City - NY - Celebrating Bastille Day 1913
by Mike Savad
Title
City - NY - Celebrating Bastille Day 1913
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Colorized photo from 1913
Original Title: Bastille Day, July 14, Celebrations
Photographer: Bain News
Location: 318 E 126th St, NY
Since the 1890's, the French Benevolent Society held Bastille day on July 14th. This was made into a fundraiser to support the French Hospital, they carried on with this tradition till the 1910's.
It was held in East Harlem, in what was known then as Sulzer's Harlem River Park, in around 1907, the park burned down and it had to be rebuilt again at the cost of $200,000. It was called Sulzer's because that was the guy's name, there was also a casino on the property as well as a very nice looking carousal.
It also seem they had a nice stage set up and a place to eat. On the right was a carnival game, a string was attached to two poles. On that string were more strings holding the prize. Cheap prizes had one string, fancy things like dolls had many. A blindfolded child would hold out a sharp pair of scissors out in front of them where they would be guided verbally to snip the strings. I don't know how many tries there were, nor how many deaths. I suppose if they were smart they would guide them to the main string and cut that.
After a fun moment of cutting string, you could head over to the lunch counter. Where you could either get a table with a waiter or sit at the bar. Grab a refreshing glass of ice cold milk, a variety of sandwiches, clam chowder, and a frankfuter as they called it.
Uploaded
August 7th, 2021
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