A new mapped cache of photos of New York City in 1939/1940, drawn from mundane tax-record photos of buildings.

It appears this is 169 Clinton Street. Though it’s difficult to be 110% sure as the buildings all look much the same. Also, both the site’s address-lookup and the 1939/40 in-photo numbering appear to be astray in terms of matching with house numbers. While the corner location, door, windows, roof-line and adjacent windows all suggest it’s almost certainly 169, modern pictures show a large front door on the building immediately to the left side — a door that isn’t present here.

Lovecraft seen in front of 169. Possibly late spring 1925, judging by the leafy tree behind him. Evidently the exterior fire-escapes were added to the building in the 1930s. A city report on the local juvenile gangs stated there was almost no easy roof-access in Red Hook at that time, in contrast to Hell’s Kitchen. If there had been a fire Lovecraft would presumably have had to fling himself from the window, Dagon-style.