By Rob Garber for the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group
Welcome to another installment in the Rag’s Historical Photo Challenge. The image above was taken somewhere on the Upper West Side, sometime in the past. Can you figure out where, when, and what it shows? Look closely; this week’s challenge photo, like the others in the series, includes clues that will help you identify the scene, if you’re a dedicated UWS history sleuth. And even if you don’t recognize the picture—not to worry! Come back in two weeks and I’ll decode it, show you the clues that help identify it, and—best of all—tell you a story the image unlocks, because this column isn’t just a test of your neighborhood knowledge; it’s also a rolling celebration of the people, buildings and events that wove the tapestry of the Upper West Side.
Ready? If you think you know where and when the photo was taken and what it shows, post your answer as a comment on this column.
Solution to Historical Photo Challenge #26
Subject: Moorish Garden Open Air Theater
Location: 610 West 110th Street
Date: 1913
Image Source: Reel Life
Clues: The dominant building in this image, the Hendrik Hudson Annex on the NW corner of Broadway and West 110th Street still stands, although the elaborate cornice has been removed. Remarkably, the low building in the center background is still there as well—it’s now a CVS. It had an additional story until 1981, when a fire caused the top floor to be removed. The taller building whose backside is on the far right was the Beauclere, a seven-story apartment house that was inexplicably torn down around 1934 when it was less than 40 years old, to build a Woolworth. That entire blockfront—the west side of Broadway between 109th and 110th—thus has the unusual distinction of having lower buildings now than it did 100 years ago.
The rest of the story: In the 1910s and early 1920s, there was a window of time when theaters were not yet air conditioned and movies were still silent. This combination gave rise to urban outdoor theaters, known as air domes or aerodomes. They were often quite large—the theater on West 110th sat 2,000 people—and showed movies, hosted concerts, and were even used to present live updates of major sporting events using a system of lights and signs. A live pianist or even an orchestra provided the soundtrack to the silent movie. The Moorish Garden, which bore no discernible resemblance to anything Moorish or garden-like, was owned by outdoor advertising magnate Amedee van Beuren and Harry “Doc” Kelton, an UWS sports entrepreneur. They leased the lot from 1913 to about 1919 from Margaret Sage, widow of Wall Street financier and social science philanthropist Russell Sage.
…and that’s the story behind the mystery image. Scroll back to the top of the column and take on your next challenge, Sherlockians! If you’ve missed any pictures in this series, you can find the complete set on my author page. All photos used with permission.
About the author: Rob Garber has lived on the Upper West Side since the late 20th century and is a member of the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group. To learn more, visit their website at upperwestsidehistory.org. All photos in Upper West Side Historical Photo Challenge are used by permission.
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