Before the Flatiron Building went up in 1903, this was the view that visitors to the area’s famous 5th Avenue, Broadway, and 23rd Street would see looking from Madison Square.
Prior to construction of the Flatiron and the other tall buildings that now surround the square, the area was often subjected to gusts of strong wind. Men were said to have congregated in groups to watch ladies pass by with skirts blown up by the wind exposing their legs, which were rarely seen publicly at that time. The policemen patrolling the area sometimes would tell the men to leave or face the consequences, this coining an expression “giving them the 23 skidoo."
The photograph was digitally archived upon request of one of New York’s societies dedicated to the preservation of the architectural history of the city. The digital image was carefully retouched to preserve its authenticity and color corrected to bring back the original richness of tones that has faded over the years. A large museum-quality archival print was produced from a high-resolution digital file.