It was supposed to be the showpiece of New York City’s new subway system. Stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers adorned its curved walls and arched ceilings. According to Daily Mail, City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after opening its doors in 1904. In photographs by John-Paul Palescandolo and Eric Kazmirek.
It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway. The station features stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers, which adorn its curved walls and arched ceilings. Now passengers can stay on the 6 train and watch the train make its turnaround, seeing the interior of the beautiful station for themselves. The pride and joy of the underground soon gathered dust and became long forgotten, a mere turning point for the 6 train which runs from Pelham Bay Park to Brooklyn Bridge. Its curved tracks were deemed unsafe for the new, longer trains, and, as it was less busy than nearby Brooklyn Bridge station, authorities decided to shut it down. City Hall was designed by Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino and is unique among the original IRT stations.
