1958 Empire State Building Observatory View of Manhattan

A wonderful c. 1958 promotional view of Manhattan highlighting the Empire State Building and its observatory, published by the observatory itself.

A Closer Look

The view at bottom center displays an aerial photograph of Manhattan from the south, looking northwards. The Empire State Building is shaded white to demonstrate its dominance of the skyline. Twenty-four other sites, ranging from piers to major landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and the main building of the New York Public Library (now the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building), are marked out in the view and indexed below. To the left of the view is a color photograph of the Empire State Building at night, while to its right is a drawing of the building, looking up from street level. Above the view are four color photographs taken from the observation deck, which form a panorama. The verso includes additional photographs and promotional text emphasizing the role of the building in broadcasting radio and television to millions throughout the New York City metropolitan area.

Publication History and Census

This view was produced by the Empire State Building Observatory and likely was available for visitors on-site. It is undated, but from context (the inclusion of the 'Old Penn Station,' demolished in 1963, and the reference to Idlewild Airport rather than John F. Kennedy International Airport), it can be dated to the late 1950s or very early 1960s. We note one example of this view in the OCLC at the University of Michigan. However, there may be other institutional holdings, given the uncertainty over the work's title and date.