Louis Arcadio Espinal US Census Line 47

The 1940 census places Louis Arcadio in Manhattan, as head of a rented home on 1425 Broadway, mere blocks away from Times Square and right within the borders of the Theater District. From the Broadway theaters to the Metropolitan Opera House, which was located on 1411 Broadway, on the corner of 39th street, before its relocation to Lincoln Square, Times Square in the 1940s was the heart of New York’s entertainment industry. As reflected in the census, it was also home to many of the people involved in theatrical production: Among Louis Arcadio’s neighbors at that address were several other music teachers and singers, from places such as Illinois, Mexico, Poland and Scotland.

The timing of Louis Arcadio's work as a vocal coach was particularly significant, coinciding with a massive shift in Broadway history as musical theater underwent profound changes in vocal technique and songwriting. This period marked the dawn of Broadway's Golden Age.
See Line 47.

Drawn from the research of CUNY DSI Research Associate Vivian Guerrero Aquino and Norma Guzman, this story is part of the Institute’s Ellis Island Project, which chronicles the arrival of Dominican immigrants and preserves their personal histories.

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