Brooklyn’s Boweries
A few months ago I attended the Wyckoff House’s country fair, held on the grounds of New York City’s oldest surviving building. The house is an anachronism among the car … Continue reading
Hidden in Plain Sight
New York is home to many humble cemeteries right on the beaten path, their presence unannounced by towering monuments. Many of the city’s parks, such as Madison Square and Bryant … Continue reading
Summer in the City
Now that summer is in full swing, we look back at the ways New Yorkers have either escaped or embraced the heat. The Drive in Central Park was a place … Continue reading
Walt Whitman’s New York
Walt Whitman, one of America’s most celebrated writers, was born into a working-class Long Island family on May 31, 1819. Four years later, the family moved to Brooklyn. Whitman cherished … Continue reading
Saving the Interior of the Plaza Hotel
Landmark designations are not only for buildings. Any piece of property that the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) deems to have important cultural, aesthetic, or historical characteristics may become a landmark. … Continue reading
The Struggle to Save the Austin, Nichols and Co. Warehouse
“This building is a piece of trash, and it should be knocked down.” – Simcha Felder, member of the New York City Council and chair of the council’s Subcommittee on … Continue reading
It’s Toasted: Mad Men and New York City
The digital team is eagerly awaiting the return of Mad Men to television on Sunday, March 25, after a 17-month hiatus. In anticipation of this, we have pulled together an … Continue reading
How Harlem River Speedway Became Harlem River Drive
Before it was called the Harlem River Drive, the parkway running north and south along the west bank of the Harlem River was called the Harlem River Speedway. Construction began … Continue reading
French Casino
In December 1934, the refurbished Earl Carroll Theatre on 7th Avenue and 50th Street opened as the French Casino. It was an art deco showpiece, with walls draped in black … Continue reading
New York Streetside
New York has seen its share of interesting, humorous, or just plain odd signs. In addition to being entertaining, the signs tell us a lot about how the city has … Continue reading
Christmas in New York City
New York has been the setting for many Christmas stories, fables, and traditions. In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia Hanson of 115 West 95th Street wrote to the editor of The Sun, … Continue reading
Carl Van Vechten Looks at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
In 1924, employees from Macy’s organized the company’s first parade featuring floats and animals from Central Park Zoo. The parade began at 9 in the morning on Thanksgiving Day, November … Continue reading
Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El was established in 1845 as New York City’s first Reform congregation. 33 members met in a loft at the intersection of Clinton and Grand Streets on Manhattan’s Lower … Continue reading
MCNY Blog: New York Stories 