1879

Manhattan: 8th Street (East) - 4th Avenue

East 8th Street, at, adjoining and west of the N. W. corner of 4th Avenue, as seen from Astor Place (foreground) at Lafayette Street. The corner building mentioned (extreme right) bears No. 38 4th Avenue in the Perris, New York Insurance Map of 1854. Adjoining same is St. Ann's R. C. Church, with No's. 145, 143 and 141, progressing westward to Broadway. Across the background appears the new A. T. Stewart Building, which today (1937) is the north unit of Wanamaker's. The south unit being raised on the area occupied as shown in this view, exclusive of No. 38 4th Avenue and adjacent. In 1879, a Jacob Aberle converted the church building into a variety theatre, known as the 8th Street Theatre. About 1890, performances were given in Hebrew by native actors. It was called the Germania and German Theatre in 1897 and 1902 respectively. About 1905 it formed a portion of the present site of the aforementioned department store. Prior to 1879. Ewing Galloway.

Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection