Southern Manhattan, Old New York City

Aerial photograph showing the Financial District in Lower Manhattan, from the East River. Photograph taken by Captain Stevens, 1920. Source: Records of the Army Air Forces / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

Battery Park is on the left. The Cunard Building, a 22-story office building at 25 Broadway, is under construction. It opened on May 2, 1921. The population of New York City in 1920 was 5,6 million residents and the city was growing at a dizzying pace. The natural harbor around the city was a decisive factor in this growth. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was established in 1921.