10 Surprising Facts of NYC
New York’s iconic Central Park was designed in 1858 by F.L Olmsted and C. Vaux, having
been chosen in a competition against 32 other entries. The competition called for the
design of a park including a parade ground, fountain, watchtower, skating arena, four cross
streets, and room for an exhibition hall. Of the 32 alternative entries, only one survives to
this day. The sole survivor was drawn up park engineer John J. Rink. To give an indication
as to how Rink’s plan would have aged in the Big Apple, NeoMam Studios and Budget
Direct have published a set of visualizations derived from the design. Find out below
what one of the world’s most iconic green spaces could have looked like if a 160-year-
old decision had been different.
Rink’s proposal was divided into symmetrical shapes that rose and dipped according to the
topography. Described as a “folk-art fantasy of Versailles” in reference to the landscaped
French palace, the park’s open spaces “disappear beneath Rink’s spiraling tree-lined
alleys.” Rink’s inspiration from French landscaping is also demonstrated through the
symmetry and tranquility of space derived from water and reflections. A large reservoir
is flanked by the imposing “Cronton Lake” and a parade ground representing the scheme’s
only open land. 160 years on, Central Park continues to be a focal point for New York’s most
impressive architectural proposals, such as DFA’s idea for the world’s tallest wooden
structure floating on the park’s lake, and adjacent schemes such as SHoP’s supertall
111 Est 57th Street.
New York is at the vanguard of western art, entertainment, food trends, fashion and
finance. Now, you could get cute and obscure when you compile a guide like this. But truth
be told, 55 things isn’t enough for a city like New York, which is why our list is packed
shamelessly with big-hitters, START WITH CENTRAL PARK!!! These things are non-
negotiable if you want to do New York justice, even if you’ll be accompanied by a few
thousand tourists. We’ve got a breathless ride through a city seared in the minds of
people around the world, immortalised in television and movies, and able to inspire
wonder, awe, quiet reflection and joy in even the most cynical travellers.
New York’s population doubled in the 30 years up to 1855, by which time the burgeoning
city was in desperate need of more green space. The answer was to cut a giant strip
from the middle of Manhattan’s grid system, from 5th to 8th Avenue, and from 59th to 110th
Street. On 843 acres, this captivating landscape was drawn up by Frederick Law Olmsted
and Calvert Vaux and officially completed in 1873. Within Central Park’s boundaries are
ponds, a central lake, a reservoir, public art, schist outcrops, almost 50 fountains, 21
playgrounds, complete sports facilities, more than 25,000 trees and dozens of interesting
landmarks like the stately Bethesda Terrace. The list of things to do is almost endless,
and includes a zoo, boating, yoga classes, outdoor theatre and horse-drawn carriage tours.
Such is the size of Central Park, two wheels might be a better way to get around than two
feet, and you can hire a bike via GetYourGuide.com.
been chosen in a competition against 32 other entries. The competition called for the
design of a park including a parade ground, fountain, watchtower, skating arena, four cross
streets, and room for an exhibition hall. Of the 32 alternative entries, only one survives to
this day. The sole survivor was drawn up park engineer John J. Rink. To give an indication
as to how Rink’s plan would have aged in the Big Apple, NeoMam Studios and Budget
Direct have published a set of visualizations derived from the design. Find out below
what one of the world’s most iconic green spaces could have looked like if a 160-year-
old decision had been different.
topography. Described as a “folk-art fantasy of Versailles” in reference to the landscaped
French palace, the park’s open spaces “disappear beneath Rink’s spiraling tree-lined
alleys.” Rink’s inspiration from French landscaping is also demonstrated through the
symmetry and tranquility of space derived from water and reflections. A large reservoir
is flanked by the imposing “Cronton Lake” and a parade ground representing the scheme’s
only open land. 160 years on, Central Park continues to be a focal point for New York’s most
impressive architectural proposals, such as DFA’s idea for the world’s tallest wooden
structure floating on the park’s lake, and adjacent schemes such as SHoP’s supertall
111 Est 57th Street.
finance. Now, you could get cute and obscure when you compile a guide like this. But truth
be told, 55 things isn’t enough for a city like New York, which is why our list is packed
shamelessly with big-hitters, START WITH CENTRAL PARK!!! These things are non-
negotiable if you want to do New York justice, even if you’ll be accompanied by a few
thousand tourists. We’ve got a breathless ride through a city seared in the minds of
people around the world, immortalised in television and movies, and able to inspire
wonder, awe, quiet reflection and joy in even the most cynical travellers.
city was in desperate need of more green space. The answer was to cut a giant strip
from the middle of Manhattan’s grid system, from 5th to 8th Avenue, and from 59th to 110th
Street. On 843 acres, this captivating landscape was drawn up by Frederick Law Olmsted
and Calvert Vaux and officially completed in 1873. Within Central Park’s boundaries are
ponds, a central lake, a reservoir, public art, schist outcrops, almost 50 fountains, 21
playgrounds, complete sports facilities, more than 25,000 trees and dozens of interesting
landmarks like the stately Bethesda Terrace. The list of things to do is almost endless,
and includes a zoo, boating, yoga classes, outdoor theatre and horse-drawn carriage tours.
Such is the size of Central Park, two wheels might be a better way to get around than two
feet, and you can hire a bike via GetYourGuide.com.
At the time of its dedication on May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building stretched 1,250 feet
high (1,454 feet to the top of its lightning rod) and was the world’s tallest skyscraper.
Completion of the 102-story building and its standing as the tallest skyscraper imbued New
York City with a deep sense of pride during the difficult days of the Great Depression.
Below are 10 facts about the iconic landmark. It was constructed during a race to create the
world’s tallest building.
In the late-1920s, as New York’s economy boomed like never before,
builders were in a mad dash to erect the world’s largest skyscraper. The main competition
was between 40 Wall Street’s Bank of Manhattan building and the Chrysler Building, an
elaborate Art Deco structure conceived by car mogul Walter Chrysler as a “monument to me.”
When he drew up its plans in 1929, architect William Lamb of the firm Shreve, Lamb and
Harmon is said to have modeled the Empire State Building after Winston-Salem, North
Carolina’s Reynolds Building—which he had previously designed—and Carew Tower in
Cincinnati. The two earlier Art Deco buildings are now often cited as the Empire State’s
architectural ancestors. On the Reynolds Building’s 50th anniversary in 1979, the Empire
State Building’s general manager even sent a card that read, “Happy Anniversary, Dad.”
The building was finished in record time. Construction of the Empire State Buildingn
Daniel Ahmad. Despite the colossal size of the project, the design, planning and
construction of the Empire State Building took just 20 months from start to finish.
After demolishing the Waldorf-Astoria hotel—the plot’s previous occupant—contractors
Starrett Brothers and Eken used an assembly line process to erect the new skyscraper in
a brisk 410 days.
By far the most unusual aspect of the Empire State Building’s design concerned its 200-foot
tower. Convinced that transatlantic airship travel was the wave of the future, the building’s
owners originally constructed the mast as a docking port for lighter-than-air dirigibles. The
harebrained scheme called for the airships to maneuver alongside the building and tether
themselves to a winching apparatus. Passengers would then exit via an open-air gangplank,
check in at a customs office and make their way to the streets of Manhattan in a mere seven
minutes. Despite early enthusiasm for the project, the high winds near the building’s rooftop
proved all but impossible for pilots to negotiate. The closest thing to a “landing” came in
September 1931, when a small dirigible tethered itself to the spire for a few minutes. Two
weeks later, a Goodyear blimp dropped a stack of newspapers on the roof a part of a
publicity stunt, but the airship plan was abandoned shortly thereafter.
The Empire State Building was primarily designed to house corporate offices, but it got off
to a rocky start thanks to the 1929 stock market crash and the onset of the Great Depression.
Less than 25 percent of the building’s retail space was occupied upon its opening in 1931,
earning it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” The building’s owners were reduced to
engineering publicity stunts to draw renters—including hosting a 1932 séance that tried to
contact the ghost of Thomas Edison from the 82nd floor—but the skyscraper’s upper half
remained almost entirely vacant for most of the 1930s. At times, workers were even told
to turn on lights on the higher floors to create the illusion that they were occupied. It
wasn’t until World War II that the building finally became profitable.
high (1,454 feet to the top of its lightning rod) and was the world’s tallest skyscraper.
Completion of the 102-story building and its standing as the tallest skyscraper imbued New
York City with a deep sense of pride during the difficult days of the Great Depression.
Below are 10 facts about the iconic landmark. It was constructed during a race to create the
world’s tallest building. In the late-1920s, as New York’s economy boomed like never before,
builders were in a mad dash to erect the world’s largest skyscraper. The main competition
was between 40 Wall Street’s Bank of Manhattan building and the Chrysler Building, an
elaborate Art Deco structure conceived by car mogul Walter Chrysler as a “monument to me.”
Harmon is said to have modeled the Empire State Building after Winston-Salem, North
Carolina’s Reynolds Building—which he had previously designed—and Carew Tower in
Cincinnati. The two earlier Art Deco buildings are now often cited as the Empire State’s
architectural ancestors. On the Reynolds Building’s 50th anniversary in 1979, the Empire
State Building’s general manager even sent a card that read, “Happy Anniversary, Dad.”
The building was finished in record time. Construction of the Empire State Buildingn
Daniel Ahmad. Despite the colossal size of the project, the design, planning and
construction of the Empire State Building took just 20 months from start to finish.
After demolishing the Waldorf-Astoria hotel—the plot’s previous occupant—contractors
Starrett Brothers and Eken used an assembly line process to erect the new skyscraper in
a brisk 410 days.
tower. Convinced that transatlantic airship travel was the wave of the future, the building’s
owners originally constructed the mast as a docking port for lighter-than-air dirigibles. The
harebrained scheme called for the airships to maneuver alongside the building and tether
themselves to a winching apparatus. Passengers would then exit via an open-air gangplank,
check in at a customs office and make their way to the streets of Manhattan in a mere seven
minutes. Despite early enthusiasm for the project, the high winds near the building’s rooftop
proved all but impossible for pilots to negotiate. The closest thing to a “landing” came in
September 1931, when a small dirigible tethered itself to the spire for a few minutes. Two
weeks later, a Goodyear blimp dropped a stack of newspapers on the roof a part of a
publicity stunt, but the airship plan was abandoned shortly thereafter.
to a rocky start thanks to the 1929 stock market crash and the onset of the Great Depression.
Less than 25 percent of the building’s retail space was occupied upon its opening in 1931,
earning it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” The building’s owners were reduced to
engineering publicity stunts to draw renters—including hosting a 1932 séance that tried to
contact the ghost of Thomas Edison from the 82nd floor—but the skyscraper’s upper half
remained almost entirely vacant for most of the 1930s. At times, workers were even told
to turn on lights on the higher floors to create the illusion that they were occupied. It
wasn’t until World War II that the building finally became profitable.
The Statue of Liberty may be one of the most visited sites in New York City (if you’re willing
to battle with the tourists), but it too has a long list of secrets and fun facts. Here we
explore the history and architectural details that make the Statue of Liberty still one of the
most unique landmarks in the city. Designed as a gift to the United States, the Statue of
Liberty (officially called Liberty Enlightening the World) has always maintained a connection
to its native France. It was dreamt up by Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye, a French
abolitionist, lawyer, and poet. Its exterior was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the
French sculptor, its interior created by Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer. It was built in
France and paid for by its citizens.
Though wildly beloved today, the Statue of Liberty faced an uphill climb in regards to its
financing, here in America, particularly after the Panic of 1873. There was also some
criticism of the statue itself, designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, with
assistance from Gustav Eiffel who provided the engineering. There was grumbling that
France should have also provided the base for the sculpture. It wasn’t until Joseph Pulitzer
stepped in, announcing a fundraising drive. He promised to print the name of every
contributor on his newspapers and even printed the notes he received from them.
Although 80% of donations were less than $1, Pulitzer raised $102,000, equivalent to
over $2.3 million today.
Although it is often reported that the face of the Statue of Liberty was modeled after sculptor
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s mother (or after an African American woman), French writer
Nathalie Salmon reports in her 2014 book Lady Liberty I Love You that the fair visage of
the Statue of Liberty is actually modeled on her ancestor Sarah Salmon, not Bartholdi’s
mother. Sarah Salmon immigrated to the United States with her husband Adolphe, a Jew
from Lorraine, in 1861. Adolphe went out west and made a fortune in California. Ten years
later, he met Bartholdi, who was already famous in France. On a visit to Paris in 1875,
Adolphe and Sarah visited Bartholdi at his studio. Apparently, Bartholdi was in awe of
Sarah’s features and luminous eyes.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Show an image of
the statue to anyone from the Far East, Europe, or Australia and they will readily recognize
it as the symbol for the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty has stood tall for
over 145 years, beckoning to countless numbers of people who have come to her shores.
The fascination about her continues to this day and for many great reasons. Here are 50
interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty that you ought to know.
1. As American as the
Liberty Statue is, did you know that it was not even an American who designed her or
inspired her shape and form?
2. The real name of the Statue of Liberty is Liberty
Enlightening the World. However, she is more often referred to as Lady Liberty. She is
the oldest statue in the United States, besting the Abraham Lincoln statue by 34 years.
3. The Statue of Liberty may appear from afar as if she is standing still but her right foot is
actually in mid-stride, which means she is moving forward. This is meant to represent her
leading the way towards freedom.
4. A few design tweaks later of what would become the
Statue of Liberty was presented to the U.S. as a way to commemorate the centennial of
independence of the United States and celebrate the country’s friendship with Bartholdi’s
native France. The U.S. and France were allies during the Revolutionary War.
5. Pulitzer’s
campaign raised the last $100,000 needed for the $250,000 pedestal. The actual amount
collected was actually $101,091 which came from over 160,000 donors who consisted of
businessmen, politicians, street cleaners, and even children.
6. The statue is made up
of 250,000 lbs. of steel and 62,000 lbs. of copper. The pedestal, which is made of
concrete weighs a whopping 54 million lbs.
7. The statue is impressive for its height but
in reality, it is actually only 151 feet tall. The reason why it looks taller is because of the
pedestal she is standing on, which is 154 feet tall. That makes the tip of the torch that Lady
Liberty holds standing high at 305 feet from the ground.
to battle with the tourists), but it too has a long list of secrets and fun facts. Here we
explore the history and architectural details that make the Statue of Liberty still one of the
most unique landmarks in the city. Designed as a gift to the United States, the Statue of
Liberty (officially called Liberty Enlightening the World) has always maintained a connection
to its native France. It was dreamt up by Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye, a French
abolitionist, lawyer, and poet. Its exterior was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the
French sculptor, its interior created by Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer. It was built in
France and paid for by its citizens.
financing, here in America, particularly after the Panic of 1873. There was also some
criticism of the statue itself, designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, with
assistance from Gustav Eiffel who provided the engineering. There was grumbling that
France should have also provided the base for the sculpture. It wasn’t until Joseph Pulitzer
stepped in, announcing a fundraising drive. He promised to print the name of every
contributor on his newspapers and even printed the notes he received from them.
Although 80% of donations were less than $1, Pulitzer raised $102,000, equivalent to
over $2.3 million today.
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s mother (or after an African American woman), French writer
Nathalie Salmon reports in her 2014 book Lady Liberty I Love You that the fair visage of
the Statue of Liberty is actually modeled on her ancestor Sarah Salmon, not Bartholdi’s
mother. Sarah Salmon immigrated to the United States with her husband Adolphe, a Jew
from Lorraine, in 1861. Adolphe went out west and made a fortune in California. Ten years
later, he met Bartholdi, who was already famous in France. On a visit to Paris in 1875,
Adolphe and Sarah visited Bartholdi at his studio. Apparently, Bartholdi was in awe of
Sarah’s features and luminous eyes.
the statue to anyone from the Far East, Europe, or Australia and they will readily recognize
it as the symbol for the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty has stood tall for
over 145 years, beckoning to countless numbers of people who have come to her shores.
The fascination about her continues to this day and for many great reasons. Here are 50
interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty that you ought to know. 1. As American as the
Liberty Statue is, did you know that it was not even an American who designed her or
inspired her shape and form? 2. The real name of the Statue of Liberty is Liberty
Enlightening the World. However, she is more often referred to as Lady Liberty. She is
the oldest statue in the United States, besting the Abraham Lincoln statue by 34 years.
actually in mid-stride, which means she is moving forward. This is meant to represent her
leading the way towards freedom. 4. A few design tweaks later of what would become the
Statue of Liberty was presented to the U.S. as a way to commemorate the centennial of
independence of the United States and celebrate the country’s friendship with Bartholdi’s
native France. The U.S. and France were allies during the Revolutionary War. 5. Pulitzer’s
campaign raised the last $100,000 needed for the $250,000 pedestal. The actual amount
collected was actually $101,091 which came from over 160,000 donors who consisted of
businessmen, politicians, street cleaners, and even children. 6. The statue is made up
of 250,000 lbs. of steel and 62,000 lbs. of copper. The pedestal, which is made of
concrete weighs a whopping 54 million lbs. 7. The statue is impressive for its height but
in reality, it is actually only 151 feet tall. The reason why it looks taller is because of the
pedestal she is standing on, which is 154 feet tall. That makes the tip of the torch that Lady
Liberty holds standing high at 305 feet from the ground.
(mh%3dC1NteG7O_NQoCDNu)10.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.26972369578fa6548211732b0e0a9ae5%3frik%3dEufVJS7sOSVoFw%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=720&expw=1280&q=ht+anny+ck&simid=607994712328505927&FORM=IRPRST&ck=8C7FB0BB87268A2F326E4FC34E62CA17&selectedIndex=84&itb=0&adtq=1)
With 17 curatorial departments, 2.2 million square feet of space, and more than 2 million
works in its permanent collections, the Metropolitan Museum of Art—colloquially known
as The Met—contains more treasures than most visitors will ever be able to see in a
lifetime. It’s impossible to summarize the New York City museum’s history, contents, and
legacy in just one list, but here are 12 facts that might make you view the storied
institution in a new light. The Met wasn't always enormous. The Met—which opened its
doors on April 13, 1870—was founded by a group of businessmen, financiers, artists, and
cultural enthusiasts. Today, it’s known for its swanky digs on Museum Mile, a swath of Fifth
Avenue that borders Central Park, but the institution was originally located in a much
smaller building at 681 Fifth Avenue, which housed a Roman stone sarcophagus and 174
European paintings. The Met’s collection quickly grew too large for the space, and in 1873,
the museum was moved to an estate on West 14th Street known as the Douglas Mansion,
where it remained until builders completed its permanent location in 1879.
As the Met's contents swelled over the years, various additions were attached to the building.
Today, the original structure is completely surrounded by more modern wings. However,
you can catch a glimpse of its original west facade in the museum’s Robert Lehman Wing,
which houses 2600 works that once belonged to the notable banker. The Met retired its
iconic metal buttons in 2013. If you visited the Met before 2013, you likely received a metal
button emblazoned with the museum’s logo (and accidentally left it attached to your jacket
lapel long after you had exited the premises). The iconic proof of admission was introduced
in 1971, but soaring metal prices in recent years made the trinket too costly for museum
officials to continue—so in 2013, The Met retired the button in favor of a sticker. The new
offering will likely never be as nostalgic as its predecessor, which for years has been
incorporated into artworks, featured on museum souvenirs, and collected by
zealous patrons.
Each week, Remco van Vliet—a Dutch florist whose father’s flower shop once supplied
blooms for the country’s royal family—produces five towering bouquets for the Met’s
Great Hall. Van Vliet’s arrangements stretch up to 10 to 12 feet high. Meanwhile, floral
works he creates for events held in the museum’s sky-high Egyptian wing can reach up
to 20 feet. The Met is full of familiar paintings and sculptures. Emanuel Gottlieb
Leutze’s 1851 painting 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' during a press preview at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art / TIMOTHY A. CLARY/BLOW/. Among the institution’s many
paintings and sculptures, highlights for art lovers include Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's
Washington Crossing the Delaware, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Edgar
Degas, Jackson Pollock’s Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), and Van Gogh's Wheat
Field with Cypresses.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has made around 375,000 images of
public-domain artworks from its collections freely available online, The New York
Times reports. Members of the public can download, edit, and distribute high-resolution
photos from the Met’s website, with no copyright restrictions whatsoever. The initiative—
a part of the Met’s new open access policy—includes partnerships with Creative Commons,
Wikimedia, Artstor, Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), Art Resource, and Pinterest
in order to improve access to the museum's images. For example, web users can now
find images, save, tag, or "pin” images of artworks on Creative Commons, as Hyperallergic
reports. The Met has also named a new “Wikipedian in Residence,” Richard Knipel, who’s
responsible for uploading pictures into Wikimedia Commons, documenting their metadata,
and creating new articles on various artworks or topics.
works in its permanent collections, the Metropolitan Museum of Art—colloquially known
as The Met—contains more treasures than most visitors will ever be able to see in a
lifetime. It’s impossible to summarize the New York City museum’s history, contents, and
legacy in just one list, but here are 12 facts that might make you view the storied
institution in a new light. The Met wasn't always enormous. The Met—which opened its
doors on April 13, 1870—was founded by a group of businessmen, financiers, artists, and
cultural enthusiasts. Today, it’s known for its swanky digs on Museum Mile, a swath of Fifth
Avenue that borders Central Park, but the institution was originally located in a much
smaller building at 681 Fifth Avenue, which housed a Roman stone sarcophagus and 174
European paintings. The Met’s collection quickly grew too large for the space, and in 1873,
the museum was moved to an estate on West 14th Street known as the Douglas Mansion,
where it remained until builders completed its permanent location in 1879.
Today, the original structure is completely surrounded by more modern wings. However,
you can catch a glimpse of its original west facade in the museum’s Robert Lehman Wing,
which houses 2600 works that once belonged to the notable banker. The Met retired its
iconic metal buttons in 2013. If you visited the Met before 2013, you likely received a metal
button emblazoned with the museum’s logo (and accidentally left it attached to your jacket
lapel long after you had exited the premises). The iconic proof of admission was introduced
in 1971, but soaring metal prices in recent years made the trinket too costly for museum
officials to continue—so in 2013, The Met retired the button in favor of a sticker. The new
offering will likely never be as nostalgic as its predecessor, which for years has been
incorporated into artworks, featured on museum souvenirs, and collected by
zealous patrons.
blooms for the country’s royal family—produces five towering bouquets for the Met’s
Great Hall. Van Vliet’s arrangements stretch up to 10 to 12 feet high. Meanwhile, floral
works he creates for events held in the museum’s sky-high Egyptian wing can reach up
to 20 feet. The Met is full of familiar paintings and sculptures. Emanuel Gottlieb
Leutze’s 1851 painting 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' during a press preview at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art / TIMOTHY A. CLARY/BLOW/. Among the institution’s many
paintings and sculptures, highlights for art lovers include Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's
Washington Crossing the Delaware, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Edgar
Degas, Jackson Pollock’s Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), and Van Gogh's Wheat
Field with Cypresses.
public-domain artworks from its collections freely available online, The New York
Times reports. Members of the public can download, edit, and distribute high-resolution
photos from the Met’s website, with no copyright restrictions whatsoever. The initiative—
a part of the Met’s new open access policy—includes partnerships with Creative Commons,
Wikimedia, Artstor, Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), Art Resource, and Pinterest
in order to improve access to the museum's images. For example, web users can now
find images, save, tag, or "pin” images of artworks on Creative Commons, as Hyperallergic
reports. The Met has also named a new “Wikipedian in Residence,” Richard Knipel, who’s
responsible for uploading pictures into Wikimedia Commons, documenting their metadata,
and creating new articles on various artworks or topics.
It was used for pirate hangings in the early 1800s. Long before it became a way station for
people looking for a new beginning, Ellis Island—named for its last private owner, Samuel
Ellis—was known as a place where condemned prisoners met their end. For most of the
early 19th century, the island was used to hang convicted pirates, criminals and mutinous
sailors, and New Yorkers eventually took to calling it “Gibbet Island” after the wooden post,
or gibbet, where the bodies of the deceased were displayed. It reverted to the name “Ellis
Island” in the years after the last hanging in 1839, and later served as a Navy munitions
depot before being repurposed as a federal immigration station. The first immigrants
to arrive at Ellis Island were three unaccompanied minors.
Ellis Island accepted its first new arrivals on New Year’s Day 1892, when the steamship
Nevada arrived with 124 passengers from Europe. The first would-be immigrant to set foot
on the island was Annie Moore, a teenager from County Cork, Ireland who had crossed the
Atlantic with her 11 and 7-year-old brothers en route to reuniting with family in New York.
A U.S. Treasury Department official and a Catholic chaplain were on hand to welcome
Moore, and Ellis Island’s commissioner awarded her a $10 gold piece to mark the occasion.
Today, a statue of Moore and her brothers is kept on display at the Ellis Island Immigration
Museum. The island wasn’t the first place immigrants landed when they arrived in New York.
While Ellis Island was the official entry point for immigrants to the United States, it wasn’t
the first piece of American soil they encountered. The waters surrounding the island were
too shallow for transatlantic ships to navigate, so most docked and unloaded their
passengers in Manhattan. During the detour, American citizens and first and second-class
passengers were allowed to enter the country after only a brief inspection, but steerage
passengers were herded onto ferries and shuttled to Ellis Island for further processing.
The stopover was occasionally clouded by corruption. Around the turn of the century,
crooked immigration officials were known to take $1 or $2 bribes in exchange for letting
immigrants get off in Manhattan without first going through inspection at Ellis Island.
Immigrants were subject to physical and mental exams to ensure they were fit for
admittance to the United States.
Upon arrival at Ellis Island, immigrants were ushered into a room called the Great Hall and
paraded before a series of medical officers for physical inspection. Most were allowed to
pass by in a matter of seconds, but those whom the doctors deemed physically or mentally
deficient were marked with chalk and taken away for additional screening. Questionable
candidates were forced to submit to more detailed questioning and medical exams, and
any signs of contagious disease, poor physique, feeblemindedness or insanity could see
an immigrant denied admittance on the grounds that they were likely to become a ward
of the state. In later years, doctors at Ellis Island even devised puzzles and memory tests
to ensure that certain immigrants were intelligent enough to find work. New arrivals could
also face rejection if they were anarchists, had a criminal record or showed signs of low
moral character. Despite the litany of guidelines for new immigrants, the number of people
denied entry at Ellis Island was quite low. Of the 12 million people who passed through its
doors between 1892 and 1954, only around 2 percent were deemed unfit to become citizens
of the United States.
people looking for a new beginning, Ellis Island—named for its last private owner, Samuel
Ellis—was known as a place where condemned prisoners met their end. For most of the
early 19th century, the island was used to hang convicted pirates, criminals and mutinous
sailors, and New Yorkers eventually took to calling it “Gibbet Island” after the wooden post,
or gibbet, where the bodies of the deceased were displayed. It reverted to the name “Ellis
Island” in the years after the last hanging in 1839, and later served as a Navy munitions
depot before being repurposed as a federal immigration station. The first immigrants
to arrive at Ellis Island were three unaccompanied minors.
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Nevada arrived with 124 passengers from Europe. The first would-be immigrant to set foot
on the island was Annie Moore, a teenager from County Cork, Ireland who had crossed the
Atlantic with her 11 and 7-year-old brothers en route to reuniting with family in New York.
A U.S. Treasury Department official and a Catholic chaplain were on hand to welcome
Moore, and Ellis Island’s commissioner awarded her a $10 gold piece to mark the occasion.
Today, a statue of Moore and her brothers is kept on display at the Ellis Island Immigration
Museum. The island wasn’t the first place immigrants landed when they arrived in New York.
the first piece of American soil they encountered. The waters surrounding the island were
too shallow for transatlantic ships to navigate, so most docked and unloaded their
passengers in Manhattan. During the detour, American citizens and first and second-class
passengers were allowed to enter the country after only a brief inspection, but steerage
passengers were herded onto ferries and shuttled to Ellis Island for further processing.
The stopover was occasionally clouded by corruption. Around the turn of the century,
crooked immigration officials were known to take $1 or $2 bribes in exchange for letting
immigrants get off in Manhattan without first going through inspection at Ellis Island.
Immigrants were subject to physical and mental exams to ensure they were fit for
admittance to the United States.
paraded before a series of medical officers for physical inspection. Most were allowed to
pass by in a matter of seconds, but those whom the doctors deemed physically or mentally
deficient were marked with chalk and taken away for additional screening. Questionable
candidates were forced to submit to more detailed questioning and medical exams, and
any signs of contagious disease, poor physique, feeblemindedness or insanity could see
an immigrant denied admittance on the grounds that they were likely to become a ward
of the state. In later years, doctors at Ellis Island even devised puzzles and memory tests
to ensure that certain immigrants were intelligent enough to find work. New arrivals could
also face rejection if they were anarchists, had a criminal record or showed signs of low
moral character. Despite the litany of guidelines for new immigrants, the number of people
denied entry at Ellis Island was quite low. Of the 12 million people who passed through its
doors between 1892 and 1954, only around 2 percent were deemed unfit to become citizens
of the United States.
Brooklyn Bridge, suspension bridge spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan in New York City. A brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire, and during its construction explosives were used inside a pneumatic caisson for the first time. Since its construction, the bridge has become an essential landmark of New York City—an outstanding architectural accomplishment that is still revered across the world. Accordingly, it has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service.
The masterwork of John Augustus Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge was built (1869–83) in the face of immense difficulties. Roebling, an engineer, had developed his own method for weaving wire cables, which became one of the leading constructional components of his bridge designs. He built a series of suspension bridges, including the Cincinnati–Covington Bridge, later renamed the John A. Roebling Bridge. He died at the beginning of the Brooklyn Bridge’s construction as a result of an accident on site, and his son, Washington Roebling, suffered a crippling attack of decompression sickness (caisson disease) after taking over as chief engineer. Confined to his apartment in Columbia Heights (Brooklyn), Roebling continued to direct operations with the help of his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, observing with field glasses and sending messages to the site with her assistance.
A compressed-air blast that wrecked a pneumatic caisson slowed the work, as did a severe fire that smoldered for weeks in another caisson, a cable that parted from its anchorage on the Manhattan side and crashed into the river, and the fraud perpetrated by a steel-wire contractor that necessitated the replacement of tons of cable. At least 20 workers were killed during construction, and many more suffered decompression sickness. Brooklyn Bridge, 1898. Brooklyn Bridge, with a view of New York City, 1898. The Brooklyn Bridge’s 486-metre (1,595-foot) main span was the longest in the world until the completion of the Firth of Forth cantilever bridge in Scotland in 1890. 
The towers are built of limestone, granite, and cement. Its deck, supported by four cables, carries both automobile and pedestrian traffic. A distinctive feature is the broad promenade above the roadway, which John Roebling accurately predicted “in a crowded commercial city will be of incalculable value.” Upon its completion, Emily rode the first carriage across from the Brooklyn side, carrying a rooster as a symbol of victory. The bridge’s opening day, May 24, 1883, was marked by much celebration and was attended by U.S. Pres. Chester A. Arthur. The building of it came to represent a landmark in technological achievement for a generation. Its strength and grace inspired poets, notably Walt Whitman, Hart Crane, and Marianne Moore, and a legion of photographers and painters, including Joseph Stella, John Marin, Berenice Abbott, and Alfred Eisenstaedt.
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