1966

Manhattan: 42nd Street - Vanderbilt Avenue

On front of photo is the caption: "Photo by Harcourt Strange, 1966" On back of photo is a map of the area in Mount Vernon, N.Y. where the eagle depicted on the front of the photo was located. The following 2 blocks of text appears directly on the map: "Villa St. is only 4 blocks S. of The Westchester Cross County Parkway." "The present aerie of two of the old Grand Central Eagles on Villa St. Mount Vernon, N.Y. Like the Mercury on the present Grand Central they're all poised for flight but never fly." A return address label is attached to the map with the following on it: HARCOURT STRANGE 145 Fourth Avenue Mount Vernon, N. Y. 10550 On a separate slip of paper attached to the back of the photo appears the following: "According to a feature article appearing in The N.Y. News Coloroto [sic] Magazine Jan. 2, 1966 the above cast iron eagle was one of 16 which once adorned the top of the old Grand Central Station on 42 St. N.Y.C. Those birds were added to the remodelled station in 1898. But only remained on their perch for 5 years. Then were removed when the station was rebuilt in 1903. The News illustrated 9 of the 16 in their present locations. The one above and another are now on Villa St. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (over for map.)"

Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection