Views, New York City, Midtown, Snow Storm Blizzard, Street Scenes, Vintage Photographs, 1947

The Blizzard of 1947, New York City
New York: c. December 1947
Four sepia-toned black-and-white photographs
2 x 2 inches, sight size, each
10 x 8 inches, mat
11.25 x 9.25 inches, frame
$350

Four photographs documenting the streets of the Murray Hill neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan after the record-setting blizzard that dumped about 26 inches of snow on New York City on December 26-27, 1947. The photographs have been matted — apparently in the period —  with captions written beneath them: “41st from 2nd,” “2nd Ave. North from 40th,” “42nd & 2nd,” and “Tudor City Place from 25th.” The last caption apparently refers to 25 Tudor City Place, which is between 41st and 42nd Street on Tudor City Place, a three-block-long street east of 2nd Avenue. The neighborhood depicted is one block west and one block south of the United Nations Headquarters, which was still under construction in 1947.

This storm, which lasted 15 hours, set a record that was unsurpassed for 49 years, and is still the third heaviest snowfall recorded in New York City history. The toll of the storm was staggering, stranding an estimated 30,000 vehicles, paralyzing the entire transportation system, and claiming 77 lives. The photographs show buried cars, unplowed side streets, and children sledding down the middle of 41st Street.

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