General Eisenhower Parade, Union Square, NYC, circa 1946

In this 1946 photo, we see a victorious general being greeted by thousands as his motorcade drives through Union Square Park. That general was Dwight D. Eisenhower who was Supreme Commander of the allied troops on D-Day and commanded the Allied Forces landing in North Africa in November 1942. After the war, he became President of Columbia University, then took leave to assume supreme command over the new NATO forces being assembled in 1951. When Eisenhower became president, it was during the heart of the cold war. He worked hard to reduce tensions with the Russians but also worked to keep America strong. Eisenhower won a second term in office in November, 1955, after recovering from a heart attack.

Technology Note:
Today, Union Square Park is a favorite hang out for nearby NYU students, as well as neighbors. The park now joins City Hall Park, Bowling Green Park, Rector Park, Liberty Plaza Park and Bryant Park as a public Wi-Fi hotspot, giving free access to the Internet for anyone with wireless laptops or PDAs.

Interested in purchasing prints of these fabulous photos of New York in the Swing Era? Visit our Visions of NY merchandise site! Here you can view and purchase photos, t-shirts, mugs, mousepads and an assortment of additional items. You will also find photos of old New York not shown in our current site.