Marker Logo
THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Garment District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Here the Motion Picture Began

 
 
Motion Picture Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by R. C., November 22, 2008
1. Motion Picture Marker
Inscription. On the night of April 23, 1896, on this site, in Koster & Bial’s Music Hall, Thomas A. Edison, with the “Vitascope,” first projected a moving picture.
 
Erected 1938 by the Motion Picture Industry, in commemoration of the event, on October 4.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, MusicEntertainmentIndustry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is April 23, 1820.
 
Location. 40° 45.039′ N, 73° 59.367′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in the Garment District. It is on West 34th Street 0.1 miles west of 6th Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Marker is on the 34th Street side of Macy's. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 151 W 34th St, New York NY 10001, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Koster & Bial’s (within shouting distance of this marker); R.H. Macy & Company (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Macy’s (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Macy’s (about 400 feet away); Broadway at 35th Street (about 500 feet away); Herald Square (about 500 feet away); The New York Herald (about 500 feet away); James Gordon Bennett Monument (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
 
Paid Advertisement
Click or scan to see
this page online
sectionhead>Other markers no longer nearby.
Macy's Department Store (was about 400 feet away but has been reported to have been replaced with another marker now near it); Charles James (was about 500 feet away but has been confirmed missing); Giorgio Di Sant’Angelo (was about 500 feet away but has been confirmed missing).
 
Also see . . .  Wikipedia Entry for Koster and Bial’s Music Hall. from The New York Times review of the event quoted in the article: “Then came into view two precious blonde young persons of the variety stage in pink and blue dresses, doing the umbrella dance with commendable celerity. Their motions were clearly defined. When they vanished, a view of an angry surf breaking on a sandy beach near a stone pier amazed the spectators. A burlesque boxing match between a tall, thin comedian and a short, fat one, a comic allegory called "The Monroe Doctrine"; an instant of motion in Hoyt's farce, "A Milk White Flag," repeated over and over again, and a skirt dance by a tall blonde completed the views, which were all wonderfully real and singularly exhilarating.” (Submitted on April 27, 2019.) 
 
Motion Picture Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Doran Howitt, April 25, 2013
2. Motion Picture Marker
Motion Picture Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Craig Baker, June 6, 2022
3. Motion Picture Marker
Motion Picture Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Craig Baker, June 6, 2022
4. Motion Picture Marker
Motion Picture Marker (older photo) image. Click for full size.
Photographed by R. C., 2008
5. Motion Picture Marker (older photo)
Lithographed Poster for the Music Hall image. Click for full size.
The Strobridge Lith. Co, Cincinnati & New-York, 1896
6. Lithographed Poster for the Music Hall
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. This page has been viewed 3,377 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on November 24, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas.   2. submitted on April 25, 2013, by D Howitt of Bergen County, New Jersey.   3, 4. submitted on June 6, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.   5. submitted on November 24, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas.   6. submitted on April 27, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
m=13817

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisement
Jun. 23, 2026