The photo taken from Washington Street at Front Street in Dumbo Brooklyn is one of the most photogenic and the most often shot taken by photographers who visit the area. I’ve seen (and taken) so many versions of these photos, but every one is unique in their own way. Below are three very distinct and among our favorite photos taken by different photographers:

 ”Under The Bridge”, Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street, Dumbo Brooklyn (Photo courtesy of Sergei.y)

 ”Dumbo”, Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street, Dumbo Brooklyn (Photo courtesy of theronin)

 ”Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO”, Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street, Dumbo Brooklyn (Photo courtesy of With_L0ve)

Manhattan Bridge:

• Type of bridge: Suspension
• Construction started: October 1, 1901
• Opened to traffic: December 31, 1909
• Length of main span: 1,470 feet
• Length of side spans: 725 feet
• Length, anchorage to anchorage: 2,920 feet
• Total length of bridge and approaches: 6,855 feet
• Number of decks: 2 decks
• Number of traffic lanes: 7 lanes (4 upper, 3 lower)
• Number of subway tracks: 4 tracks
• Height of towers above mean high water: 322 feet
• Clearance at center above mean high water: 135 feet
• Number of cables: 4 cables
• Diameter of each of four cables: 21¼ inches
• Length of each of four cables: 3,224 feet
• Structural material: Nickel steel
• Tower material: Nickel steel
• Deck material: Nickel steel
• Cost of original structure: $31,000,000

(Info courtesy of nycroads.com. Photos by DumboNYC)

Couple of nice shots of Manhattan Bridge (water reflections) by justiNYC:

{Double Dipping in DUMBO, justiNYC}

  dispersions of light, Photo courtesy of nj dodge
  (Click for larger version)

[DumboNYC.com is on vacation for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, take a look at some of the best photos of Dumbo. Have a great weekend!]

  Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge from above, Photo courtesy of eight double
  (Click for larger version)

Have a happy Thanksgiving,
DumboNYC.com

  Manhattan Bridge from 68 Jay Street
  (Click for larger version)

For the second in the series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, we are looking at photos down Plymouth Street west from Pearl Street. In the 68 year old photo, circa 1938, you’ll notice that the brown brick building on the right side of the photos is still in its original form (more or less) on the corner of Plymouth and Adams Streets. This building used to be part of Arbuckle Coffee Co. The Arbuckle Coffee Mill also occupied the Empire Stores for a number of years. In the foreground is Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge tower is at the center of the photos. The Belgian block street is mostly paved over, but some eroded areas still show the original street blocks.

On the back: “Plymouth Street, west from Pearl Street, showing at the right of the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Co. building. In order is also shown the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.
April 4, 1938″

Percy Loomis Sperr, 1890-1964 — Photographer

   1938

   September, 2006

{New York Public Library photo of Plymouth Street West Pearl Street}
{Dumbo Then and Now: Washington and York Street}

New York Public Library has a nice collection of old photographs of New York streets. There are some Brooklyn photos from the Dumbo and Vinegar Hill areas in the 1800′s and early 1900s. The area was known as Fulton Landing where the ferry dropped off passengers from Manhattan. Once the Brooklyn Bridge was built in the 1883, followed by the Manhattan Bridge in the 1909, Fulton Landing became a commercial area and Brooklyn Heights the residential area. To put things into historical perspective, take a look at the before and after.

For the first in the series of “Dumbo Streetscapes Then and Now”, we are looking north on Washington Street with York Street in the foreground. In the old photo, circa 1926, you’ll notice that 70 Washington Street and 81 Washington Street (Thompson Water Meter) buildings are still around, but the dark brick building on the near right corner of York and Washington is gone, to make way for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Notice the old overpass between the Gair buildings past Front Street, no longer there. Also the electric wires have now moved underground.

1926

August 26, 2006

{New York Public Library photo of Washington Street and York Street}