The Jefferson Market and Fire Tower, c. 1866. The police court was towards the back of the assembly room building. From Glimpses of Old New York by Henry Collins Brown. Greenwich Village, once a sleepy hamlet far outside the boundaries of the city that formerly was dotted with country estates […]
See Beach Express: Alfred Ely Beach and New York City’s First Subway
When the so-called “secret” subway line opened in February 1870, many New Yorkers were completely surprised that such a novel form of transit had been built, seemingly right under their noses and unbeknownst to “Boss” Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies, operating across Broadway in the rooms of City Hall. […]
The (Short) History of Cannabis in NYC
Recreational cannabis usage in New York City can generally be traced back to the infamous Harlem “tea pads,” underground clubs where jazz musicians gathered to talk, jam, and enjoy “cannabis cigarettes.” Many of these musicians had been barred from larger institutions that were whites-only such as the Apollo and Cotton […]
Dividing Manhattan: Tracing The Harlem Line, or how Harlem nearly became Lancaster
The British took over New Netherland in 1664, and English rule passed onto the residents of Harlem, several of whom left to go home to Holland. Others took the oath of allegiance to England, and people continued to buy land in the village. In 1665, Governor Richard Nicholls issued a […]
We Didn’t Have a Chance: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
The loft building in which the fire started was touted as “fireproof,” but within the floors occupied by the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, rows of tables with sewing machines were tightly packed and laden with piles of clothing. To make sure that the workers weren’t stealing anything, the owners had ordered […]
When the City Briefly Slept: The Blizzard of 1888
March is a time to look forward to the upcoming change of season, and New Yorkers were very much in the spirit over the weekend of March 10th and 11th, enjoying the balmy weather and cheerful air of the city. The Barnum and Bailey circus had come back to Madison […]
Castle Clinton: From Military Installation to Pleasure Palace
Castle Clinton is a unique structure that has been transformed multiple times in its history. A utilitarian harbor fortification later turned popular entertainment palace, it later served as the landing depot for millions of immigrants, before being transformed into an aquarium, and threatened with demolition by resident megalomaniac Robert Moses. […]
Ah humanity!: The Tombs Prison
The Tombs is one of the old New York nicknames that was so infamous in its day that it has continuously persisted for nearly 200 years. First applied to the Egyptian Revival pile of a prison that opened in 1838, the evocative name has been passed down through the years […]
Glory of the Metropolis: Grand Central Terminal’s Opening Day
A view of Grand Central and some of the planned and constructed buildings that were to be part of the “Terminal City” complex. In 1919, the Commodore Hotel opened in the open space on the right. From New York, The Wonder City, issued by the American Art Publishing Company. Just […]
Cross from Shore to Shore: History of the Brooklyn Ferry, Part 2
Robert Fulton’s North River Steamboat (popularly called The Clermont) was launched in 1807, igniting a transportation revolution, and greatly changed the ease with which people could travel up the Hudson River to Albany and points beyond, but the speed with which they could be taken across the East River. The […]