The original Pennsylvania Station was a historic railroad station, opened in 1910 and demolished a short 54 years later. Its grandeur matched or exceeded that of Grand Central Terminal, and was one of the architectural jewels of the City.
By the mid-60's however, rail traffic had declined massively due to the rise of both the airline and automotive industries, and the building was demolished so that an above-ground business complex and sports arena could be built instead.
This vintage photograph from 1910 shows the 32nd Street entrance of the amazing building, captured just a few days before opening to the public.
Visit the specimen page at the Library of Congress to learn more or download an even larger scan of this image.
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