Regulating and grading Eighth Avenue before 1872

"Regulating and Grading Eighth Avenue" is a photograph by George Gardner Rockwood taken before 1872. It is a small, intimate image, likely a snapshot taken in the midst of urban development. The image depicts construction workers engaged in the arduous task of grading a newly paved street. Rockwood, a pioneer in the field of photography, captured the raw and unvarnished reality of a city under construction, offering viewers a glimpse into the rapid growth and transformation of New York City during the 19th century.