Residence of Charles R. Lohman

Ann Lohman, also known as Madame Restell, provided contraceptives and abortions to women looking to prevent or terminate unwanted pregnancies—a practice that remained exceptionally lucrative even as antebellum abortion laws hardened. By the 1870s, Restell’s services made her one of the richest women in New York City; her profits funded the construction of her lavish mansion, pictured here, on the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street.

Image Info: Hatch & Co. Publishers, 1875

CREDIT: Museum of the City of New York, Gift of J. Clarence Davies, 29.100.2111