What 7 iconic New York sites looked like in the 1930s — and what they look like today

The 1930s were difficult years for New York City, as the Great Depression took a toll on the city and its residents.

But still, compare the city's scenery from that period, and it may seem similar to the present day — the streets were always congested, subway lines were running, and people filled the iconic buildings that we still see today.

We dove into the New York Public Library's archives to find vintage photos of some of New York's most iconic sites, then compared them to how those same places look today. It's a good reminder of how much things change — and yet, how they stay the same. 

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In 1935, Washington Square Park added a one-way circular road to help ease up busy road traffic. With this change, the streets surrounding the park were widened, requiring pedestrians to cross a large stream of cars just to access the park.

Source: nycgovparks.org

Today the park has a large area for pedestrians to walk around without running into any road traffic. The park serves as a gathering place for local residents, chess players, students, and tourists from around the globe.

The Empire State Building was built in 1931. At the time of its completion, it was 102 stories and 1,250 feet high and was the world's tallest skyscraper.