As most New Yorkers have probably heard already, this weekend marks the 100th anniversary of Grand Central Terminal, which officially opened its doors at midnight on February 2, 1913. Designed by the architectural firms of Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore, the Beaux-Arts beauty was preceded by Grand Central Depot and Grand Central Station — and if you can believe it, was almost demolished itself back in the ’70s. (Many thanks to Jackie Onassis for putting the kibosh on that.) Today the iconic station — the largest in the world by number of tracks (67) and number of platforms (44) — sees some 750,000 visitors pass through daily; see a selection of photos and drawings from the very early days after the jump.
View in the excavation for the new Grand Central Station of the New York Central Railway (Looking south). 1907. Image credit: G. W. Peters. From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
Plans for the new terminal station of the New York Central Railroad at Forty-second Street. From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
A perspective of the new Grand Central Terminal and the surrounding improvements. From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
Drawing of Grand Central Terminal with street level cutaway to subway tracks (1912). From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
Longitudinal section through the new Grand Central Station, New York, showing the two tiers of tracks (1905). From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
Façade, Depew Place, Grand Central Terminal, New York. 1913. From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
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East 42nd Street – Park Avenue. Grand Central Terminal. 192-. Photo credit: Wurtz Brothers. From the Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery
Grand Central Terminal. From Stephen A. Schwarzman Building / Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, NYPL Digital Gallery
Grand Central Terminal, interior. From Stephen A. Schwarzman Building / Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs, NYPL Digital Gallery
Lunch room and restaurant, Grand Central Terminal, New York. Lunchroom and restaurant, Grand Central Terminal, New York. 1913. From Architecture. Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection / New York City, NYPL Digital Gallery