Collections Item Detail
B+W photo negative of partly demolished trestle for former elevated streetcar lines on Observer Highway under demolition, Hoboken, n.d., ca. late 1949 or early 1950.
Photograph
Black-and-white photo negative of partially demolished trestle for former elevated streetcar lines on Observer Highway, Hoboken, no date, ca. late 1949 or early 1950.
1-3/4" x 3" wide. Photographer not indicated.
The view is southwest down Observer Highway from the west side of Hudson Street. The trestle itself is gone with metal columns that once supported the Public Service Coordinated Transport elevated street car tracks that out of the Hudson Place terminal seen still standing. The horizontal girders between them has been cut-out. The columns themselves as well as the street level tracks are yet to be removed.
Streetcar service ended on these lines in August of 1949 and demolition began. A January 1950 newspaper article noted that it was nearly complete, at least in regard to the trestle that ran to the Palisades in Jersey City (not visible in this photo.) This timeline suggests the approximate date of the image here.
Detail 1, right: garage at northwest corner of Observer Highway & Hudson St (a view of the Hudson Street side of it can seen in photo record 2011.048.0035)
Detail 2, center right: columns for elevated trestle with girders cut out; view of the north side of Observer Highway with Washington Street corners at center.
Detail 3 center: Cocomalt / Davis Baking Powder rooftop sign in the far distance at center of image; the factory was at Jackson Street.
Detail 4, right center: west side of Observer Highway; Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad buildings including the Records building (left) and the Freight building, Railway Express Agency (center and right); a Public Service bus.
Detail 5, upper left: billboard with clock on top of D.L. & W. R.R. freight building; the sign advertised Ballantine Ale; if faced the end of Washington St. (which ends at Observer Highway.); a better view of this billboard can seen in a 1951 photo, 2005.043.0012.
2012.001.0132
2012.001
Purchase
Purchase
Museum Collections.
n/a
1949 - 1950
Hoboken
Date: 1949-1950
Original or Copy: Original Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2012-08-31