NYC's historical crime scenes come back to life

New York City has a rich history of famous photographs that highlight how the five boroughs have changed over the past couple of centuries. But it's hardto get a good feel, especially when looking at black-and-white photography, for what neighborhoods actually looked like then and now. Enter Marc A. Hermann, a photographer and historian at the New York Daily News. He sifted through the paper's many historic crime photos and then combined them with photo-editing software to create stunning images of Gotham's past and present.

Most of the photos depict (sometimes gruesome) aftermaths of crimes, including murder, and accidents. What's interesting is how the once-gritty streets of NYC have changed. Thanks to the recent record-low crime rates throughout the city, it's not a huge surprise. Some highlights of the photos? Edna Egbert of Brooklyn climbing onto her ledge while fighting with police in 1942. There's also the massive fire at the Elkins Paper Factory in 1958, juxtaposed with Wooster Street in Manhattan today. Another photo shows the result of a stolen car crashing into a light pole. Who knows what future photography will show us about the present.

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