Charles W. Cushman

Earlier this month gothamist.com ran an intriguing set of photos taken by Mr. Cushman.  Here’s his entire archive.  Here’s a good selection.

The warehouses on the opposite side of the river from red vessel below are the current location of Brooklyn Bridge Park.  That makes the pier location a little south of piers 16 and 15. South Street Seaport Museum’s boats today.  Could that be Ollie, the stick lighter currently disintegrating in Verplanck?

I’m not sure what we’re looking at here, but the Cushman identifies it as 1941.  According to Paul Strubeck, it’s likely an express lighter–a category of self-propelled vessel I was not aware of–possibly operated by Lee and Simmons Lighterage.

And finally . .  I wish this photo–dated September 1940-– had been framed differently.  Phillip’s Foods is still around, although I’ve never eaten at any of their restaurants or if this is even the same company.  Royal Clover . .  . I can’t find anything about that brand.  And seeing all those cartons in Jeff and the barges, today there’d be a few containers and you’d have no idea of the contents.

You can search Cushman’s archives here. I call these “fifth dimension” i.e., time added, photos.

For another treasure trove of photos of old New York harbor, click here.