Amateur photographer Charles W. Cushman traveled extensively in the US and abroad from 1938 to 1969, capturing beautiful portraits of everyday life.
His archive has been donated to and maintained by Cushman's alma mater, Indiana University, which has kindly given us permission to publish his gallery of New York City photos taken in 1941 and 1942.
These images give a great glimpse into what everyday life in Chinatown, the Financial District, and Midtown was like over 70 years ago.
Kamelia Angelova contributed reporting to an earlier version of this story.
SEE ALSO: These eerily empty street photos show how different New York City was in the crime-ridden 1970s
The old Fulton Market on Manhattan's Lower East Side wasn't quite so bustling on this Saturday afternoon in 1941.
Photo: Courtesy of Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection / Indiana University Archives
There were still traffic jams on South Street along the East River in 1941.
Photo: Courtesy of Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection / Indiana University Archives
Here, a view of the East River and the majestic Brooklyn Bridge.
Photo: Courtesy of Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection / Indiana University Archives
See the rest of the story at Business Insider