Happy 100th Birthday }Grand Central Station{

A New York City icon ages gracefully

By Lauren Hansen 

Sunlight beams into Grand Central Terminal, 1930.

I

t's hard to believe that this beautiful heap of Beaux Arts majesty is 100 years old.
 But sure enough, Grand Central Terminal opened its doors to the commuting masses
at midnight on Feb. 2, 1913, and soon became a world-renowned icon of transportation
 and capitalist might. In honor of Grand Central's birthday, we take you back in time with
12 early, black-and-white snapshots of a timeless building, as well as the millions of busy
 travelers who have passed through it. 

Work in progress: Grand Central was actually the third

 station to be constructed 

on 42nd Street. It was preceded by Grand Central Depot (1871)

 and Grand Central Station (1900), 

both of which were eventually demolished. With the help of the Vanderbilt family, 

Grand Central Terminal was built on a 48-acre site that is worth some

 $2 billion today.

 Here, the structure nears completion in 1912. (AP Photo)

Rush hour: Top-hatted and cloaked businessmen, as well as a few women,

 pass through Grand Central's concourse shortly after it was opened to

 the public. (CC BY:The Library of Congress)

The finished product: A 1950s view of the terminal. The world's largest Tiffany clock,

  

"Shine soldier?": Members of the National Boys' Club offer Victory shoe shines to 

every man and woman in uniform in Grand Central's USO Lounge on April 6, 1943.

 (AP Photo/Dan Grossi)

A mournful gathering:   V 

Thousands gather to listen to a service in 1963 right after the news of JFK being killed.

Passing through: A view of Grand Central's interior after the morning rush

hour in 1968. It's crowded but it looks empty., Just one of the marbles.