mosk’s Bookstore, 1936

Mosk's Bookstore, 1936

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#31 Street scene, 1936

Street scene, 1936

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#32 Old woman’s house, 1936

Old woman's house, 1936

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#33 Bucket, 1st Ave & 13th St, 1936

Bucket, 1st Ave & 13th St, 1936

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#34 Central Park, 1936

Central Park, 1936

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#35 Family in shabby hallway, 1936

Family in shabby hallway, 1936

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#36 Boys in the back of a tenement, 1936

Boys in the back of a tenement, 1936

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#37 Little girl near rear wooden tenements, 1936

Little girl near rear wooden tenements, 1936

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#38 Bag peddler, 1st Ave & 13th St, 1936

Bag peddler, 1st Ave & 13th St, 1936

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#39 Two men with a cat, 1936

Two men with a cat, 1936

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#40 Street scene, 1936

Street scene, 1936

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#41 Girl and man on doorsteps, 1936

Girl and man on doorsteps, 1936

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#42 Boy and mattress on fire escape, 1936

Boy and mattress on fire escape, 1936

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#43 Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge, 1936

Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge, 1936

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#44 Man and woman in kitchen, 1936

Man and woman in kitchen, 1936

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#45 House near bridge, 1936

House near bridge, 1936

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#46 Tenements, 1936

Tenements, 1936

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#47 Factory, 1936

Factory, 1936

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#48 Federal Music Project and the Robot, 1936

Federal Music Project and the Robot, 1936

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#49 Tenements from courtyard, 1936

Tenements from courtyard, 1936

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#50 Man and woman working, 1936

Man and woman working, 1936

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#51 Messy hall, 1936

Messy hall, 1936

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#52 Brooklyn Bridge, 1936

Brooklyn Bridge, 1936

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#53 1st Ave & 12th St, 1936

1st Ave & 12th St, 1936

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#54 Sidewalk art show, 1936

Sidewalk art show, 1936

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#55 Kitchen stove with old-fashioned flat irons, 1936

Kitchen stove with old-fashioned flat irons, 1936

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#56 Man in a one-room flat, 1936

Man in a one-room flat, 1936

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#57 Play street, 1936

Play street, 1936

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#58 Butcher shop window, 1936

Butcher shop window, 1936

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#59 Wooden house next to a bridge, 1936

Wooden house next to a bridge, 1936

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#60 Organized game—playground, 1936

Organized game—playground, 1936

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#61 Formerly Brasner Bros, 1936

Formerly Brasner Bros, 1936

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#62 Looking into hallway of an old brick house, 1936

Looking into hallway of an old brick house, 1936

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#63 Man cooking in junk lot, 1936

Man cooking in junk lot, 1936

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#64 Group of children near garbage can, 1936

Group of children near garbage can, 1936

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#65 Naples Clam Bar, 1936

Naples Clam Bar, 1936

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#66 Boy on a crumbling stoop, 1936

Boy on a crumbling stoop, 1936

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#67 Street scene, 1936

Street scene, 1936

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#68 Family looking out of window, 1936

Family looking out of window, 1936

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#69 Boy on fire escape above a littered lot, 1936

Boy on fire escape above a littered lot, 1936

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#70 Two smokestacks, 1936

Two smokestacks, 1936

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#71 Two boys, 1936

Two boys, 1936

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#72 By the bridge, 1936

By the bridge, 1936

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#73 Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1936

Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1936

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#74 Child, 1936

Child, 1936

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#75 Children playing on the sidewalk, 1936

Children playing on the sidewalk, 1936

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#76 Peanuts, 5 cents, 1936.

Peanuts, 5 cents, 1936.

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#77 A cat in a window, 1936.

A cat in a window, 1936.

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#78 Boy and mattress on a fire escape, 1936.

Boy and mattress on a fire escape, 1936.

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#79 Children playing in a broken wagon, 1936.

Children playing in a broken wagon, 1936.

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#80 Boys around the base of a lamppost, 1936.

Boys around the base of a lamppost, 1936.

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#81 Alpha Barber Shop, 1936.

Alpha Barber Shop, 1936.

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#82 Jumbo peanuts, 5 cents a bag, 1936.

Jumbo peanuts, 5 cents a bag, 1936.

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#83 Baby in carriage, 1936.

Baby in carriage, 1936.

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#84 Wooden house in rear, 1936.

Wooden house in rear, 1936.

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#85 Tenement rear with man in doorway, 1936.

Tenement rear with man in doorway, 1936.

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#86 Children playing in a lot, 1936.

Children playing in a lot, 1936.

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#87 Selling pretzels, 1936.

Selling pretzels, 1936.

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#88 Large group of people in courtyard, 1936.

Large group of people in courtyard, 1936.

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#89 Side of dilapidated house, 1936.

Side of dilapidated house, 1936.

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#90 Empty lot and back of wooden houses, 1936.

Empty lot and back of wooden houses, 1936.

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#91 Empty storefront, 1936.

Empty storefront, 1936.

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#92 Housefronts, 1936.

Housefronts, 1936.

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#93 Boys gathering wood from wreckage, 1936.

Boys gathering wood from wreckage, 1936.

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#94 Boy playing in junk, 1936.

Boy playing in junk, 1936.

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#95 Little girl with doll and tricycle, 1936.

Little girl with doll and tricycle, 1936.

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#96 Street scene, W. 35th Street, 1936.

Street scene, W. 35th Street, 1936.

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#97 Junk in a vacant lot, 1936.

Junk in a vacant lot, 1936.

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#98 Construction, 1936.

Construction, 1936.

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#99 Cold water flat: Two men and a potbellied stove, 1936.

Cold water flat: Two men and a potbellied stove, 1936.

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#100 Jars, First Ave. & 14th St., 1936.

Jars, First Ave. & 14th St., 1936.

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#101 Boy standing by a rickety picket fence, 1936.

Boy standing by a rickety picket fence, 1936.

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#102 Four boys around table, 1936.

Four boys around table, 1936.

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#103 Elevated station, 1936.

Elevated station, 1936.

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#104 Mother & boy at table, 1936.

Mother & boy at table, 1936.

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#105 Playing in street, 1936.

Playing in street, 1936.

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#106 Eviction scene, 1936.

Eviction scene, 1936.

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#107 Man leaning on a fire alarm box, 1936.

Man leaning on a fire alarm box, 1936.

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#108 Dirty toilet, 1936.

Dirty toilet, 1936.

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#109 Store for rent, 1936.

Store for rent, 1936.

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#110 Wash line between two tenements, 1936.

Wash line between two tenements, 1936.

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#111 Stickball team, 1936.

Stickball team, 1936.

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#112 Supervised game, 1936.

Supervised game, 1936.

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#113 Cart wheels, 1936.

Cart wheels, 1936.

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#114 Three men with canes, 1936.

Three men with canes, 1936.

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#115 Manhattan, 1936.

Manhattan, 1936.

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#116 Girl, up close, 1936.

Girl, up close, 1936.

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#117 Men in masks, 1936.

Men in masks, 1936.

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#118 Child standing in front of piled-up furniture and bedding, 1936.

Child standing in front of piled-up furniture and bedding, 1936.

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#119 Two children in dreary kitchen, 1936.

Two children in dreary kitchen, 1936.

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#120 Back of tenements, 1936.

Back of tenements, 1936.

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#121 Little boys, 1936.

Little boys, 1936.

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#122 Shirts on First Avenue and 12th Street, circa 1936.

Shirts on First Avenue and 12th Street, circa 1936.

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#123 Tenement building, 1936.

Tenement building, 1936.

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#124 Horse and cart, circa 1936.

Horse and cart, circa 1936.

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#125 Recreation hall at Stryker’s Lane Community Center, 1936.

Recreation hall at Stryker's Lane Community Center, 1936.

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#126 Federal Music Project and a robot, circa 1936.

Federal Music Project and a robot, circa 1936.

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#127 Tenement building, 1936.

Tenement building, 1936.

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#128 Street scene, 1936.

Street scene, 1936.

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#129 Church facade, 1936.

Church facade, 1936.

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#130 Men in masks, 1936.

Men in masks, 1936.

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#131 City Hall, circa 1936.

City Hall, circa 1936.

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#132 City Hall, circa 1936.

City Hall, circa 1936.

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#133 Girl and man on a doorstep, 1936.

Girl and man on a doorstep, 1936.

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#134 Children and baby in the street, 1936.

Children and baby in the street, 1936.

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#135 Girl and baby, 1936.

Girl and baby, 1936.

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#136 People sitting on stoops, 1936.

People sitting on stoops, 1936.

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#137 Manhattan skyline, circa 1936.

Manhattan skyline, circa 1936.

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#138 Heaps of garbage, 1936.

Heaps of garbage, 1936.

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#139 Children eating apples in front of a shack, 1936.

Children eating apples in front of a shack, 1936.

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#140 Close-up of an old woman, 1936.

Close-up of an old woman, 1936.

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#141 Boy on steps, 1936.

Boy on steps, 1936.

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#142 Boy and mother at a table, 1936.

Boy and mother at a table, 1936.

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#143 Boy on fire escape with mattress, 1936.

Boy on fire escape with mattress, 1936.

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#144 Manhattan, circa 1936.

Manhattan, circa 1936.

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#145 Children in wreckage, 1936.

Children in wreckage, 1936.

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#146 Under the elevated train, circa 1936.

Under the elevated train, circa 1936.

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#147 Vacant lot, 1936.

Vacant lot, 1936.

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#148 Girl, 1936.

Girl, 1936.

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#149 Young men in the street, 1936.

Young men in the street, 1936.

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#150 Men and boys, 1936.

Men and boys, 1936.

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#151 Path, circa 1936.

Path, circa 1936.

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#152 Park benches, circa 1936.

Park benches, circa 1936.

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#153 Fire escapes, bedding, and clotheslines, 1936.

Fire escapes, bedding, and clotheslines, 1936.

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#154 First Avenue and 13th Street, circa 1936.

First Avenue and 13th Street, circa 1936.

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#155 Street scene, circa 1936.

Street scene, circa 1936.

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#156 Small storefronts, 1936.

Small storefronts, 1936.

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#157 Washlines, 1936.

Washlines, 1936.

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#158 Federal Music Project and a robot, circa 1936.

Federal Music Project and a robot, circa 1936.

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#159 Little boys leaning against lamppost, 1936.

Little boys leaning against lamppost, 1936.

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#160 Wooden rear tenements: children playing in dirt, 1936.

Wooden rear tenements: children playing in dirt, 1936.

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#161 Federal Music Project, circa 1936.

Federal Music Project, circa 1936.

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#162 Little girls jumping rope, 1936.

Little girls jumping rope, 1936.

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#163 Couple living in one room, 1936.

Couple living in one room, 1936.

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#164 Peanuts, circa 1936.

Peanuts, circa 1936.

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#165 Ice skating in Rockefeller Center, circa 1936.

Ice skating in Rockefeller Center, circa 1936.

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#166 Tenement back, 1936.

Tenement back, 1936.

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#167 Outdoor market on Orchard Street, circa 1936.

Outdoor market on Orchard Street, circa 1936.

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#168 Cluttered street, 1936.

Cluttered street, 1936.

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#169 Boys playing in a ditch, 1936.

Boys playing in a ditch, 1936.

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#170 Woman with a small child, 1936.

Woman with a small child, 1936.

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#171 Federal Music Project, circa 1936.

Federal Music Project, circa 1936.

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#172 View across the river, circa 1936.

View across the river, circa 1936.

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#173 Tenement rear, 1936.

Tenement rear, 1936.

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#174 Children in doorway, 1936.

Children in doorway, 1936.

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#175 Chelsea Tenants League, 1936.

Chelsea Tenants League, 1936.

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#176 Little girl with doll and tricycle in front of shabby exterior, 1936.

Little girl with doll and tricycle in front of shabby exterior, 1936.

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#177 First Avenue and 8th Street, circa 1936.

First Avenue and 8th Street, circa 1936.

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#178 Boy sitting in window, 1936.

Boy sitting in window, 1936.

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#179 Hot dogs under the elevated train, circa 1936.

Hot dogs under the elevated train, circa 1936.

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#180 Tenement, 1936.

Tenement, 1936.

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#181 Man cooking in junk lot, 1936.

Man cooking in junk lot, 1936.

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#182 Street scene, 1936.

Street scene, 1936.

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#183 Old lady seated beside old-fashioned stove, 1936.

Old lady seated beside old-fashioned stove, 1936.

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#184 Manhattan waterfront, circa 1936.

Manhattan waterfront, circa 1936.

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#185 Junk, 1936.

Junk, 1936.

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#186 Worn-out shoes, 1936.

Worn-out shoes, 1936.

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#187 Man lying on sidewalk, 1936.

Man lying on sidewalk, 1936.

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#188 Wooden rear tenement, 1936.

Wooden rear tenement, 1936.

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#189 Tenement, 1936.

Tenement, 1936.

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#190 Pier 5, circa 1936.

Pier 5, circa 1936.

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#191 Central Park, circa 1936.

Central Park, circa 1936.

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#192 Wreckage, 1936.

Wreckage, 1936.

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#193 Outdoor market, circa 1936.

Outdoor market, circa 1936.

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#194 Street corner, 1936.

Street corner, 1936.

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Written by Dennis Saul

Content creator and Professional photographer who still uses Vintage film roll cameras. Not that I loved London less But that i Love New York City More.

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