History, Natural History & the Arts
From the very beginning it was agreed the Statue of Liberty would be a joint venture: France would create the actual copper sculpture; America would provide the stone pedestal on which it was to be mounted.
Strange as it may seem, however, neither government was involved. And neither government paid either a sou or a penny toward the monument’s funding. [Read more…] about Who Paid for the Statue of Liberty?
We brew it at home, we drink it at work, we socialize over a cup, or stop in at a café for its energy boost—never once reflecting on how the popularization of coffee literally changed the world.
It all began in Ethiopia, where coffee plants (Coffea) grew wild. It was discovered that the seeds of the coffee plant could be roasted and ground to yield a robust beverage with an unexpected effect. It seems to have become popular in the late-1400s and spread to Yemen quickly thereafter. [Read more…] about Coffee History: Enlightenment, Industry, Slavery & War
There was no such thing as a Department of Motor Vehicles in the late 19th century, so there are no registration records to consult about who was the first owner of a car in New York City.
One of the earliest cars seen on the streets of Manhattan was an “Allen” in 1885. It was manufactured at 304 West 53rd Street and featured wheels that were chain driven, like a motorcycle, and a tiller rather than a steering wheel. [Read more…] about Early Automobiles In New York City
You might say that the history of our postal system began when Benjamin Franklin, age 31, was appointed Postmaster of Philadelphia by the colonial British authorities in 1737.
Not that there hadn’t been earlier embryonic attempts at mail service in the colonies, but Franklin was already the very successful proprietor of a print business and publisher of a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette. His experience had taught him to be a meticulous record-keeper and a master of organization. So it’s hardly surprising that he shaped the Philadelphia mails into a swift and responsive enterprise. [Read more…] about Some History of the US Postal Service
If you think the spread of sensationalism and “alternative facts” and their divisive effect on the American people are 21st century phenomena, think again. There may be no comparison between the instantaneous, often individually provocative communication of our Internet and the communication technologies of the mid-19th century.
Nevertheless, the pre-Civil War media landscape was hardly calm or trustworthy. [Read more…] about Sensationalism In Historical Context: Wide-Awakes & The Civil War
On August 20, 2023 New York City‘s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) instituted a 5% increase for the cost of a single subway or bus trip, with the base price going from $2.75 to $2.90. The previous fare hike took place in 2015.
From the inauguration of subway services in 1904 until the previously separate Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit (BMT) and Independent (IND) lines were unified into one system in 1948, the fare for a subway ride of any length was 5¢. [Read more…] about New York City Subway Fare History: A Primer
As Nazi Germany began its domination of Europe, America was woefully unprepared for fighting. Our military was small, poorly supplied and without the prospect of a robust manufacturing sector that might have provided the arms, planes, ships, tanks and other equipment it would have needed.
And then, on December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. [Read more…] about New York City During World War Two
It was 1924. America was in the midst of a roaring economic boom, and so was R.H. Macy & Co.
It had gone public in 1922 and, flush with capital, had bought out competitors, opened a network of regional stores, and transformed its flagship New York City emporium. [Read more…] about Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Some History
As the 1920s advanced, the economy soared. But with that dramatic expansion came irrational exuberance and unchecked speculation: stock prices reached levels that had no basis in reality; margin purchases were rampant; banks handed out loans lavishly and imprudently; and giddy product production resulted in a vast oversupply of goods.
On Tuesday, October 29, 1929, it all came crashing down. This is the story of the Great Depression in New York City. [Read more…] about The Great Depression in New York City: A Primer
Historians are fond of saying that the Revolutionary War in the city of New York began and ended in the same place. On July 9, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to George Washington’s troops at City Hall. Within minutes, a mob of fired-up patriots stormed nearby Bowling Green where they pulled down its statue of King George III and sawed off the royal crown finials on the uprights of the surrounding fence. (The original fence still stands, you can see the saw marks.) [Read more…] about The British Occupation of New York City, 1776-1783
“Back number” in contemporary parlance means “back issue.” Today we take for granted the availability of old newspapers and other periodicals, as well as their invaluable glimpse into our past. But this was not the case in the 19th century. [Read more…] about Back Number Budd: A 19th Century One-Man Newspaper Archive
As the ravages of the First World War and the 1918 Influenza Pandemic receded into the past, a new spirit gripped New York City. Energy seemed to infuse every aspect of city life, from business to leisure and everything in between. For a decade, New Yorkers by and large lived, worked and partied with abandon. [Read more…] about New York City In the Roaring 20s: A Primer
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