NY Daily News points you to historical photos of the place you’re standing

Imagine standing in a place and getting a notification on your phone with a picture showing you what that exact spot looked like 100 years ago. You take a look at the picture and see just how much has changed — and how much has stayed the same. That’s exactly what the NY Daily News is attempting to do with their foursquare profile.

The tips link to historical photos from the Daily News’ archives, some dating to as early as 1880. The photos capture New York’s history through the eyes of Daily News photographers. Each includes a caption describing exactly what’s in the scene.

By following the Daily News on foursquare, you’ll get a notification on your phone whenever you check in near one of the spots where they’ve left a tip. Clicking the link takes you to the specific portion of the archive that covers the place you’re standing.

As a photographer and a history buff, this set of tips has me very excited. I’d love to see more news organizations around the country branch out from restaurant reviews and post location-specific historical information from their archives.

What do you think of the tips and the photos? What other kinds of historical information would you like to see when you check in on foursquare?