The Manhattan Savings Bank, Third Avenue Elevated Line, Canal Street, October 17, 1951

The Third Avenue El was an elevated railway line that ran from Manhattan to the Bronx. It opened in 1887 and was originally owned by a private railroad company but eventually was acquired by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The tracks covered the entire length of the Bowery, including a portion in Chinatown with stations at Canal Street and Chatham Square. While the El heralded an age of technological advancement, the soot and shadows cast by the elevated tracks contributed to the Bowery’s and surrounding neighborhood’s descent into “skid row.” The line remained in operation throughout the Bronx until 1973 while the Manhattan portion was closed in 1955.