Vintage Photographs of the Neon Lights Covering Times Square and Midtown Manhattan in 1940s/50s

View of crowds under the marquee of the Astor Theater lined up to see the Alfred Hitchcock film “Spellbound”. The view looks north-east across Broadway, near West 45th Street 1946

Theaters and night life on 44th street in Times Square also known as the “Street of Hits 1946

Corner of the city showing a dentist’s office (upstairs), Nedick’s and White Rose Bar all open late at night 1946

New York street showing the Hotel Abbey, Hotel Victoria and the Roxy in Times Square. In the background is the Rockefeller Center 1946

Patrons eating at the “Horn and Hardart” restaurant in the Times Square area at night 1946

The neon-illuminated Maxwell House and Mayflower Doughnuts coffee shop at the north-west corner of the busy intersection of West 42th Street (which runs left to right) and Broadway 1946

Little neighborhood bar called ‘Harry’s Bar’ lit up at night on 52nd Street around 7th Avenue Mdtown area 1946

A photo gallery located on Broadway in Times Square lures tourists 1946

Leon and Eddie’s nightclub on 52nd street in Times Square (midtown) at night with patrons hanging out on the sidewalk 1946

Pop corn vendor in Times Square at night with patrons inside 1946

Pedestrians pass under the neon-lit marquee of the Roseland Ballroom (1658 Broadway). The marquee advertises a ‘New Year Super Celebration.’ The venue moved to a new location in 1956

Tourists wander past Club Samoa, Club Downbeat and 3 Deuce in Times Square 1946

George Calude introduced demonstrated his invention at the Paris motor show in 1910 which was about advanced neon lights, these neon lights were mainly used in advertising. The neon lights were invented three decades earlier, but business owner didn’t show their interest. Claude’s company was creating huge amounts of neon as a waste product of its core business, liquefying air, and it was this supply of neon that kicked off the age of the neon sign. With his patents, Claude had a monopoly on neon sign production.

Check out this collection on Neon lights in Midtown Manhattan and Times Square in the 1940s and 1950s, captured by photographer Andreas Feininger.

via Hanker

lights
vintage photography

Times Square

Theater District, New York, NY
timessquarenyc.org

Matt Coneybeare

Editor in Chief

Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.

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