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THIS WEEK FIFTY years ago, authorities in New York City carried out a “monumental act of vandalism” by knocking Pennsylvania Station to the ground.
Sports venue Madison Square Garden was built on the site in the stead of what had been a pink-granite, marble-columned Beaux-Arts-style masterpiece. Photographs of the original Penn Station – built between 1905 and 1910 – show it to be a landmark to rival the still-existing Grand Central Station.
In fact, Grand Central Station owes its continued existence to a landmarks preservation law that was brought in on foot of the outcry over Penn’s destruction. A New York Times article from 1963 decried the demolition:
Until the first blow fell, no-one was convinced that Penn Station really would be demolished, or that New York would permit this monumental act of vandalism against one of the largest and finest landmarks of its age of Roman elegance.
The station had 84 marble Doric columns and a 150-foot vaulted ceiling over its concourse.
This image shows 3,000 people crammed into the main waiting room at Penn Station on 3 April 1949 to hear New York City council president Vincent Impellitteri speak at the launch of the United Jewish Appeal’s ‘Caravan of Hope’:
Image: AP Photo/Harry Harris
And on a less busy day in spring of 1962, the Historic American Buildings Survey snapped these images to preserve what was soon to be lost:
All above five images from US Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
The station had been a meeting place, a focal point for visiting dignitaries as well as a travel hub. This iconic image from 1942 is of a US soldier kissing his wife goodbye at Penn Station before going off to fight in World War II:
Image: Topham/Topham Picturepoint/Press Association Images
The children of Charlie Chaplin and Lita Gray Chaplin – Charles Jr and Sydney Earle – pictured on a train leaving Penn station en route to the Pacific coast on 14 July 1932:
Image: AP Photo archive
Cuban president Fidel Castro arriving at Penn Station to crowds of admirers on a US trip in 21 April 1959. (You can spot him just to the right of the lamp in the centre of the photograph, wearing a cap):
Image: Ray Stu bblebine/AP/Press Association Images
A 1962 aerial shot shows the original Penn Station in all its glory:
Image: AP Photo
After the destruction. The construction of the new Madison Square Garden – on the site where Penn Station had stood for 53 years – is shown on 24 August 1966:
And on 2 March 1967:
And on 14 December 1967:
And on opening night on 11 February 1968. Bob Hope stands centrestage, hosting a benefit show for the United Services Organisations.
All above images by AP Photo archive.
And what of the rail station? It still is a massive transport hub – the mostly underground terminal now looks like this:
Image: BusinessInsider
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I thought our lot were bad when the demolished the Theatre Royal in Hawkins St. Penn Station was some building.
Can’t believe they knocked it down for the piece of crap that’s there now. I’m sure everyone that’s been there will agree.
Architecture & history lost forever. Reminds me of the old Irish railways and station buildings torn down and lost forever…terrible shame!
Exactly Brian, the old train station in Waterford is a prime example
Civic offices blocking Liffey view of Christchurch Cathedral. US authorities are in the halfpenny place!
Agree with that. Wood Quay was so much better without those horrible uncivic offices.
People are way too sentimental about bricks and mortar..!
I agree. Sometime to move forward sentiment must be parked. Thats life.
Exactly. All I see is a HUGE waste of vertical space in a city where real estate is at a premium.
I work out of penn station everyday, its one of the worst dumps in new york. No matter how much work is done to it it always looks like a cheap 70′s cop show precinct. Its a maze of beige or black corridors and what the public see is only a peak of how grungy it is the amtrak crew base is horrible. Add to this the time rats fell through the long island railroad area roof and you have a good idea. Progress is one thing, replacing something that needed some TLC with a sh$thole isnt the way forward. It probably had more to do with $$$ than anything, you have madison square garden up top too. The whole place just looks unpleasant
And Grand Central Station was slated to be torn down as well but people stepped in to stop it from happening. Jackie Kennedy was head of the campaign to help preserve it.
Beautiful building.
Thank god we don’t subject kids to those freaky looking clothes anymore.
Who are you to talk Draco?
It was a wonderful building, but sadly we cannot hang on to the all.. Mind you, some of the crap they preserve here in Sydney under the guise of historical relevance makes me shake my head..
To watch a game or wait for a train? Hmmm, I know what I would’ve chosen… ;)
Ah yes the old penny station…..ask any New Yorker and they shudder as to why this was let happen. The new station which is under Madison square garden is ugly and boring….also it’s a maze of corridors and platform for anybody who has ever been.
Good news is that is is to be totally redeveloped and moved into the Farrelly post office bed hon the garden…..another beautiful building which you can see in one of the pics.
Gee…you mean when society went away from train travel and they didn’t need a huge above ground station in the most expensive city in the world, they should have kept it “for tradition”?
Broadway was once one of the most famous horse paths in the world. Why’d they have to go and pave it!
Aren’t they chatting about moving the station now to under the library ?
have your say