Rare 1930s Binghamton Video Uncovered, How Much Do You Recognize? [VIDEO]

Does it sound strange that before the internet came about, I wondered if there would ever be a way for a common person like me to see the world from the sky? To further that thought, see every place on the planet, even as close as a person's house. Well, look where we are today. It happened in our lifetime.

As you may have guessed from reading some of my previous articles, I have a fondness for maps. I always have, including those fold-away maps that you could (originally) get for free at a gas station. And I always had on hand, the latest Rand-McNally Atlas.

When Google created Google Earth and later Google Maps, I became a bit obsessed. Wow, you could tour the world right from your home computer. What an amazing thing. And along with that, I love to see what our area looked like over the past 100 years.

Thanks to those who took pictures and videos along with those who have preserved them for future generations over the past century, we have plenty to see what our community looked like, versus what it looks like now. I found on YouTube, a video from Bob Bullock of Downtown Binghamton from 1934 that I find interesting, and I think you will too.

This capture from Bob Bullock's YouTube video is I believe, of the area around Court and State Street from 1934, and below it what it looked like in the latest Google Maps Street View capture from 2019.

And this capture from Bob Bullock's YouTube video from 1934 looking west on Court Street, Binghamton, and below that, the latest view from 2018 Google Maps Street View.

Enjoy watching the video, below. See what you can recognize from 1930s Binghamton. So many building facades have changed in addition to buildings torn down and replaced. This was your parents and grandparents Binghamton. So much has changed over those past 88 years.

[via Bob Bullock/YouTube, Google Maps]