Fifteen years ago, a massive power failure hit the northeast United States and parts of Canada, leaving many cities without electricity during the height of summer.

New York City lost power right around the beginning of a Thursday evening rush hour. Photos from Aug. 14-15, 2003 show a city interrupted. The crowds that would have been heading underground on subway or commuter trains out of Manhattan were left to wait for ferries across the Hudson River or forced to walk across bridges over the East River. Some of the stranded slept on the step across from Penn Station. The normally glowing skyline was reduced to just a silhouette against the night sky.