Where Was Miracle on 34th Street Filmed

Whether you're talking about the classic 1947 version or the 1994 remake, "Miracle on 34th Street" has enchanted audiences with its heartwarming story of belief, magic, and the Christmas spirit. Both films share the iconic New York City setting, but their actual filming locations tell different stories—one rooted authentically in Manhattan, the other split between the Big Apple and the Windy City.

The Original 1947 Classic

The original "Miracle on 34th Street" was filmed extensively in authentic New York City locations, making it a true love letter to Manhattan during the holiday season. The production captured the real Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade of 1946, with the drunken fake Santa appearing on a float on West 77th Street outside the American Museum of Natural History. The parade sequence follows the actual route south from 77th Street along Central Park West, a stretch that has changed surprisingly little over the decades.

Key NYC Filming Locations

The heart of the film takes place at the legendary Macy's Herald Square department store, located at 151 West 34th Street at 7th Avenue—which is where the movie gets its title. Remarkably, the production was allowed to film actual interior scenes inside the store, an impressive feat that captures the authentic atmosphere of the iconic retailer. The store's rival in the film, Gimbels, stood at 33rd Street and 6th Avenue but closed its doors in 1986.

Additional Manhattan locations include:

  • Madison Avenue - where Kris Kringle takes his opening credit walk
  • 19 East 61st Street - the store with the "mixed-up" reindeer
  • New York County Courthouse at 60 Centre Street - where Kris Kringle's sanity is put on trial in the Civic Centre district

The film's heartwarming conclusion features Susan Walker's dream house at 24 Derby Road (at the northwest corner of Essex Court) in Port Washington, Nassau County, on the north shore of Long Island. This charming residence has changed little over the years apart from an added upstairs room.

The 1994 Remake

The 1994 remake starring Richard Attenborough and Elizabeth Perkins took a different approach to filming. While still set in New York City, the production spent only five days filming in the Big Apple. The genuine New York locations were limited to establishing shots and the opening Thanksgiving Day Parade on Central Park West between 72nd and 78th Streets, plus scenes at the Wollman Skating Rink in Central Park.

Chicago as Manhattan

Like most John Hughes productions, the majority of the 1994 "Miracle on 34th Street" was actually filmed in Chicago. The exterior of "CF Cole's" department store (replacing Macy's in the remake) wasn't a store at all—it was the Art Institute of Chicago at 111 South Michigan Avenue at East Adams Street in the Loop. Film buffs might recognize this as the same art gallery visited by Ferris and friends in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

Other Chicago locations used in the remake include:

  • Lincoln Park Zoo at 2100 North Clark Street, which stood in for "Central Park Zoo" where Kris Kringle encounters the rival superstore
  • Holy Name Cathedral at 735 North State Street at East Chicago Avenue, serving as "St. Francis' Church" for the wedding scene
  • State of Illinois Building at 160 N. La Salle Street

The courthouse scenes were filmed at the New York County Supreme Court in Manhattan, and Lake Forest, Illinois also served as a filming location.

TL;DR: The original 1947 "Miracle on 34th Street" was filmed almost entirely in authentic New York City locations, including the real Macy's store and the actual 1946 Thanksgiving Day Parade. The 1994 remake, however, was primarily shot in Chicago with only five days of filming in New York, using the Art Institute of Chicago to double as the department store and various Chicago landmarks standing in for Manhattan locations.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.