The Plaza re-opened in 2008 following a three-year, 450-million-dollar renovation that split the building into 282 guest rooms and 152 condominiums. It also involved extensive renovation in several other areas, i.e.:

Grand Ballroom 1907

Lobby 1907

Now the Residents Lobby

New Hotel Lobby

Palm Court Ca.1907

If you are thinking of staying at the Plaza, consider the 4,500-square-foot Royal Suite that was renovated in 2014 and can be yours for a mere $40,000 per night!

The Plaza Hotel is located in New York City on 5th Ave. and 59th at the west entrance to Central Park. It opened in 1907 and was named for the nearby Grand Army Plaza. The location is particularly prestigious. Note Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s mansion with the Plaza behind in the 1908 photo.

AI Colorized Version

The Plaza was the first hotel to host motorized taxis. In addition, over fifty films have included the Plaza. Most notably, North By Northwest starring Cary Grant. which, in 1959, was the first on-location set for Hollywood. Both book and film versions of The Great Gatsby use the Plaza. For more of the Plaza’s history, see Julie Satow’s thoroughly researched and superbly written book The Plaza.

Here it is ca. 1910.

This 1916 photo includes the Grand Army of the Plaza with its William T. Sherman statue.

Here is a photo of the taxi lineup on opening day October 11, 1907.

Grant Park

The 3.5-acre Grant Park was founded in 1890. To form the scenic, gradual slopes, 19,000 cubic feet of dirt were hauled in. The first two photos are undated.

Library

The Galena Library was built at a cost of $60,000, 25% of which came from Andrew Carnegie. It was dedicated on July 4,1908, as seen in the first photo.

Marine Hospital

The Marine Hospital opened in 1850 to serve “ailing men of seafaring business.” It closed in 1866 and then became a school, a sanitorium, and the residence of numerous owners. In 2022, an 80-acre, 100-cottage development, along with a 12-million dollar restoration of the former hospital, was approved. The first photo shows the building when it was occupied as a school. The second photo shows it post-renovation, or so I thought. A local historian pointed out that approval of the whole project had been overturned in 2024.

As seen today.

Galena is located in the northwest corner of Illinois. It was named for the mineral galena which was the basis for the lead mining economy of the region. In its peak year, local mines produced 85% of the nation’s lead. It became the largest steamboat hub on the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. Galena is now a thriving tourist town with over one million visitors annually. They come for the food, scenic views, and historic sites. A full 85% of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1860, Ulysses Grant moved to Galena to work in his father’s leather goods store, seen here in an 1862 photo.

It wasn’t long before Grant went east to fight in the Civil War. He returned in 1865 and was given a furnished house by the grateful citizens of Galena. The first photo shows his home in 1865 and, in the third photo, Grant with his son on the front porch, also in 1865.

Here is an 1850 photo of the scenic waterfront. Note, in each photo, the church spire on the right and, to its left, the brick building with five windows per floor.

Here is a ca. 1900 photo of Main St.

DeSoto Hotel

The five story DeSoto Hotel opened in 1855 and is seen here in an undated photo. It boasted 225 guest rooms, a 300-seat dining room, plus stores, offices, a saloon, and bowling alley. Today it has three stories and and 55 guest rooms.

Bisbee Building

The Bisbee Building was built in 1909 in downtown Jacksonville, FL. It is ten stories tall and, along with two adjacent buildings, comprises the Laura Street Trio. Abandoned for decades, a 90-million-dollar renovation was proposed for all three structures, but, as of May 10, 2024, the plan had not yet been approved. The first photo is dated ca. 1910.

Chrysler Building

The 77-story Chrysler Building opened in New York in 1930. At that time it was the world’s tallest building, but that title was lost four months later when the Empire State Building opened. The first photo is dated 1929

Flatiron Building

Also in New York City is the 22-story Flatiron Building. which opened in 1902. It was originally an office building but, as of 2019, it was totally vacant. In 2023, a three-year process was begun to convert the building to 40 condos. Interestingly, the Flatiron is only six feet wide at its narrowest point. The first photo is undated.

Los Angeles City Hall

The 32-story Los Angeles City Hall opened in 1928. It has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, most notably as the Daily Planet Building in The Adventures of Superman. The first photo is dated 1928.

Fore!!

You Can’t Beat Lunch at the Waldorf!

The world’s first skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building, completed in 1885 in Chicago. It was 12 stories tall and was the first building to use a structural steel frame to bear the weight which allowed for the record height. It was demolished in 1931.

Chicago also has two other early skyscrapers. The first is the Wrigley Building, built between 1920 and 1924 and consisting of the 30-story south section and 21-story north section. The first photo is dated ca. 1925.

The other is the 37-story Carbine&Carbon Building (now the Pendry Chicago Hotel), which opened in 1929. Interestingly, the 24K gold leaf is only 1/5000th of an inch thick.

Philadelphia’s contribution to early skyscrapers is the Land Trust Building consisting of 15 stories and completed in 1898. The south annex is 22 stories and was completed 1902. The first photo is dated ca. 1905.

This photo is called “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper.” It was taken in 1932 during construction of Rockefeller Plaza–a 67-story office building adjacent to Rockefeller Center. The photo was re-created in 2017 during construction of CNA Center in Chicago. Notice at the far left, the two men have replaced a cigarette with a cell phone.

132 W. Washington

At one time, this structure was Nathaniel Snow’s grocery store. It is now occupied as Marblehead Mercantile and owned by Snow’s great, great grandson. The first photo is undated.

Fort Sewall

Fort Sewall is located at a point known as Gales Head. It was first fortified in 1634 and saw action in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. After it was no longer needed, the site became a city park in 1892. The first photo is dated 1898.

Marblehead Lighthouse

The Marblehead Lighthouse was built in 1896 and is one of 13 Pyramidal Skeletal lighthouses still in existence, but it is the only one in New England. The first photo is dated early 1900s.

Powder Magazine

The Marblehead Powder Magazine was built in 1755 and is seen here in a 1905 photo. Note the little girl on the top step.

Spite House

As the name implies, spite houses were meant to annoy a neighbor. The one in Marblehead was built in 1716 and is seen here in a 1912 photo.

A “Day At the Beach” ca.1906. For more on beaches through the years, see this blog May and June 2022.

Marblehead is located near Boston. It was founded in 1649 and has been steeped in U.S. history ever since. Sailors from there were involved early on in the Revolutionary War, and scholars have labeled their activities the forerunner of the U.S. Navy. Many historic sites and buildings still exist, including:

Old Town House

The Old Town House had town hall meetings on the second floor with a market on the first. Some meetings are still held there, but the first floor is now a police museum. The first photo is dated 1909 while the third is dated 1906. Note the Bowen house to the left in the 1906 photo.

Bowen House

The Bowen house was built in 1695, with several later additions. It is one of 15 homes built in Marblehead before 1700! The first photo is undated.

Abbot Hall

In 1876, Abbot Hall was built to replace the Old Town Home as the major seat of town government. The first photo is dated 1895.

Corinthian Yacht Club

The Corinthian Yacht Club was established in 1885. The first photo is dated July 4, 1904.

Here is a great, undated photo of four young girls bicycling in Marblehead.

This undated photo shows the Gilpin Hotel in 1885. Despite the sign in the next photo (far right), it is now 100% casino.

This photo shows a hardware store in 1885. It is now the Saratoga Casino, again, despite the sign.

To make room for the casinos, 12 homes had to be moved to a new “historical district.” The last one was the Lace House, one of the oldest dwellings in the state. The $3 million cost was reputedly paid for by a casino that wanted to triple its parking lot. The first photo shows the home at its original location in ca.1900.

Here are two photos of the move. For 30 more, check out Mammoth Moving and Rigging.

And here it is looking much as it did before the move in the following ca.1910 photo.

Black Hawk is located 37 miles west of Denver. It was founded in 1859 after gold was discovered in the nearby hills. It was home to the first smelter in Colorado. So many more were added, the town become known as the “City of Mills.” A severe downturn in production occurred as the mines played out. All that changed in 1991 when gambling was legalized. Much of the daily $20,000 revenue went to historical preservation. The 18 casinos are open 24/7 and welcome, on average, 20,000 visitors per day. Oddly, the 2020 census recorded only 127 permanent residents!

This photo shows Black Hawk in 1863. Notice in the second photo the school building erected in 1870. It is now the town’s police department.

This photo is dated 1867.

This photo shows the Bobtail Mine Tramway ca.1900.

This photo shows the town also in 1864, but from the opposite direction.