New York City’s Proudest Thoroughfare -- Fifth Ave., Looking North from Thirty-eighth Street.
Fifth Avenue is one of the most famous streets in the world, a center of business, fashion and wealth, focus of interest for the New Yorker himself as truly as for the stranger. In 1924 the Avenue celebrated its one hundredth anniversary, and the exhibits of history, romance, art, business and finance that were assembled along is decorated miles all the way northward from its beginning at Washington Square below Eighth Street, were a marvel even to those who thought themselves familiar with it.
As the growth of he great city has advanced northward, business has gradual displaced residence on the Avenue, until now it has come to be an impressive succession of the finest of shops and stores, with banks, hotels, clubs and here and there a magnificent library, church or cathedral to introduce variety. Such few splendid residences as still survive below Central Park, which begins at 59th Street, will soon be giving way to the march of business.
At the left from our point of observation and two blocks beyond, is the great Public Library, extending from 40th to 42nd Street. At he latter cross-town thoroughfare we note a tower from which traffic is directed at this busiest of intersections. Farther along at the right we see one of the twin spires of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Then in the distance is Central Park at the left, and the splendid mile of millionaire residences facing it at the right.
Fifth Avenue is the street of great public parades in New York and it would be hard to imagine a more wonderful setting for such spectacles. No trucking is permitted on the Avenue as is evident from this scene.