Original Pennsylvania Station (New York)

In the early part of the twentieth century, the original Pennsylvania Station was more than simply a bustling hub; it was also a spectacular Beaux-Arts monument to rival Grand Central. The above-ground component of the terminal was inspired by the Acropolis, the Brandenburg Gate, St. Peter's Basilica, the Roman Baths, and the Bank of England, and was designed by McKim, Mead, and White, the architectural firm renowned for Theodore Roosevelt-era restorations to the White House. The Pennsylvania Railroad was the greatest enterprise in the world at the turn of the century, and its New York station was built to serve 200,000 passengers per day for up to 100 years. However, the landmark did not stay long.

Penn Station welcomed 109 million people a year into New York City at its zenith in the mid 1940s, but shortly after, vehicle and air travel rose, railroad business plummeted, and the firm was left cash-strapped. In 1954, they sold the airspace above the platforms to a local real estate firm. Concerned citizens protested the stadium plans, but to no avail. The demolition began on October 28, 1963, and was described as a "act of vandalism against one of the grandest and finest landmarks of its age of Roman elegance" by the New York Times.

Address: New York, NY 10119, USA
Opened: 1910