1905

Manhattan: 81st Street (West) - 9th Avenue

51 to 15 West 81st Street (left to right), st., adjoining and east of the N.W. corner of Columbus (Ninth) Ave., as viewed north-westward from a point slightly west of Central Park West and in the American Museum on [Natural] History grounds (Manhattan Square). The twelve story structure seen at the aforementioned corner became the Hotel Colonial and bore No. 443-449 Columbus Avenue. (Also, No. 51 West 81st Street later). Empty lots and private residences intervene between this and No. 17-15 West 81st Street (right margin) which in 1905 housed the American Geographical Society. This view remained the same in 1922 with one exception: the two four-story residences on either side of the vacant 25 ft. lot were razed and upon this site were erected a twelve-story apartment house, No. 39-35 West 81st Street. December 1905. George L. Balgue.

Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection