The Bowery Boys: New York City History
We really shouldn’t demonize Robert Moses as we do — he did give the city so many marvelous things — but you hear about one of his schemes that almost came to fruition and you just want to cry. This time around, I’m referring to the Brooklyn-Battery Bridge, a potential catastrophic project Moses cooked up… Read More
Say it isn’t so! According to Gothamist, the city has finally decided to do something about Pier A in Battery Park, that beautiful, jutting bit of nostalgia sitting negligent just feet from the water taxis to the Statue of Liberty. Its not difficult to picture the pier as it once was, and as it could… Read More
Before we leave Cooper Union, I thought I was draw your attention a rather controversial decision they’ve made in the past few years that has marred an institution of Astor Place — the Carl Fischer note clock. Carl Fischer, still a leader in printed sheet music, began as a tiny musical instrument store on East… Read More
Cooper Union is one of New York City’s more storied institutions, not only fostering the best and brightest of art and architecture, but playing host to presidents and activists. Also, find out a little about its amazingly resourceful founder Peter Cooper Listen to it for free on iTunes or other podcasting services. Or you can… Read More
Our modest little series about some of the greatest, notorious, most important, even most useless, mayors of New York City. Other entrants in our mayoral survey can be found here. Abram Hewitt could easily be considered a very pivotal mayor in New York City, given the significant development and personal connections he had to the… Read More
Staten Island may have its Fresh Kills, but Brooklyn has its fair share of gore. Or gores, rather. If I were to tell you that there was a large gore on Orient Avenue in east Williamsburg, and that it was the former location of a famous glue factory, oh I can just imagine the thoughts… Read More
Before I forgot, I just wanted to throw on a few more Brooklyn Bridge resources, some of which we used for our podcast this week. Foremost, we started with probably one of the top ten greatest books about New York City — namely David McCullough’s indispensable The Great Bridge. The author of 1776, Truman, and… Read More
Ugh! The City Room reports a crisis on Roosevelt Island for its most dramatic landmark, the Renwick Ruins. The remains of Blackwell Island’s smallpox hospital are to be the centerpiece to the Roosevelt’s new Southpoint Park. However last week, part of the north wall completely crumbled to the ground. Plans to stabilize the ruin, which… Read More
The Bowery Boys explore the story and the family behind the Brooklyn Bridge, one of New York’s most treasured landmarks. Plus: Looking to get really close with the Brooklyn Bridge? Take one of our Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tours, with the Great Great Grandson of Washington and Emily Roebling, Kriss Roebling! The walkway in 1894…. ….and… Read More
Sorry, we’re experiencing some extreme technical difficulty with our podcast this week. We’ll post it here and on iTunes as soon as we get everything to work. Thanks!
We speed ahead over a hundred years after our last Know Your Mayors entry to that jovial man with the funny name, Seth Low. He holds a very unique place on the list of mayors, as he has been both the mayor of Brooklyn (from 1881 to 1885, back when it was a separate city)… Read More
You’ll be forgiven if the corner of Pearl and Dover streets does not happen to ring any bells for you. Although nearby a few South Street Seaport restaurants and bars — including the Bridge Cafe — its mostly unused given its proximity to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge and FDR Drive. But a sad,… Read More
Pizza in Park Slope Jeremiah gives us a (wonderful but depressing) rundown of all the New York history destroyed by redevelopment in 2007. [Vanishing New York] Roosevelt Island’s super-spooky Renwick Ruin, New York’s former smallpox hospital turned haunted mansion, is falling apart. [City Room] Corona, Queens’ Jewish community may get landmark status bestowed on its… Read More
The 1908 New York Yankees — Losers! Do you dare take a second glimpse into the crystal ball of things foretold of the upcoming year 1908? Observe and take care, for the following things will all happen this year: Baseball Scores Magically Appear … on Madison Square Diamonds! That’s dashing Willie Keeler above, in practice… Read More
The New York City skyline, picture taken in 1908 (click to see detail) Welcome to the future of New York City — the amazing year of 1908! A look into the crystal ball find that the following things will happen this year: You Haven’t Yet Come A Long Way, BabyThe New York board of aldermen… Read More