Monday, December 1, 2025 – WHAT IS UNDER THE STEAM PLANT? HOW ABOUT THE SUBWAY TUNNEL?
Building the 60th Street
Subway Tunnel Adjoining the
Queensboro Bridge
1916-1918 Photos from the
Archives of
New-York Historical
Issue #1583
Monday, December 1, 2025
This is a series of photos of the construction of the 60th Street tunnel beneath the island. To see enlarged version of the photos go to:
https://digitalcollections.nyhistory.org/items/53961-blackwells-island-manhattan
Looking south from under the Queensboro Bridge. Building in the rear is Warden’s residence of the Penitentiary
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island shaft, [60th Street Tunnel, East River]
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-142_r-061_0074
Print Room – PR-069-142-74
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
East River (N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1916-November-17
View of the Warden’s residence from south.
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island shaft, [60th Street Tunnel, East River]
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-142_r-061_0073
Print Room – PR-069-142-73
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
East River (N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1916-November-17
Looking west from north side of Queensboro Bridge
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph. Photograph shows Queensboro Bridge.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island, Manhattan
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-142_r-061_0024
Print Room – PR-069-142-24
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1916-October-18
View looking east to Queens and the New York Architectural Terra Cotta Company south of the bridge.
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph. Photograph shows Queensboro Bridge.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island, Manhattan
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-142_r-061_0029
Print Room – PR-069-142-29
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1916-October-18
The tunnel is so close to the Queensboro Bridge
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island, Manhattan
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-142_r-061_0022
Print Room – PR-069-142-22
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1916-October-18
The Storehouse with a building under construction.
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island, Manhattan
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-143_r-061_0411-1
Print Room – PR-069-143-411
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1918-March-29
The Storehouse with building under construction facing Manhattan with the Rockefeller University in the background.
Description
Contract Four, Route 61. Above ground photograph.
Full Title
Blackwell’s Island, Manhattan
NYHS Identifier
nyhs_pr-069_b-143_r-061_0410-1
Print Room – PR-069-143-410
Member of
Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Contract Four. Route 61, 1916-1924
Genre
photographs
photographic prints
Owning Institution
New-York Historical Society
Subject (Topical)
Subways–Design and construction
Subject (Geographic)
Manhattan (New York, N.Y.)
Contributor
New York (N.Y.). Board of Transportation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Coordinates
40.762584, -73.95148
Date Created
1918-March-29
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
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