New York City: Yesterday and Today

“It’s a remarkable look at the city’s past and present.”

In the 1940s, New York City officials commissioned a group of photographers to take pictures of every single city building for property tax purposes. The result? Tens of thousands of photos, most of which hadn’t seen the light of day since they were taken—until now.

Featured in the book

  • PJ Clarkes

    PJ Clarkes

  • Katz: Then and Now

  • Knickerbocker Hotel: Then and Now

  • Schmidts: Then and Now Under L

  • Orchard Street: Then and Now

  • 88 Rivington: Then and Now

What happens to the places that history has left behind?

Heather Hacker is a photographer whose work illustrates the timeless beauty of spaces abandoned. Her photographs in New York City: Yesterday and Today build a bridge between past and present, transcending the traditional definitions of art and history. Discover her collections and find out what else has been left frozen in time.