History

During a total solar eclipse that occurred in 1925 in Manhattan, according to Space.com, "the streetlights turned on, three women fainted, vendors sold smoked glass while exhorting passersby to 'save your eyes for 10 cents' and seagulls landed in the water, assuming it was night." Though today's eclipse will be only a partial version for New Yorkers, we know enough about the moon's orbit to accurately predict an eclipse's timing as narrowly as a city block's distance. At the time, though–long before anyone had landed on the moon, observing and measuring the shadow as it moved over the Earth provided important information on the moon's size, shape, and path.
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How to kayak or canoe across a NYC water reservoir (GUIDE)

Image via Pexels

August 18, 2017

How to kayak or canoe across a NYC water reservoir (GUIDE)

By Cait Etherington

On average, New Yorkers use a staggering 1 billion gallons of water per day, but unlike people in many other U.S. cities, they don’t need to worry about their taps running dry. Over a century ago, city engineers devised a plan to ensure the city would have ample water and that the supply would meet the growing needs of the city over time. Today, the city’s century-old reservoir system continues to supply New Yorkers with clean water year round. For outdoorsy residents, the city’s water supply also serves another surprising purpose. Located just over two hours north of the city limits, the reservoirs are also an increasingly popular place to canoe and kayak without the distraction of motorized water vehicles and cottagers.
our complete guide here

A 15-year-old Greenwich Village student inspired the hit song ‘Summer in the City’

Image via Wiki Commons

August 17, 2017

A 15-year-old Greenwich Village student inspired the hit song ‘Summer in the City’

Everyone knows the folk-rock classic "Summer in the City" by the Lovin’ Spoonful, which topped the charts 51 years ago this August in 1966. But fewer know the song’s roots in Greenwich Village--lead singer John Sebastian actually grew up in the neighborhood and the act got their start in the local clubs--and fewer still know a 15-year-old Village student was responsible for a significant part of its composition.
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History

De Blasio and Cuomo announce plans to eradicate ‘symbols of hate’ in New York

Image via Alisdare Hickson/flickr

August 17, 2017

De Blasio and Cuomo announce plans to eradicate ‘symbols of hate’ in New York

After a violent weekend led by white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, Virginia, New York officials have announced plans to review and remove controversial public structures. Mayor de Blasio said on Wednesday the city will conduct a 90-day review of “all symbols of hate on city property,” by putting together a panel of experts and community leaders who will make recommendations for items to take down (h/t NY Post). On Wednesday, Governor Cuomo called upon the United States Army to reconsider its decision to keep the street names that honor Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, two Confederate leaders, at Fort Hamilton. Cuomo also announced the removal of the busts of Lee and Jackson from CUNY’s Hall of Fame for Great Americans in the Bronx.
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On this day in 1974, the Ramones played their first gig at CBGB in the East Village

The Ramones outside of CBGB, photo via CBGB

August 16, 2017

On this day in 1974, the Ramones played their first gig at CBGB in the East Village

On August 16, 1974, four men dressed in leather motorcycle jackets and Converse high-tops hit the stage at CBGB, an iconic East Village dive bar, for the very first time. After this debut performance, the Ramones, who hailed from Forest Hills, Queens, became the first regulars at CBGB, a spot known for the cutting edge punk rock musicians that played there, like Talking Heads, Patti Smith and Blondie. In the year 1974 alone, the Ramones played there over 70 times.
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History

Two plaques honoring Robert E. Lee in Brooklyn will be removed

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

August 16, 2017

Two plaques honoring Robert E. Lee in Brooklyn will be removed

Following the tragic events in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend, officials announced Tuesday that two plaques honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee outside of a Brooklyn church would be taken down. The plaques, tacked to a maple tree, belonged to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Fort Hamilton, although the church has been closed since 2014. As Newsday reported, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island owns the church and will sell it.
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History

August 15, 2017

NYC lawyers once gifted Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin a tenement in Brooklyn

>Google Street View of 541 Clinton Street. Map data © 2019 Google In the 1940s, two attorneys from Manhattan let the mortgage payments lapse on a building they owned in Carroll Gardens. Julius Freilicher and Martin Auslander had a $3,300 mortgage with Dime Savings Bank on their tenement at 541 Clinton Street. Believing it was a better idea to not pay the mortgage, the two lawyers decided the best thing was to file a deed of gift, as the Brownstone Detectives reported. The receivers of this gift? Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
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History

INTERVIEW: Author Ed Hamilton on how the Chelsea Hotel inspired personal stories of gentrification

Background image via Andrew Malone/Flickr

August 15, 2017

INTERVIEW: Author Ed Hamilton on how the Chelsea Hotel inspired personal stories of gentrification

By Emily Nonko

When it comes to the Chelsea Hotel, Ed Hamilton has seen it all. He and his wife moved to the iconic property in 1995, living among artists and musicians in a 220-square-foot, single-room-occupancy unit. The storied, artistic community nurtured inside the hotel came to an end a decade ago when the building sold for the first time and evictions followed. Since then, the property has traded hands a number of times with talks of boutique hotel development, luxury condos, or some combination of the two. Hamilton started tracking the saga at his blog Living With Legends and published a book, "Legends of the Chelsea Hotel," in 2007. After the book's success, Hamilton wrote a short story collection titled "The Chintz Age: Stories of Love and Loss for a new New York." Each piece offers a different take on New York's "hyper gentrification," as he calls it: a mother unable to afford her lofty East Village apartment, giving it up to a daughter she shares a strained relationship with; a book store owner who confronts his failed writing career as a landlord forces him out of now highly valuable commercial space. Ultimately, many of the stories were inspired by the characters he met inside the Chelsea Hotel. And his tales offer a new perspective on a changing city, one that focuses on "the personal, day-to-day struggles about the people who are trying to hang onto their place in New York." With 6sqft, he shares what it's like writing in the under-construction Chelsea Hotel, what the Chintz Age title means, and the unchanged spots of the city he still treasures.
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The Village’s Twin Peaks: From a quirky ‘Swiss-chalet’ to a landmarks controversy

102 Bedford Street in 2015 (left) via Wiki Commons, and as of today, via GVSHP

August 10, 2017

The Village’s Twin Peaks: From a quirky ‘Swiss-chalet’ to a landmarks controversy

Few buildings capture the whimsy, flamboyance, and bohemian spirit of early 20th century Greenwich Village as does the building known as "Twin Peaks" at 102 Bedford Street. Described as a "wonderfully ludicrous mock half-timbered fantasy row-house castle" by architecture critic Paul Goldberger, the present incarnation of the building was born in 1925 as a radical remodeling of an 1830 rowhouse into a five-story artists’ studio apartment building. In the mid 20th-century, the building became even more iconic with a cream and brown paint job that mimicked its Alpine cottage inspiration. However, a more recent paint job stripped away this history, resulting in a controversial landmarks battle.
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There’s a rare Guastavino tiled ceiling hidden inside this $359K UWS studio

A block of 78th Street on the Upper West Side, between the Museum of Natural History and Amsterdam Avenue, has more going for it than just colorful brownstones; it also has a colorful architectural secret. The block's display of Moorish brick and stone buildings shares a history with some of the city's notable public spaces. Known as "Guastavino Row," its decorative and altogether charming townhouses were designed by noted 19th-century architect Rafael Guastavino, famed for his beautiful and expertly engineered vaulted, tiled ceilings. Recently, a small but lovely first-floor studio at 120 West 78th street listed for $359,000, and it boasts a beautiful ceiling that, according to the listing, was one of Guastavino's iconic designs.
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August 10, 2017

From oysters to falafel: The complete history of street vending in NYC

To fully experience New York City, you have to eat. And then eat some more. So inextricably linked with its food, the city’s social and cultural history requires an exploration of its endless cuisines. And while street food is not unique to New York, the city provides some of the most diverse dining options in the world, with over 10,000 people make a living by street vending. But this tradition dates all the way back to the 1600s when European settlers enjoyed eating shellfish on the streets. Food vendors took on a more formal incarnation in the early 1800s on the Lower East Side and have changed with every new immigrant group that's landed here since. From oysters and knishes to hot dogs and Halal, the city's street vendors reflect its constant evolution and also what brings New Yorkers together.
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History

Soho and Tribeca’s windowed sidewalks provided light to basement factory workers before electricity

Vault lights in Soho, via WooJin Chung for 6sqft

August 9, 2017

Soho and Tribeca’s windowed sidewalks provided light to basement factory workers before electricity

By Rebecca Paul

In many parts of Soho and Tribeca, the sidewalks are made from small circular glass bulbs instead of solid concrete. Known as "hollow sidewalks" or "vault lights," the unique street coverings are remnants from the neighborhood's industrial past when they provided light to the basement factories below before electricity was introduced. These skylight-like sidewalks first came about in the 1840s when these neighborhoods were transitioning from residential to commercial and when their signature cast iron buildings first started to rise.
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History

U.S. Army won’t remove Confederate street names in Brooklyn

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

August 8, 2017

U.S. Army won’t remove Confederate street names in Brooklyn

Despite a push from advocates and politicians, the United States Army decided to keep the names of two streets in Brooklyn that honor Confederate generals. The streets, General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jackson Drive, can be found in Fort Hamilton, the city’s last remaining active military base. Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, along with U.S. Reps Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velazquez and Hakeem Jeffries, had written to the Army in June asking them to consider changing the street names. As the Daily News reported, the Army said the names will stay because they remain an “inextricable part of our military history.”
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Why Central Park hasn’t had a six-figure crowd since Garth Brooks’ concert 20 years ago

Via Stephiejeanne on Pixabay and Steve Jurvetson on Flickr

August 7, 2017

Why Central Park hasn’t had a six-figure crowd since Garth Brooks’ concert 20 years ago

On Aug. 7, 1997, country-music superstar Garth Brooks held a free concert in Central Park, known as “Garthstock,” as part of his 1996-1998 world tour. The show was a hit, featuring special guests Billy Joel and Don McLean, and was streamed live on HBO. The massive crowd filled the park’s North Meadow to capacity, holding a record number of 750,000 total concert-goers. However, Garth’s show became the last six-figure crowd to attend a concert in Central Park because, after that, city officials started to count crowds more accurately. Twenty years later, we know now that Garth’s concert most likely drew nowhere near that staggering number of fans, despite what authorities first reported.
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History

Metered NYC taxis turn 110 years old this month

Image via Wiki Commons

August 4, 2017

Metered NYC taxis turn 110 years old this month

110 years ago on August 13th, one of the cornerstones of New York City life, the first metered taxicab, rolled into the city's streets. The metered fare idea was born, fittingly, in 1907 when Harry N. Allen was smacked with a five dollar fare ($126.98 in today's dollars) for being driven a quarter of a mile in a horse-drawn hansom cab. Allen imported 65 gas-powered cars from France, painted them red and green, and started the New York Taxicab Company. The elven hues were replaced by the iconic yellow shortly thereafter so they could be seen from a distance, and a year later 700 cabs were nowhere to be found when you wanted one.
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No state is spared a roasting in this 19th-century nickname map

Image: Library of Congress

August 4, 2017

No state is spared a roasting in this 19th-century nickname map

When a livestock supply company tries to get clever, the result is likely to be something like this "odd and obscure" (h/t Slate) map of the U.S. showing common state nicknames of the day, many of which haven't changed since the map was printed as a promotional offering by H.W. Hill & Co. in 1884. Each state's nickname is illustrated by a portly porker doing whatever it is that state would probably rather not be known for doing best: New York's "knickerbocker," Ohio's "buckeye" and Michigan's "wolverine" are present and accounted for; Kentucky's "corn cracker" and Georgia's "cracker" are similarly skewered.
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History

August 4, 2017

The Urban Lens: Documenting the change in Tribeca from the early 1900s to present day

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Ivan Kosnyrev shares before-and-after photos of Tribeca. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. When Ivan Kosnyrev and his partner moved to Tribeca from Russia three years ago, they knew no one. To get themselves acclimated with their new home, they decided their first "friend" should be the city itself. Ivan, a philosopher by education and IT manager by profession, immersed himself in New York City guide books and blogs, getting so well versed that he eventually began giving his friends informal walking tours of the area. And when he discovered the New York Public Library's OldNYC collection, an interactive map with photos from the 1870s through the 1970s, he decided to embark on a project that he could share with even more people. After selecting a group of archival Tribeca images, he went out and took present-day snapshots of the same locations, providing a neighborhood-specific view of just how much NYC has changed (and in some cases, hasn't!) over the past 100 years.
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‘Heard it through the grapevine?’ The source was probably at 6th Avenue and 11th Street

6th Avenue and 11th Street, 1905. Image via Ephemeral New York,

August 3, 2017

‘Heard it through the grapevine?’ The source was probably at 6th Avenue and 11th Street

On August 6, 1966, the first known recording of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was made by the Miracles. Written by Motown pioneers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the song was re-recorded several times, most famously by Gladys Night and the Pips and Marvin Gaye, whose version landed on the top of the charts for seven weeks in early 1969. But the famous saying about receiving important news or information through a person-to-person chain of communication significantly pre-dates the Motown era. In fact, plentiful evidence and credible sources say it all goes back to a beloved tavern on the corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street in Greenwich Village.
more on the history here

History

August 2, 2017

New York’s tradition of uncapping fire hydrants to beat the heat

By Cait Etherington

When temperatures soar, fire hydrants across the city flow freely and not necessarily to put out fires. The practice, commonly known as “uncapping,” has long served as a way for city residents to cool off. Although it is not entirely legal, it is generally tolerated, especially when temperatures climb above 90, and for a number of legitimate reasons.
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History

In 1894, the first bike lane in America was built on Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway

Photo by Kai Brinker on Flickr

August 1, 2017

In 1894, the first bike lane in America was built on Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway

While many New Yorkers can be seen trekking through Brooklyn on their bikes today, the borough’s infatuation with cycling actually dates back to the 19th century. On June 15, 1894, Ocean Parkway became the first street in the U.S. to have a designated bike lane. The nearly five-mile stretch of road was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the urban planning masterminds behind Central Park and Prospect Park. Originally, their design for Ocean Parkway was to be one of four spokes originating at Prospect Park and spanning across the borough. Today, the road doesn’t actually start at the park but runs parallel to Coney Island Avenue to reach the beach.
The full history this way

History

100 years ago today, the NAACP held its Silent Protest Parade down Fifth Avenue

Photo courtesy of James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of African American Arts and Letters, Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

July 28, 2017

100 years ago today, the NAACP held its Silent Protest Parade down Fifth Avenue

Forty-six years before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech during the March on Washington, nearly 10,000 African-Americans silently marched down Fifth Avenue to protest racial violence in the United States. Organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Silent Protest Parade occurred on Saturday, July 28, 1917, and became the first mass civil rights demonstration of its kind. Protesters walked from 55th and 59th Streets to Madison Square, without so much as a whisper (h/t Hyperallergic).
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History

How a 15th-century French migration gave us the term ‘Bohemian’

Greenwich Village Bohemians outside Cafe Wha in the 1960s, via Vintage Everyday

July 27, 2017

How a 15th-century French migration gave us the term ‘Bohemian’

“Bohemian” may be hard to define, but we all know it when we see it. But even in a city like New York, where bohemian can be used to describe everything from a polished West Village cafe to a South Bronx squat, few people know why exactly we today use this term, connected to a medieval Central European kingdom, to describe those with a countercultural bent.
The whole history right this way

History

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 26, 2017

The history behind how Great Jones Street got its name

After 34 years of serving giant Cajun-Creole portions alongside obscure jukebox music, Great Jones Cafe is closing its doors for good tonight. The notorious Noho bar at 54 Great Jones Street opened in 1983 when the block was so empty patrons used be able to play whiffle ball in the street, but its closure serves as a reminder of the history of Great Jones Street. This superlative name dates way back to 1789 when politician Samuel Jones donated land to the city under the terms that they name any street within the property after him. But there was one little issue....
Where did the street name come from?

History

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

John Rink’s rejected design proposal for Central Park, via NY Historical Society

July 24, 2017

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries