Category Archives: Economics

Income

Rudimentary Statistics Comparison of labor statistics over time is far too complex a subject to tackle here, but some points can be made. Manual or unskilled laborers were those who dug ditches, worked on farms, and took on any work … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Sociology | Leave a comment

Vanderbilt Family

When W.H.  Vanderbilt died in 1885, his will provided some insight into the confusion of mansions along Fifth Avenue. His  “heirs-at-law and next of kin” were Marie Louise Vanderbilt, the widow, living at No. 640 Fifth Avenue Cornelius Vanderbilt, a … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Historical, People | 2 Comments

Apartment Houses and French Flats

The city newspapers were full of real estate advertisements then, as they are now. With the development of apartment houses — some targeted for the very rich — a new vocabulary began to creep in. These New York Times ads … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing | Leave a comment

Boarding Houses

Looking for a Place to Live Classified ads in the 1880s will make it clear how wide-spread and well established boarding house economy was.   There were  ads in every edition of every paper for decades. From Gamber’s excellent historical study: [,,,]  … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Housing | Leave a comment