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The New York Public Library under construction circa 1908, some six years after groundbreaking and three years before it finally opened. View full size.
The shape of the fire hydrant mimics the fashion of the day -- hat, long dress, high collar.
South lion and north lion, respectively.
My great-great grandfather Leon Mathiez, a stonecutter, worked on this building. He emigrated from Paris and settled in Brooklyn.
Thanks for this amazing photo. I've been going to this library on a regular basis since I moved to Manhattan in 1967. Some of the best hours of my life were spent there. What a treat to see it when it was brand spankin' new.
It looks odd without the lions at the front entrance. I've spent many a lunch hour sitting on those steps watching the world go by.
This is probably the most striking image I've ever seen to illustrate how quickly the automobile took over American roads. Compare this with the 1915 photo or even the 1913 photo taken out front. Startling!
What on earth is that man doing on the roof?
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