Filipina in 1960s NYC: How ChatGPT Helped Me Find My Mom’s Exact Spot on 42nd Street

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Tracing My Pinay Mom’s Footsteps in 1960s Manhattan — With a Little Help from AI

Photo Courtesy of Lualhati "Nati" Reyes-Perseveranda

Me to ChatGPT: "This is my mom in the early 60s, 1960-1962. Is this in New York City or Jersey City? Tell me as much as you can about the location and background.

ChatGPT: "Fantastic photo — and it’s very helpful that it’s clear enough to read some street signs and background details. Let’s analyze it carefully."

 

🕵️ Clues in the Photo

1. Street Sign: “E. 42 St.”

Near the top center of the image, there’s a street sign reading:
E. 42 ST
That’s East 42nd Street — a major street running across Midtown Manhattan, New York City. This immediately places the photo in NYC, not Jersey City.

2. Businesses Visible: Whelan’s and Coca-Cola Sign

Behind my mom, there’s a large sign reading “Whelan” — short for Whelan Drug Store, a well-known chain of drugstores in mid-20th century New York. Above it, there's also a classic Coca-Cola sign, which was a common sight on commercial avenues in Manhattan at the time.

3. Architecture and Urban Density

The large stone building on the right, with monumental steps and columns, is highly characteristic of Midtown Manhattan architecture. This looks like part of the New York Public Library or another historic civic building near Fifth Avenue. Jersey City didn't have structures of this style and scale along any "42nd Street."

4. Vehicles and Bus Design

The cars and buses in the background are consistent with the early 1960s. The bus uses a numbering and color scheme that was common with NYC Transit Authority buses at the time.

5. Streetlight Pole Style

The pole style and traffic signal setup are classic mid-century New York — you’ll see this design in many old NYC photos from the 1940s to the 1960s.

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📍 Pinpointing the Exact Spot

From the vintage photo, there were several strong clues that helped identify the exact location where my mom stood in the early 1960s:

• East 42nd Street sign: Visible at the top center of the photo, confirming the street in Manhattan.
• Whelan’s Drug Store sign: Whelan’s was a famous chain of drugstores in NYC, often found around Grand Central Terminal and Midtown.
• Architecture: The monumental stone building with steps is consistent with the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue and East 42nd Street.
• Traffic and urban density: The busy street, buses, and cars all point to midtown Manhattan in the early 1960s.

Based on these clues — and with the help of AI tools like ChatGPT — I’ve matched the modern location to:

Intersection: Fifth Avenue & East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017
Nearby Landmark: New York Public Library (476 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10018)

Today, this corner looks quite different, but it remains one of Manhattan’s busiest and most famous intersections. You can explore it yourself on Google Maps here.

It’s amazing how a single old photograph, combined with modern AI tools, can help trace personal history so precisely!

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✍️ Want to Share Your Story on Pinoybuilt.com?

Do you have vintage photos, memories, or family stories to share? Whether you have just a few details or a whole album of photos, AI tools like ChatGPT can help you piece together the history and even write your blog post. It’s an incredible way to preserve and share our Filipino and Filipino American experiences.

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