History

VIDEO: Travel Back to Coney Island’s Summer Heyday in the 1940s
August 3, 2015

VIDEO: Travel Back to Coney Island’s Summer Heyday in the 1940s

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"Coney Island, the world's greatest fun frolic, with its beach miles long, all peppered with people. The place where merriment is king." That's the opening line in this fun video that offers a tour of 1940s Coney Island during its heyday as the go-to summer destination. The narrator describes the millions of people on the boardwalk and beach, and while this might seem like an exaggeration at first, the footage clearly shows hordes of revelers sunbathing, swimming, lining up for the freakshow, and enjoying the rides (many of which probably wouldn't be deemed safe today). There's also great scenes of the Miss Coney Island contest (a swimsuit beauty pageant where the judge takes out the tape measurer for the contestants' waists), the famous Cyclone, and Luna Park lit up at night.
Watch the nostalgic video here
Where to Find the NYC Haunts and Houses of Famous Writers
July 28, 2015

Where to Find the NYC Haunts and Houses of Famous Writers

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New York City has always been a hub for writers. Whether they were living in luxury or getting their start as starving artists, famous writers have lived and worked all across New York, and you can still see many of these writerly abodes today. Whether you're a fan of the Beat Generation, Sci-Fi, or even Southern Gothic, you might be interested in tracking down a famous writer's home.
See where writers lived and worked here
New York in the ’60s: Domestic Yearnings, Yorkville Hangouts and Bartenders

Our series “New York in the ’60s” is a memoir by a longtime New Yorker who moved to the city after college in 1960. Each installment will take us through her journey during a pivotal decade. From $90/month apartments to working in the real “Mad Men” world, we’ll explore the city through the eyes of a spunky, driven female. In our first installment, we went apartment hunting with the girl, and now that she’s moved in on the Upper East Side, we learn how she went about decorating her first NYC apartment, her favorite haunts of early 1960s Yorkville, and her bartender boyfriend.

July 27, 2015

New York in the ’60s: Domestic Yearnings, Yorkville Hangouts and Bartenders

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Read the rest of the story here
VIDEO: Rick Liss’ ‘No York City’ Encapsulates the Grittier New York of the ’80s
July 24, 2015

VIDEO: Rick Liss’ ‘No York City’ Encapsulates the Grittier New York of the ’80s

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Feeling nostalgic for 1980s New York? Artist Rick Liss' short film "N.Y.C. (No York City)" transports you back to the city's grittier days. He uses stop motion to move you through the city "at the speed of blood," a pace that doesn't seem too different from the city's normal flow. But don't expect the typical tourist attractions on this journey. "No York City" features graffiti, street fights, and lots of crowds, all set to Laurie Anderson's "For Electronic Dogs."
Watch the video here
July 22, 2015

FAO Schwarz and the End of an Era: Looking Back at the World’s Most Famous Toy Store

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When Frederick August Otto Schwarz immigrated to Baltimore from Germany in 1856, he dreamed of opening "a magical toy emporium that featured extraordinary, one-of-a-kind toys from all over the world, while creating a theatrical experience to showcase merchandise in a way that would bring it to life." Six years later, he and his two older brothers opened "Toy Bazaar," a small fancy-goods store that sold stationary and toys. 150 years later, their store, having long since moved to New York City and been renamed FAO Schwarz, would be known around the world and crowned the oldest toy store in the United States. But all that changed last week, when the toy wonderland closed its famous Fifth Avenue doors for good. Its current owner, Toys "R" Us, cited rising rents as the reason for the departure, but tried to assure the public that they'd find a new location (they reportedly checked out a space in Times Square). For many of us, though, a different address–perhaps one without the giant floor piano that was immortalized in the 1988 Tom Hanks movie "Big"–will be a huge blow to our childhood nostalgia. So, while the fate of FAO Schwarz is still up in the air, let's take a trip down memory lane.
Learn the history of the toy store here
Edo Bertoglio’s Polaroids Transport Us to the 1980s NYC of Warhol, Basquiat and Madonna
July 22, 2015

Edo Bertoglio’s Polaroids Transport Us to the 1980s NYC of Warhol, Basquiat and Madonna

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When it came to music and avant garde art, few eras shone as brilliantly as the 1980s. The city was an incubator for experimental creatives like Andy Warhol, Basquiat, Debbie Harry and Madonna, individuals forging a name for themselves in a gritty yet glam city that was frantically pulsating with life. Photographer Edo Bertoglio was lucky enough to experience the time, spending his days amongst these inevitable icons from 1976 to 1989 and oftentimes snapping photos of them in intimate situations with his Polaroid camera. Now, decades later, Bertoglio is sharing his experience through his new book, "New York Polaroids 1976-1989," which culls 140 cherished images he's kept near and dear since those bygone days.
See a sampling of the photos here
Pepsodent, Camel, and Yashica: The Ads and Architecture of Old Times Square
July 20, 2015

Pepsodent, Camel, and Yashica: The Ads and Architecture of Old Times Square

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Everyone has an opinion on the ways Times Square has changed over the decades, but the basic look has been a different variation on the same theme since the late 19th century: Classic architecture covered in gigantic advertisements. Take a trip back in time with us through some pictures ahead—you might be surprised by what kinds of things used to be displayed in this Midtown hub.
See the ads of Old Times Square this way
New York in the ’60s: Apartment Hunting, Job Searching, and Starting Out in the Big City

Our new series “New York in the ’60s” is a memoir by a longtime New Yorker who moved to the city after college in 1960. Each installment will take us through her journey during a pivotal decade. From $90/month apartments to working in the real “Mad Men” world, we’ll explore the city through the eyes of a spunky, driven female. In this opening installment, we go on her first apartment and job hunting adventures.

July 15, 2015

New York in the ’60s: Apartment Hunting, Job Searching, and Starting Out in the Big City

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Read on to learn about the girl's apartment hunt and first job in the city
INTERVIEW: Historian Francis Morrone on the Changing City, Modern Architecture and Why He Loves the ’50s
July 14, 2015

INTERVIEW: Historian Francis Morrone on the Changing City, Modern Architecture and Why He Loves the ’50s

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For the man who knows seemingly everything about New York City history, look no further than Francis Morrone. Francis is an architectural historian best known for his writings and walking tours of New York. Of his 11 books, he wrote the actual guidebook to New York City architecture—aptly titled "The Architectural Guidebook to New York City"—as well as the "Guide to New York City Urban Landscapes," "An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn," and "10 Architectural Walks In Manhattan." For six and a half years, Francis served as an art and architecture critic for the New York Sun, and he now teaches architectural and urban history at the New York University School of Professional Studies. As for walking tours, Francis was named by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the 13 best tour guides in the world. You can catch his various tours, which sell out quickly and cover everything from "Midtown Manhattan's Side Streets" to the "Architecture and Changing Lifestyles in Greenwich Village," through the Municipal Art Society. We caught up with Francis recently after he published a much buzzed-about article for the Daily News entitled, "No, New York City Is Not Losing Its Soul," to talk about his life and work in the city, his opinions on modern architecture and development, and his favorite time period of New York City history.
Our conversation with Francis this way
New York’s First-Ever Penthouse: A 54-Room Upper East Side Mansion Built for a Cereal Heiress
July 13, 2015

New York’s First-Ever Penthouse: A 54-Room Upper East Side Mansion Built for a Cereal Heiress

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There’s nothing like owning thousands of square feet of living space inside a penthouse, particularly in a town where power is measured by the size of one’s apartment. Ever wonder when the very first penthouse was built in Manhattan? It was in 1925, when George Fuller Construction Company decided to develop a 14-story apartment house at 1107 Fifth Avenue between 91st and 92nd Streets.
The rest of the story this way
VIDEO: Retro News Report Reveals Old Resentment for New York’s Graffiti
July 10, 2015

VIDEO: Retro News Report Reveals Old Resentment for New York’s Graffiti

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These days graffiti is celebrated in New York City. From top ten lists to graffiti tours, people can't seem to get enough of this street art form. But this sentiment is a far cry from how New Yorkers felt 30 years ago, when the city's graffiti epidemic seemed to be at its height. WPIX recently unearthed a news report from the summer of 1985 that shows the anti-graffiti resentment among New Yorkers, as well as the extent to which the city was coated in spray paint.
Watch the report here
EVENT: Is Historic Preservation Elitist?
July 9, 2015

EVENT: Is Historic Preservation Elitist?

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Many folks argue that historic preservation is elitist, time-consuming, expensive and a drain on resources, further claiming that it’s a whole lot easier, cheaper and more practical to replace an old building with something new—especially when that means more housing. However, on the other side of that coin is the argument that historic districts and the architecture preserved within them are […]

VIDEO: Travel Through History to See How Transportation Has Changed
July 8, 2015

VIDEO: Travel Through History to See How Transportation Has Changed

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The fact that skiing has gone from a major mode of transportation to a winter recreational activity says a lot about how getting from point A to B has changed over the course of human history. "Here to There," the latest video in the Atlantic's 10-part animated series (we previously featured an installment on housing through time), traces the history of transportation from the canoe in 8,000 B.C. to the recent debut of the hydrogen fuel-cell car. Covering more than 10,000 years in two-and-a-half minutes, this video shows that there is much more to the timeline of transportation than the switch from horses and buggies to motor vehicles.
Watch the video here
Before NYC’s Slave Market, Freedmen from Africa Were Allowed to Own Farmland

Map of freedmen’s farmland via Slavery in New York (L); Harper’s Magazine illustration of the New York City slave market in 1643 (R)

July 7, 2015

Before NYC’s Slave Market, Freedmen from Africa Were Allowed to Own Farmland

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A stranger on horseback in 1650 riding up a road in Manhattan might have noticed black men working farmland near the Hudson River. It was not an unusual sight, and if he remarked on it at all to himself, he would have thought they were simply slaves working their masters' land. But no–these were freedmen working land they personally owned and had owned for six years. It was land in what is now the Far West Village and it had been granted to eleven enslaved men along with their freedom in 1644. In 1626, the year Manhattan was formally settled by the Dutch, these eleven African men had been rounded up in Angola and Congo and shipped to the New World to work as slaves clearing land and building fortifications. We know they were from there because the manifests of Dutch ships list them with names such as Emmanuel Angola and Simon Congo. Another of the eleven was named Willem Anthonys Portugies, suggesting that he may have been bought and sold in Portugal before reaching his final destination in New Amsterdam.
How did these men get the right to own land?
July 7, 2015

VIDEO: Port Authority Was Considered a ‘Milestone of the Century’ When It Opened

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When Port Authority bus terminal opened in 1950 it was considered "among the miracles of transport and the milestones of the century." Though we're pretty sure this sentiment is entirely lost today, it's still interesting to see how shiny and new Port Authority was regarded as 65 years ago. This video was a promotional newsreel for the terminal, and it notes that Port Authority wasn't just built to keep buses off the busy Manhattan streets, but because "the states of New York and New Jersey also wanted to make life pleasanter for the traveler."
Watch the video here
New York Was the First City to Dial 9-1-1 for Emergencies
July 6, 2015

New York Was the First City to Dial 9-1-1 for Emergencies

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Around the country, little children are taught to dial 9-1-1 in case of an emergency as soon as they know their ABCs and 123s. But, believe it or not, this universal number hasn't even been around for 50 years. It was first implemented right here in New York City in July of 1968. Before that, New Yorkers had to call the police department's main phone line at 440-1234. At first, it was only for police calls; it wasn't until 1970 that the three-digit number also reached the fire department and ambulance services.
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A Hungarian Princess Once Kept a Pet Lion Cub at the Plaza

The Plaza (L) and Goldfleck’s headstone at the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery (R)

July 2, 2015

A Hungarian Princess Once Kept a Pet Lion Cub at the Plaza

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Last week, we explored the history of the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, America's oldest and largest cemetery of its kind. We mentioned that beloved pets laid to rest in this upstate burial ground include much more than just cats and dogs. One of the most notable unconventional pets is Goldfleck, a lion cub who lived the life of royalty in the Plaza Hotel. Goldfleck belonged to Princess Elisabeth Vilma Lwoff-Parlaghy of Hungary. She was a well-known portrait painter with a love for animals. After visiting New York twice, she moved to the city permanently in 1909, taking up residence in a 14-room suite on the third floor of the Plaza. She had seen a cute lion cub at the Ringling Brothers circus, but when she asked to buy him, the circus owners refused. They did, however, agree to sell him to Daniel E. Sickles, a Civil War hero whose portrait the Princess had just painted. He immediately turned the cub over to Princess Elisabeth.
Find out the rest of the story
VIDEO: See the 1970s Graffiti Culture of NYC in This BBC Documentary
June 29, 2015

VIDEO: See the 1970s Graffiti Culture of NYC in This BBC Documentary

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Watch this 26-minute video without sound and you'll see a striking, visual portrait of the 1970s graffiti movement in NYC, where everything from park monuments to subway cars was covered in tags. Listen to the commentary, though, and you'll find something much deeper. Created as a mini-documentary for BBC, the video explores the root of graffiti culture. Is it folk art, youngsters marking their territory, planned-out vandalism, a result of pent-up anxiety, or quiet rebellion? Keep in mind this one of the roughest and crime-ridden decades in the city, so it's interesting to see how some of those interviewed saw graffiti as a parallel to the crime, while others felt it was an artistic alternative that typified the energy of New York.
Watch the video here
VIDEO: Here’s What It Was Like to Live in 1960s Greenwich Village, a ‘Countrified Cosmopolitan’
June 25, 2015

VIDEO: Here’s What It Was Like to Live in 1960s Greenwich Village, a ‘Countrified Cosmopolitan’

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Yes, the 1960s were a rocky period; a turning point for a nation at war and an era that birthed a counterculture movement that would transform the world as everyone knew it. But amongst all the chaos, life went on in NYC. And in Greenwich Village things were especially great. We recently uncovered this fun little film that takes viewers through the trends and lifestyles that permeated throughout the beloved neighborhood. Although the times were far different—apartments were filled with struggling creatives like Dylan Thomas, Norman Mailer and Bob Dylan versus wealthy celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sarah Jessica Parker—the life that's depicted isn't all that different from what the neighborhood's uber-rich residents enjoy today. Daily habits, or "chores" as the video calls them, ranged from "minding the laundry, browsing through antique shops for possible bargains, or discovering a rare volume in a quaint bookstore." Folks would then of course follow up all that work up with a "relaxing moment" at one of the many sidewalk cafes where they'd find an artist ready to draw them.
Watch the video here
Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village
June 25, 2015

Landmarks Preservation Commission Maps 150 Years of LGBTQ History in Greenwich Village

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We're right in the middle of NYC Pride Week, and this Sunday will be filled with festivities surrounding the 45th annual Pride Parade, the largest parade of its kind in the world. And in a perfectly timed decision, the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced on Tuesday that it had designated the Stonewall Inn as the city's first LGBT landmark. The LPC now has even more to share, releasing a fun new interactive map called Taking Pride, which documents 150 years of LGBTQ history in Greenwich Village, the hub for gay activism in the city, and even the world.
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Looking at NYC’s 10 Scenic Landmarks and What Sets Them Apart from Other Public Parks
June 24, 2015

Looking at NYC’s 10 Scenic Landmarks and What Sets Them Apart from Other Public Parks

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Since 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the New York City landmarks law, we've been talking a lot about historic buildings–those that have been saved, those that were destroyed, secrets of some of the city's most famous spots. We even discovered that there are two landmarked individual trees. And starting tomorrow, the New York City Parks Department is hosting a new exhibit at the Arsenal in Central Park called Living Landmarks, which takes a look at nine of the city's ten scenic landmarks, showcasing "their contributions to landscape design and to the dynamism of the city through historical and contemporary photography, renderings, maps, artifacts, and memorabilia." Many of these, like Central Park, Prospect Park, and Bryant Park, are no brainers, while others like Verdi Square, Fort Tryon, and Ocean Parkway, are a little more under-the-radar.
See the rest and find out what makes these public spaces landmark-worthy
General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

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

June 23, 2015

General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

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We've all seen the news this week regarding the debate over Confederate flags in the South following the tragedy in Charleston. But a fascinating article today from Business Insider reminds us that the issue isn't necessarily limited to the southern states. In fact, there's an homage to the Confederacy right here in Brooklyn, and it goes largely unnoticed. General Lee Avenue is a half-mile street that runs through Fort Hamilton, the city's last remaining active-duty military base, and is named for Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee, who was the base's engineer before he left for the south. Additionally, there's a plaque marking the home where Lee lived from 1841 to 1846.
Find out more here
Preservation Groups Push for a Lower East Side Historic District
June 22, 2015

Preservation Groups Push for a Lower East Side Historic District

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Of the city's many rapidly changing neighborhoods, the Lower East Side has for the most part maintained its historic architectural integrity. However, with looming projects like Essex Crossing and a slew of new condos set to rise along the area's most storied drags, the character of the neighborhood is starting to come under threat. As such, the Lo-Down reports that locals are now banding together in full force to curb development, with two neighborhood preservation groups asking the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to designate a Lower East Side Historic District.
READ MORE
What’s the Meaning Behind Those Peculiar Red Frames Found in Union Square Station?

Images by This Hidden City

June 19, 2015

What’s the Meaning Behind Those Peculiar Red Frames Found in Union Square Station?

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You've surely walked past these bright red frames beneath 14th Street-Union Square numerous times, but probably haven't given much thought to why they are there—or if you have, you've likely just assumed they were another one of the city's unfinished construction projects. But as it turns out, these seemingly simplistic outlines hold great significance, each piece pointing to a very special time in New York's transportation history.
Find out more here
This Barge Floating in the East River Is Home to 800 Prisoners

Photo via Wiki Commons

June 19, 2015

This Barge Floating in the East River Is Home to 800 Prisoners

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Thanks to "Law & Order" and "Orange Is the New Black," we all think we're experts on the local prison system. But there's a lot more to incarceration than Elliot Stabler's interrogation room and the Litchfield Penitentiary. For example, we bet you didn't know there's a giant floating barge in the East River that is home to 800 prisoners? The Vernon C. Bain Center is a 47,326-ton jail barge used by the New York City Department of Corrections, located near Hunts Point in the Bronx just one mile west of the SUNY Maritime College. It was built in 1992 in New Orleans for $161 million as a means to curb overcrowding at Rikers Island. In the past, it's been a facility for traditional inmates and juveniles, but today it's used as a temporary holding and processing center.
Find out more about this floating prison
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