These stunning historical photographs show how New York City looked like in the 1880s. The images show the streets of NY, hustling crowds of Manhattan and the frolicking bathers of Coney Island. Men in the city are seen wearing suits and top hats, and women are wearing long dresses.
Wallace G. Levison captured these photographs in the late 19th century. He was a chemist and the founder of Departments of Mineralogy and Astronomy at Brooklyn Institute of Arts & Sciences in the latter half of the 19th century. He was also an avid photographer, using the new technology both as a scientific tool and a recreational activity.