Photos From 1911 Show New York Struggling in Deadly Heatwave

Two black and white photos: Left shows two men asleep on a bench, wearing suits. Right shows men, women, and children gathered around a public fountain, some children standing in the water. Crowd in the background appears intrigued or amused. Early 20th century setting.

It is getting hot. Depending on where you are in the world, it could be as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit — the same temperature it got to in New York City in 1911.

These historic photographs held by the Library of Congress show how people dealt with the deadly heatwave that hit the Northeastern United States over 100 years ago.

Several people are lying on the grass, resting in Battery Park on a hot day. In the foreground, an elderly man is asleep, holding a white hat, while other individuals are seated or reclining nearby under the shade of a tree.

A man in a suit cools his head under a water fountain on a hot day. Two other men, also dressed in suits and hats, stand nearby and smile at the scene. The background shows blurry foliage, indicating an outdoor setting. Text at the top reads "Cooling his head – N.Y. on hot day.

A sepia-toned, historic photograph shows a group of children and a few adults gathered around a large block of ice on the street. Some children are licking the ice. In the background, a grocery store window displays various items. The caption reads, "Licking blocks of ice on hot day.

The intense heat lasted for 12 days — from July 3 to July 15 — with some estimates putting the death toll as high as 2,000 people.

Nighttime gave no respite with the temperature remaining at an oppressive 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The intense heat caused widespread health issues, exacerbating conditions like heart problems and respiratory diseases. The lack of modern air conditioning and other cooling methods made the situation worse, particularly for the elderly and those in poor health.

People flocked to parks, rivers, and public fountains seeking relief from the heat. It gave photographers an opportunity for unusual pictures.

Black and white photo of children splashing in a fountain at Madison Square Park on a hot day, with a crowd of men in suits and hats watching from behind a fence. The scene is lively and captures the relief and joy of cooling off in the fountain.

Black and white photo of men giving a horse a shower bath on a city street. A sign reads "Gane's Free Shower Baths For Horses Only." Buckets and a hose are in use. Several people look on from the sidewalk. The scene is labeled "Hot Weather Charity, N.Y.

A group of people, including men, women, and children, resting and reclining on the grass in Battery Park on a hot day. Some are lying down while others are sitting upright, and a few are holding fans. Trees are visible in the background.

The relentless Sun melted the city’s asphalt streets. Horses, which were the primary mode of transportation at the time, collapsed from exhaustion and heatstroke with animal welfare groups trying to provide water for them.

The heatwave disrupted daily routines and business operations. Factories had to adjust their hours, and the ice supply — essential for preserving food and keeping cool — ran dangerously low. The city’s poor suffered the most, as tenement buildings turned into suffocating ovens with little to no ventilation.

A group of boys, some in swimsuits and others in wet clothes, stand together after swimming in a fountain on a hot day in New York. They are surrounded by a crowd of men and boys wearing hats and suits, some smiling and others looking on. The image is black and white.

A group of children is sitting and lying down on the sidewalk in front of a brick building, seeking shade. Most are looking towards the camera. Written text at the top of the image says "Hot Day - Babies in a Shady Spot." Another child and an adult stand in the background.

A crowded beach scene from early 20th century Coney Island, with men, women, and children in swimsuits and summer attire. Many are sitting or standing on the sandy beach. A sign above reads "All Suits Sterilized" and "Econopouly's Steamers". — Some tried to escape to Coney Island.

Black and white newspaper page with headline "TERRIFIC HEAT CLAIMS 35 MORE VICTIMS. 15 DROWNED IN WATERS ABOUT CITY." It includes a photo of City Hall at night, columns of text, and tables on heat-related deaths and temperatures. — A newspaper cutting highlighting the heatwave.

“Everyone who could get out of the city, as far away as possible from the pavements, which in the morning shone white, but in the heat of midday succumbed to the attacks of the Sun and looked like nothing as much as rivulets of melted tar,” wrote the New York Tribune at the time.

People gathered around thermometers so they could actually watch the mercury rising. There were reports of pedestrians collapsing in these crowds as it got hotter and hotter.

A group of children and adults gather around a public drinking fountain on a city street in the early 20th century. The children drink from the fountain while adults look on. The scene includes buildings with columns and people walking in the background.

Two men are sitting on a bench in a park, both asleep. The older man on the left is wearing a suit and tie, while the younger man on the right is dressed in a sleeveless shirt. The background shows trees and a blurred building. The weather appears warm and sunny.

A group of young children, dressed in early 20th-century attire, gather around a public water fountain on a street, drinking and playing. An adult man, in the background, observes them. The background shows an urban setting with buildings. Text above reads "Getting Drink on a Hot Day.

A black-and-white image of a park with several people gathered. Women are sitting on benches, some tending to children in strollers. A little girl with a large bow in her hair walks towards the camera. Trees and other park-goers can be seen in the background.

Many people died by drowning as some jumped into the water to escape the heat. Sleeping indoors became intolerable and in Massachusetts, at least 5,000 people slept on Boston Common.

One elderly man in Boston named Jacob Seegar killed himself with a revolver as he became overwhelmed in the heat.

A historical black-and-white photo shows a large group of people, including men, women, and children, dressed in early 20th-century clothing, standing in line outside a building in Tompkins Square Park, labeled "Milk House." Tall trees are visible in the background.

A black and white photo titled "Hot Weather Scene, N.Y." depicts a group of boys leaning over a water fountain, drinking or washing their heads. They appear to be cooling off on a hot day in New York. Trees and blurred figures are visible in the background.

A black-and-white photo of several men standing around a water trough in a city square, watering horses on a hot day. A large building with many windows and a tall clock tower are visible in the background. Two of the men are wearing hats and vests. A horse-drawn carriage is on the right.

A black and white photo of numerous people lying on the grass in Battery Park, New York, on a hot day. Some are sleeping, while others appear to be resting or relaxing in the shade of various trees. Buildings and a few passersby can be seen in the background.

The death toll continued to rise until a sudden thunderstorm brought a wave of relief, soon after which temperatures returned to their normal levels.

Image credits: Library of Congress.

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