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Photos: Easter In NYC, Every Decade From The 1890s Through 1970s


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 29, 2013

Modified Mar 29, 2013


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Easter Parade, 1899. Is that the old Croton Distributing Reservoir/a. in the background? (via MNCY)

 

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By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 29, 2013

Modified Mar 29, 2013


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This Sunday, bonnets and bunnies will take over 5th Avenue for the annual Easter Parade, and according to The Internet, "from the 1880s through the 1950s, New York's parade was one of the main cultural expressions of Easter in the United States." The parade grew out of the city's ornamented churches, eventually expanding to elaborate floral displays, and fashion... most notably: hats. In fact, in the 1880s the annual event was already "a vast spectacle of fashion" as much as it was a religious observance. Click through for a look at Easter in New York City, from the 1880s through the 1970s.

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Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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