5. Upper East Side/Spanish HArlem/CEntral PArk
Today was long but very enjoyable. The weather was comfortable which made everything more pleasant. We headed uptown, to East Harlem, via 4/5/6 line. We took the express(5) to 86th Street and then the local(6) to 103rd Street. As we have been learning, Manhattan, was developed from the downtown to uptown. Up until the 1880's this area was farm and forest land. In the 1880's German and Italian immigrants were the first to settle here. It was partially because of the elevated train that brought people up to settle in northern Manhattan. This area was once known as the original "Little Italy of Manhattan"-along Pleasant Avenue by the East River. By the 1930's, over 100,000 Italian-Americans resided in the community, and the area became a stronghold of the Genovese crime family(ENY p.76) After world War ll there was a large influx of Puerto Rican immigrants that settled here.Today it is known as Spanish Harlem with a large community of Latin Americans.
When you first look around you can almost feel the sense of community; the vibe that people know each other and are not just rushing through. They live here, work here, shop and eat here. You can find older men sitting outside congregating, socializing, with no rush about them. The first piece of real estate we came upon was the George Washington Carver Houses. This was one of many of Robert Moses grand plans to keep all the poor together. But what he did not think about was the pathology of the poor; crime and continued poverty. It was a terrible idea.
We were off again to the Museum of the City of New York, on Fifth Avenue between 103rd and 104th Streets. Founded in 1923 and originally housed in Gracie Mansion, the museum moved to its current location on Fifth Avenue in 1932, when the cCity offered the land between 103rd and 104th Streets and paid for the museum's Georgian Revival building ( Joseph H. Freedlander, 1929) (ENY p. 77) We watched a really great Video, a time-scape from 1609-today. We learned the first people to in habit this land were the Lenapes( But we already knew that!). Many of the towns throughout the New York area still possess their original names such as Gowanus and Raritan. The pictures that were captured in this video were amazing. What I found particularly astonishing was the photos of the extreme poor in the tenements and the filthy rich on Fifth Ave and such an awesome imbalance in society. Of course, while we were there we saw the most magnificent Guastavino Tile!! Truely a sight to see. I loved the photo art work of the people of Coney Island.
We met our very interesting tour guide, Lucas, at El Museo del Barrio. THis museum was founded in 1969 in a public school classroom in PS 125 by Puerto Rican activists from East Harlem, seeking to preserve their cultural heritage(ENY p.77). He was very captivating and I found myself hanging on every word. He is a poet and an educator. He took time for all of us to state our names and stressed the importance of being in a circle so we can all see it other and the importance of knowing each others story. He told us a poem he wrote about a women on the D train that was singing. It was really neat. He then took us on a walking tour of Spanish Harlem. We stopped on the corner of 104th Street to see a mural painted on the wall of Pedro Pierti. Born in Puerto Rico, Pierti was a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a community activist, and the founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe(ENY p. 77). Pierti came from Ponce when he was 10 years old and drafted when he was 18. Lucas read us part of a poem by Pierti that was very powerful. It spoke of the inequality of the people of this community with regards to trash collection. It spoke of the working class Puerto Ricans and how they died trying to live. It was very moving. Directly across the street was another mural of actual everyday people that live in East Harlem.It is titled "SPirit of East Harlem"(ENY p. 77). It was created by Hank Prussing in 1978. It had men sitting around playing dominos, children, and women. One of the women didn't like how she came out so she asked one of the local artist to paint over her face. What I found amazing was the pride that everyone had for this mural and no one tried to deface it or graffiti over it. That says a lot about the sense of community. Scattered throughout the community were other murals by a well known artist named Manny Vega.
We entered into this garden are called Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden, which is operated in collaboration between Hope Community and Grow NYC(ENY p. 77-78). There is mural on the wall of two women Frida Kahlo and Julia De Burgos. They are holding hands symbolizing the women of this community bonding together. In the center of the garden is an outdoor fountain sculpture, called "Seed of Growth," designed by Lina Puerta, much of whose work explores the female body and female experience(ENY p. 78).
Lucas took us to a book store named De Casa Azul. It opened in 2012. We met the owner Aurora Anya-Cerda. She is a mexican immigrant and former NY public school teacher. Aurora explained to us hows she felt about the need for this book store in Harlem and how she went on the internet, as well as the community, to gain funding and was finally able to open in 2012. It is the only book store in Harlem and it is unique in the fact that it only houses books written by People of Color or Latino. Many of the writings focus on being an immigrant in this country. As soon as you enter you know it is something special. It is set up very much like a home with a working sink and stove. The walls are brick and there is a beautiful outdoor area in the back where camps and different community groups come and meet and educate. There is also an art gallery down stairs of local peoples stories. I have never seen anything so unique. The owner seemed to be beaming with pride and it made me feel good just to be able to see such a work from the heart. She is also collecting books for children being detained at the borders and there will be a special trip made to deliver these books to them sometime in August.
We had lunch( Mexican), and then made our way to 5th Ave and 104th Street to begin our tour of Central park. We entered through these massive wrought iron gates, made in France, that were once the entrance to The Vanderbilt mansion on 58th Street and 5th Ave(ENY p.65). We entered into the Conservatory Garden. It is beautiful. This garden-the only formal garden in Central PArk-is named for an 1898 greenhouse or conservatory that once stood on this site, but which was created as a depression-era WPA (Works Project Administration) effort to provide work for unemployed New Yorkers(ENY p. 65). It consists of three different gardens; English,French and Italian(ENY p. 65). We walked along the foot path and took in the sites of the buildings along fifth ave as well as the man-made beauty of the park. I didn't know that Central Park was completely man-made. It is quite impressive when you really look around and appreciate all the hard work that went into it. We saw the Central Park Reservoir, also known as, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir(ENY p.65). It was very tranquil to just look at. It is no longer used as a reservoir, it was deemed obsolete in 1993(ENY p. 66). We continued walking, making our way south as well as east to west, and came upon the oldest thing in Central park, the Egyptian Obelisk. It was built on the Nile in honor of Pharaoh Thutmose lll, in 16 B.C. (ENY p. 68). In a gesture of good will towards the United States, the Khedive of Egypt gave the obelsik to the City of New York in 1881 to facilitate good will and improved trade between Egypt and the United States(ENY p.68). Unfortunately, this obelisk was not built to withstand the harsh winters and pollutants of New York and is eroding (ENY p.68). There was scaffolding around it as they are trying to repair it.
The Great Lawn is a well known and occupied place for all New Yorkers. You will see people sitting and relaxing as well as groups of people playing all sorts of games. It use to be a 35 acre reservoir, which Olmstead and Vaux had to work around when planning the park(ENY p.68). We continued on to 79th Street to Belvedere Castle, which a really beautiful area with many different views. You can see the stage where the perform Shakespeare in the Park as well as a quaint little area to picnic in. The Castle itself is actually not a castle. It was closed when we arrived but it serves as one of the Park's visitor's centers (ENY p. 69).
Mike asked us if we wanted to travel the road less traveled and, for better or worse, we declined. It is a path known as the ramble(ENY p. 69). Maybe when I return on a cooler day I will venture in. We continued on taking in all the nature and shade until we came upon the boat pond. The area around the pond is filled with wonderful statues crated for children(ENY p.69). We saw the 11 foot tall bronze Alice in Wonderland Statue, that was constructed by Jose de Creeft in 1959(ENY p. 69). We made our
way to 72nd Street to Bethesda Terrace which is also known as the heart of Central Park(ENY p. 70). We sat around the fountain for a few minutes and I loved people watching. There were tourists and children with their parents and couples taking selfies by the fountain. Mike explained to us the meaning of the angel in the fountain. It is known as the Angel of waters and was created by Emma Stebbins in 1868(ENY p.70). It is based on the biblical story from Revelations of an angel blessing the Pool of Bethesda, giving it healing powers. Beneath the angel are four cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Peace, and Health (ENY p.70).
A very popular site for Beatle fans was our next destination. Strawberry Fields was dedicated to the memory of former Beatle and peace activist, John Lennon(ENY p. 70). Mike told us about a man so dedicated to the site, he put rose pedals around the "Imagine" image on the floor everyday. Mike told us the man passed away last year, so no more flowers. Mike pointed out the apartment building where John Lennon lived with his wife Yoko, and was also the place where he was shot and killed. His wife still lives there. We continued on and passed by the children's zoo which I have been fortunate enough to have seen before. It is a delightful place to bring young children. As we were exiting the zoo area Mike pointed out his least favorite sculptures, the Dancing Goat and Honey Bear. He thinks they are stupid! Enough said about them. As long a day as it was it was very enjoyable and I saw a lot of very interesting things. We parted ways outside the part on 59th Street where I and a few others made our way to Penn Station via the N train.
When you first look around you can almost feel the sense of community; the vibe that people know each other and are not just rushing through. They live here, work here, shop and eat here. You can find older men sitting outside congregating, socializing, with no rush about them. The first piece of real estate we came upon was the George Washington Carver Houses. This was one of many of Robert Moses grand plans to keep all the poor together. But what he did not think about was the pathology of the poor; crime and continued poverty. It was a terrible idea.
We were off again to the Museum of the City of New York, on Fifth Avenue between 103rd and 104th Streets. Founded in 1923 and originally housed in Gracie Mansion, the museum moved to its current location on Fifth Avenue in 1932, when the cCity offered the land between 103rd and 104th Streets and paid for the museum's Georgian Revival building ( Joseph H. Freedlander, 1929) (ENY p. 77) We watched a really great Video, a time-scape from 1609-today. We learned the first people to in habit this land were the Lenapes( But we already knew that!). Many of the towns throughout the New York area still possess their original names such as Gowanus and Raritan. The pictures that were captured in this video were amazing. What I found particularly astonishing was the photos of the extreme poor in the tenements and the filthy rich on Fifth Ave and such an awesome imbalance in society. Of course, while we were there we saw the most magnificent Guastavino Tile!! Truely a sight to see. I loved the photo art work of the people of Coney Island.
We met our very interesting tour guide, Lucas, at El Museo del Barrio. THis museum was founded in 1969 in a public school classroom in PS 125 by Puerto Rican activists from East Harlem, seeking to preserve their cultural heritage(ENY p.77). He was very captivating and I found myself hanging on every word. He is a poet and an educator. He took time for all of us to state our names and stressed the importance of being in a circle so we can all see it other and the importance of knowing each others story. He told us a poem he wrote about a women on the D train that was singing. It was really neat. He then took us on a walking tour of Spanish Harlem. We stopped on the corner of 104th Street to see a mural painted on the wall of Pedro Pierti. Born in Puerto Rico, Pierti was a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a community activist, and the founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe(ENY p. 77). Pierti came from Ponce when he was 10 years old and drafted when he was 18. Lucas read us part of a poem by Pierti that was very powerful. It spoke of the inequality of the people of this community with regards to trash collection. It spoke of the working class Puerto Ricans and how they died trying to live. It was very moving. Directly across the street was another mural of actual everyday people that live in East Harlem.It is titled "SPirit of East Harlem"(ENY p. 77). It was created by Hank Prussing in 1978. It had men sitting around playing dominos, children, and women. One of the women didn't like how she came out so she asked one of the local artist to paint over her face. What I found amazing was the pride that everyone had for this mural and no one tried to deface it or graffiti over it. That says a lot about the sense of community. Scattered throughout the community were other murals by a well known artist named Manny Vega.
We entered into this garden are called Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden, which is operated in collaboration between Hope Community and Grow NYC(ENY p. 77-78). There is mural on the wall of two women Frida Kahlo and Julia De Burgos. They are holding hands symbolizing the women of this community bonding together. In the center of the garden is an outdoor fountain sculpture, called "Seed of Growth," designed by Lina Puerta, much of whose work explores the female body and female experience(ENY p. 78).
Lucas took us to a book store named De Casa Azul. It opened in 2012. We met the owner Aurora Anya-Cerda. She is a mexican immigrant and former NY public school teacher. Aurora explained to us hows she felt about the need for this book store in Harlem and how she went on the internet, as well as the community, to gain funding and was finally able to open in 2012. It is the only book store in Harlem and it is unique in the fact that it only houses books written by People of Color or Latino. Many of the writings focus on being an immigrant in this country. As soon as you enter you know it is something special. It is set up very much like a home with a working sink and stove. The walls are brick and there is a beautiful outdoor area in the back where camps and different community groups come and meet and educate. There is also an art gallery down stairs of local peoples stories. I have never seen anything so unique. The owner seemed to be beaming with pride and it made me feel good just to be able to see such a work from the heart. She is also collecting books for children being detained at the borders and there will be a special trip made to deliver these books to them sometime in August.
We had lunch( Mexican), and then made our way to 5th Ave and 104th Street to begin our tour of Central park. We entered through these massive wrought iron gates, made in France, that were once the entrance to The Vanderbilt mansion on 58th Street and 5th Ave(ENY p.65). We entered into the Conservatory Garden. It is beautiful. This garden-the only formal garden in Central PArk-is named for an 1898 greenhouse or conservatory that once stood on this site, but which was created as a depression-era WPA (Works Project Administration) effort to provide work for unemployed New Yorkers(ENY p. 65). It consists of three different gardens; English,French and Italian(ENY p. 65). We walked along the foot path and took in the sites of the buildings along fifth ave as well as the man-made beauty of the park. I didn't know that Central Park was completely man-made. It is quite impressive when you really look around and appreciate all the hard work that went into it. We saw the Central Park Reservoir, also known as, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir(ENY p.65). It was very tranquil to just look at. It is no longer used as a reservoir, it was deemed obsolete in 1993(ENY p. 66). We continued walking, making our way south as well as east to west, and came upon the oldest thing in Central park, the Egyptian Obelisk. It was built on the Nile in honor of Pharaoh Thutmose lll, in 16 B.C. (ENY p. 68). In a gesture of good will towards the United States, the Khedive of Egypt gave the obelsik to the City of New York in 1881 to facilitate good will and improved trade between Egypt and the United States(ENY p.68). Unfortunately, this obelisk was not built to withstand the harsh winters and pollutants of New York and is eroding (ENY p.68). There was scaffolding around it as they are trying to repair it.
The Great Lawn is a well known and occupied place for all New Yorkers. You will see people sitting and relaxing as well as groups of people playing all sorts of games. It use to be a 35 acre reservoir, which Olmstead and Vaux had to work around when planning the park(ENY p.68). We continued on to 79th Street to Belvedere Castle, which a really beautiful area with many different views. You can see the stage where the perform Shakespeare in the Park as well as a quaint little area to picnic in. The Castle itself is actually not a castle. It was closed when we arrived but it serves as one of the Park's visitor's centers (ENY p. 69).
Mike asked us if we wanted to travel the road less traveled and, for better or worse, we declined. It is a path known as the ramble(ENY p. 69). Maybe when I return on a cooler day I will venture in. We continued on taking in all the nature and shade until we came upon the boat pond. The area around the pond is filled with wonderful statues crated for children(ENY p.69). We saw the 11 foot tall bronze Alice in Wonderland Statue, that was constructed by Jose de Creeft in 1959(ENY p. 69). We made our
way to 72nd Street to Bethesda Terrace which is also known as the heart of Central Park(ENY p. 70). We sat around the fountain for a few minutes and I loved people watching. There were tourists and children with their parents and couples taking selfies by the fountain. Mike explained to us the meaning of the angel in the fountain. It is known as the Angel of waters and was created by Emma Stebbins in 1868(ENY p.70). It is based on the biblical story from Revelations of an angel blessing the Pool of Bethesda, giving it healing powers. Beneath the angel are four cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Peace, and Health (ENY p.70).
A very popular site for Beatle fans was our next destination. Strawberry Fields was dedicated to the memory of former Beatle and peace activist, John Lennon(ENY p. 70). Mike told us about a man so dedicated to the site, he put rose pedals around the "Imagine" image on the floor everyday. Mike told us the man passed away last year, so no more flowers. Mike pointed out the apartment building where John Lennon lived with his wife Yoko, and was also the place where he was shot and killed. His wife still lives there. We continued on and passed by the children's zoo which I have been fortunate enough to have seen before. It is a delightful place to bring young children. As we were exiting the zoo area Mike pointed out his least favorite sculptures, the Dancing Goat and Honey Bear. He thinks they are stupid! Enough said about them. As long a day as it was it was very enjoyable and I saw a lot of very interesting things. We parted ways outside the part on 59th Street where I and a few others made our way to Penn Station via the N train.
6. Times Square/ West Side/Morningside Heights/HArlem
Well, we found out yesterday that the LIRR strike was averted. I was glad for the class but also for all the people that travel in it everyday. We met as usual and walked upstairs to the street. We walked passed Macy's Dept. Store, in Herald Square, which spans all the way from 7th Ave to Broadway. It is the largest department store in the United States(ENY p. 31). The founder of the department store, Rowland Hussey Macy,opened "R.H. Macy and Co# in 1858 on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, a location that was considered far uptown at the time(ENY p. 31). With Innovative publicity devices, such as illuminated window displays, store Santa Clauses, and money-back guarantees to customers,by the time Macy's was acquired by the brothers Isador and Nathan Straus in 1895, it had already become one of New York's most popular store(ENY P. 32). Mike stopped us to show us the beautiful architecture, which honestly, I never noticed before. I find more and more as this class goes on, wherever I go, I need to look up! We turned left onto broadway from 34th Street, Herald Square. Herald Square was named after the New York Herald, which had headquarters located there from 1894-1921(ENY p. 32). THis location is also the end point of the Thanksgiving Day Parade(ENY p.32).
We took in the sights of Broadway. Former Mayor Bloomberg is responsible for setting up these pedestrian plazas which enable people to congregate, relax, sit and enjoy the city. Of course, like everything else it was met with some resistance but the increase in pedestrians on Broadway has actually increased profits for local businesses. What would Robert Moses think?
When we were walking along the pedestrian plaza there was art work on display right in the middle of the plaza. It was carved out fences in different shapes. Art really can be anything. Times Square is full of tall oversized advertised buildings with flashy signs. It is always a very busy place being that it is the location of the theater district. MAny people from all over the United States and around the globe come here to see the shows and all Times Square has to offer.
Obviously, as we well know now, New York City was built from south to north. Times Square was not built the way it is seen today. " By the mid 19th century, the area became known as the center for New York's horse carriage industry and was named Long Acre Square, after the city of London's own carriage center Long Acre. The area was renamed Time Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved into a new skyscraper on 42nd Street…The peak of Times Square fortune came in 1928 when 80 theaters were in full operation, earning millions of dollars in revenue from tourist hungry for the original and innovative shows being produced at the time"(ENY p. 33).
In the 1970's & 1980's Times Square was a different place.It was certainly not a place you would bring your family to.By the 1970's Times Square had become New York's most notorious neighborhood, filled with topless bars, sex shops, and pornographic theaters, and frequented by drug dealers, prostitutes and criminals preying on those who were reckless enough to enter the area late at night.(ENY p. 34). Mike thinks the old Times Square had more character, not sure if I agree.
In the 1990's, Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of NY at the time, vowed to clean up Times Square. He increased police, cracked down on crime, and closed the area's porno theaters and sex shops( ENY p.34). He brought in more tourist friendly establishments, such as Disney Corporation, that refurbished the New Amsterdam Theatre(ENY p. 34).
We continued uptown, I looked down for what seemed like a second and looked up and the class was gone! I walked 2 more blocks thinking I would catch up to them. It didn't happen. I called Mike and he told me where to meet up on 5th Ave and I was back with the class on 46th Street and 5th Ave. I am familiar with this area because back in high school I work at Michael C. Fina which use to be on 47th and 5th but has since moved. I also worked at a periodontist office in Rockefeller Center during College. Originally called the RCA building when it was completed in 1933, the G.E. Building is now beset known for being the headquarters of the N>B.C. television network and the Studio from which numerous popular TV shows are broadcast-most notably, "Saturday Night Live" (ENY p.36). So, I have been in the lobby of Rockefeller Center many times, and would say it is a glorious looking building, I never truly looked up and appreciated all the stories behind it. We stopped and looked at the paintings above the lobby area. Mike and Damien explained the type of Art work as Social Realism. This is artwork intended for a political purpose. "One of these artists, Frank Brangwyn, created the four murals that are visible as you walk down the building's south corridor. Installed in 1934, the theme of these murals is man's search for eternal truth through Christ's teachings. All in all, this is just about the most blatant mix of capitalism and religion that one is likely to find-the kind of propaganda that probably made Rockefeller, the titan of industry, gush with delight.
When you step outside 30 Rock you can look around from left to right and see all the similar looking buildings, and the grand ice skating rink. "In 1928, John D. Rockefeller leased land on this site from Columbia University with the aim of building an opera house for the Metropolitan Opera. When the stock market crashed in 1928, this idea proved to be unfeasible. Rockefeller decided to forge ahead with the development of the site anyway, financing the 250 million dollars it was estimated that he would need through the sale of his oil company stock"(ENY p.37-38). 14 art deco buildings were erected in this space beginning in 1930 and lasting 9 years(ENY p. 38). I remember vividly coming here every year with my mother and my cousins. We always saw the Radio City Christmas Show and then we would come and see the tree. It was always a great day. In high school I remember coming with a group of my friends to watch the tree get lit. It was such an exciting experience. I must say these buildings have stood the test of time and are still drawing people in and welcoming them to the city. We were given a quick break so Lavern and I headed to the ladies room. When we returned to the meeting spot, we waited a few minutes and realized we had been left behind-again! SO once again I called Mike, who had gone ahead to MOMA, and he told us to "book it" to the museum. So off we went "booking" up 4th Ave and turning left on to 53rd Street where Mike was waiting for us, tickets in hand. I have been to the MOMA before with my kids and there is always something new to see. We were able t see pieces of expressionistic art as well as Andrew Wyeth with his representational art. We saw Impressionist Georges Seurat. Damien told us about Van Gogh's lead poisoning and as he got closer and closer to his death his paintings were more and more distorted from reality. Cubism-Picasso geometric shapes and masked prostitutes. Picasso dehumanizes his subjects Portraying women as either goddesses or doormats. The core of MOMA's collection is on the building's fourth and fifth floors.(ENY p. 39).
After looking at all the interesting different types of art we were all ready for lunch. We walked to Hells's Kitchen for some free Thai food! No one knows for certain where the name "Hell's Kitchen" came from, but the name stuck, because the neighborhood was historically one of the poorest, most squalid, and most crime-ridden in 19th century New York)ENY p. 39).
We ate at Yum Yum, I had dumplings and fried rice. I know I played it safe and should have been more adventurous but that would have to wait fir another day.
With our belly's full, and we headed for the subway, #1 train. Mike in his excitement got us of the train at 96th Street for a long stroll to The Cathedral of St John the Divine, where we met our tour guide Jim Mackin. Jim is retired from his job in finance and lives with his wife, who is the dean of Nursing at Beth Israel Nursing School. He was very interesting and knew so much, not just about Morningside Heights but all the boroughs as well. I got his business card and hope to take a tour with him again someday. He first told us about the Signet house that was behind where we were sitting, Elton John had his 60th birthday there and cast party for Harry Potter movies. We were sitting in front of the Peace Fountain that was created by Greg Wyatt to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Episcopalian Diocese of New York(ENY p. 82). He is one of the many artist in residence maintaining the Cathedral. It is an unfinished cathedral and has been growing continuously since construction began in 1892. Construction was halted during World War II(ENY p. 82). They actually had to create a school on site in order to teach the art of sculpturing. Jim told us that he himself just found out that the dome in the Cathedral is the largest dome in the United States. It is still considered one of the largest Cathedrals in the world by volume. There is no steel holding up the walls it is completely made of stone. The Cathedral was built in response to the completion of the monumental St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1879, which made the Episcopalian establishment concerned about not having a dignified cathedral of their own in Manhattan(ENY p. 81).
The cathedral was glorious in height and had the most beautiful stained-glass windows. There were many different chapels within the cathedral along the sides. The dome ceiling was so high I could not see it! There was an Asian artwork being displayed in the center of the Cathedral. It was very colorful.
We left the Cathedral and made a left on 114th Street to the entrance of Columbia University. The entrance is a small set of stairs that take you into the 36 acre campus(ENY p. 83). It was really a sight to see. I felt like I was not in New York. Columbia University is the first college established in New York State and the fifth in the United State(ENY p. 83). The first structure built on campus, the neoclassical library was modeled by McKim on the Pantheon in Rome(ENY p.83-84). We exited the campus and headed west along 116th Street to Riverside Park, one of only five designated scenic landmarks in New York City(ENY p. 85). From 1875-1910 the park was developed as an English pastoral style garden according to the original designs of Fredrick Law Olmsted(ENY p. 85).
We crossed Riverside Drive West to General Grant NAtional Memorial. Ulysses S. Grant was commander of the Union Army during the Civil war and President of the United State from 1869-1877( ENY p. 85). We went inside Grants Tomb, where he and his wife are laid to rest. It was grand with marble stair cases and amazing portrayals of moments of Grants' life in history, including the surrender by Robert E. Lee to Grant in 1865. John Duncan was the architect who designed the tomb.Ny City fought to have him buried here. Grant, the Mayor at the time( no relation) wanted him buried in Central Park but his son picked this place. We sat on the steps of the memorial where Mike gave us a verbal quiz about all the sites we have seen so far. Everyone that got an answer correct got a number and the person with the most numbers wins the "lucky" bracelet from East Harlem. I was tied with Joe, the history major, but got the last question correct, winning the bracelet. I need to keep it on for a year. I hope I will be lucky enough to secure a great grade in this class!
We looked at the outside of Riverside Church , which is the tallest church in the United States(ENY p. 85). This Gothic Revival Church was built in 1927 by the architectural firm of Alens, Pelton, and Collins with funds donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr(ENY p. 85).We walked heading east ton 120th Street to Morningside Park, the natural dividing line between Morningside Heights and Harlem(ENY p. 86). The park sits on a cliff made up of Manhattan Schist and came into existence because it was deemed too expensive to extend the street grid across such steep terrain.You could really get the sense of how high up you were by the view around you.We walked down a long flight of stairs which put us in Harlem.
We saw a ten foot tall statue of harriet Tubman, who was a former slave and risked her life numerous times to free slaves using the underground railroad. My daughter, in sixth grade was Harriet Tubman for a school project called living legends. She had to dress up and speak as if she was Harriet herself. I remember it well. I was excited to go home and tell her about the statue.
Harlem was originally established as the Dutch community of Nieuw Haarlem by Peter Stuyvesant in 1658 and named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands(ENY p. 87). By the late 1800's and construction of the elevated train lines Harlem had become one of the most exclusive residential areas in Manhattan, filled with fashionable rowhouses that were typically occupied by the large families of affluent white Protestants and their live-in servants(ENY p. 88). I liked the quietness of the neighborhood and once again we saw many stoops. The sidewalks seem wider in Harlem and water bottles are a lot cheaper than they are in Midtown! As we walked along 125th Street you really got to see the people of the community going about their everyday lives. It was a busy place with lots of shops and people. Across the street was the famous Apollo Theater where so many artist made names for themselves. There were a group of men playing bongo drums in front of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, they were pretty good! Mike and Damien went for some authentic soul food and the rest of us headed downtown via the 1/2/3 train to Penn Station. It was a full but educating day!
We took in the sights of Broadway. Former Mayor Bloomberg is responsible for setting up these pedestrian plazas which enable people to congregate, relax, sit and enjoy the city. Of course, like everything else it was met with some resistance but the increase in pedestrians on Broadway has actually increased profits for local businesses. What would Robert Moses think?
When we were walking along the pedestrian plaza there was art work on display right in the middle of the plaza. It was carved out fences in different shapes. Art really can be anything. Times Square is full of tall oversized advertised buildings with flashy signs. It is always a very busy place being that it is the location of the theater district. MAny people from all over the United States and around the globe come here to see the shows and all Times Square has to offer.
Obviously, as we well know now, New York City was built from south to north. Times Square was not built the way it is seen today. " By the mid 19th century, the area became known as the center for New York's horse carriage industry and was named Long Acre Square, after the city of London's own carriage center Long Acre. The area was renamed Time Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved into a new skyscraper on 42nd Street…The peak of Times Square fortune came in 1928 when 80 theaters were in full operation, earning millions of dollars in revenue from tourist hungry for the original and innovative shows being produced at the time"(ENY p. 33).
In the 1970's & 1980's Times Square was a different place.It was certainly not a place you would bring your family to.By the 1970's Times Square had become New York's most notorious neighborhood, filled with topless bars, sex shops, and pornographic theaters, and frequented by drug dealers, prostitutes and criminals preying on those who were reckless enough to enter the area late at night.(ENY p. 34). Mike thinks the old Times Square had more character, not sure if I agree.
In the 1990's, Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of NY at the time, vowed to clean up Times Square. He increased police, cracked down on crime, and closed the area's porno theaters and sex shops( ENY p.34). He brought in more tourist friendly establishments, such as Disney Corporation, that refurbished the New Amsterdam Theatre(ENY p. 34).
We continued uptown, I looked down for what seemed like a second and looked up and the class was gone! I walked 2 more blocks thinking I would catch up to them. It didn't happen. I called Mike and he told me where to meet up on 5th Ave and I was back with the class on 46th Street and 5th Ave. I am familiar with this area because back in high school I work at Michael C. Fina which use to be on 47th and 5th but has since moved. I also worked at a periodontist office in Rockefeller Center during College. Originally called the RCA building when it was completed in 1933, the G.E. Building is now beset known for being the headquarters of the N>B.C. television network and the Studio from which numerous popular TV shows are broadcast-most notably, "Saturday Night Live" (ENY p.36). So, I have been in the lobby of Rockefeller Center many times, and would say it is a glorious looking building, I never truly looked up and appreciated all the stories behind it. We stopped and looked at the paintings above the lobby area. Mike and Damien explained the type of Art work as Social Realism. This is artwork intended for a political purpose. "One of these artists, Frank Brangwyn, created the four murals that are visible as you walk down the building's south corridor. Installed in 1934, the theme of these murals is man's search for eternal truth through Christ's teachings. All in all, this is just about the most blatant mix of capitalism and religion that one is likely to find-the kind of propaganda that probably made Rockefeller, the titan of industry, gush with delight.
When you step outside 30 Rock you can look around from left to right and see all the similar looking buildings, and the grand ice skating rink. "In 1928, John D. Rockefeller leased land on this site from Columbia University with the aim of building an opera house for the Metropolitan Opera. When the stock market crashed in 1928, this idea proved to be unfeasible. Rockefeller decided to forge ahead with the development of the site anyway, financing the 250 million dollars it was estimated that he would need through the sale of his oil company stock"(ENY p.37-38). 14 art deco buildings were erected in this space beginning in 1930 and lasting 9 years(ENY p. 38). I remember vividly coming here every year with my mother and my cousins. We always saw the Radio City Christmas Show and then we would come and see the tree. It was always a great day. In high school I remember coming with a group of my friends to watch the tree get lit. It was such an exciting experience. I must say these buildings have stood the test of time and are still drawing people in and welcoming them to the city. We were given a quick break so Lavern and I headed to the ladies room. When we returned to the meeting spot, we waited a few minutes and realized we had been left behind-again! SO once again I called Mike, who had gone ahead to MOMA, and he told us to "book it" to the museum. So off we went "booking" up 4th Ave and turning left on to 53rd Street where Mike was waiting for us, tickets in hand. I have been to the MOMA before with my kids and there is always something new to see. We were able t see pieces of expressionistic art as well as Andrew Wyeth with his representational art. We saw Impressionist Georges Seurat. Damien told us about Van Gogh's lead poisoning and as he got closer and closer to his death his paintings were more and more distorted from reality. Cubism-Picasso geometric shapes and masked prostitutes. Picasso dehumanizes his subjects Portraying women as either goddesses or doormats. The core of MOMA's collection is on the building's fourth and fifth floors.(ENY p. 39).
After looking at all the interesting different types of art we were all ready for lunch. We walked to Hells's Kitchen for some free Thai food! No one knows for certain where the name "Hell's Kitchen" came from, but the name stuck, because the neighborhood was historically one of the poorest, most squalid, and most crime-ridden in 19th century New York)ENY p. 39).
We ate at Yum Yum, I had dumplings and fried rice. I know I played it safe and should have been more adventurous but that would have to wait fir another day.
With our belly's full, and we headed for the subway, #1 train. Mike in his excitement got us of the train at 96th Street for a long stroll to The Cathedral of St John the Divine, where we met our tour guide Jim Mackin. Jim is retired from his job in finance and lives with his wife, who is the dean of Nursing at Beth Israel Nursing School. He was very interesting and knew so much, not just about Morningside Heights but all the boroughs as well. I got his business card and hope to take a tour with him again someday. He first told us about the Signet house that was behind where we were sitting, Elton John had his 60th birthday there and cast party for Harry Potter movies. We were sitting in front of the Peace Fountain that was created by Greg Wyatt to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Episcopalian Diocese of New York(ENY p. 82). He is one of the many artist in residence maintaining the Cathedral. It is an unfinished cathedral and has been growing continuously since construction began in 1892. Construction was halted during World War II(ENY p. 82). They actually had to create a school on site in order to teach the art of sculpturing. Jim told us that he himself just found out that the dome in the Cathedral is the largest dome in the United States. It is still considered one of the largest Cathedrals in the world by volume. There is no steel holding up the walls it is completely made of stone. The Cathedral was built in response to the completion of the monumental St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1879, which made the Episcopalian establishment concerned about not having a dignified cathedral of their own in Manhattan(ENY p. 81).
The cathedral was glorious in height and had the most beautiful stained-glass windows. There were many different chapels within the cathedral along the sides. The dome ceiling was so high I could not see it! There was an Asian artwork being displayed in the center of the Cathedral. It was very colorful.
We left the Cathedral and made a left on 114th Street to the entrance of Columbia University. The entrance is a small set of stairs that take you into the 36 acre campus(ENY p. 83). It was really a sight to see. I felt like I was not in New York. Columbia University is the first college established in New York State and the fifth in the United State(ENY p. 83). The first structure built on campus, the neoclassical library was modeled by McKim on the Pantheon in Rome(ENY p.83-84). We exited the campus and headed west along 116th Street to Riverside Park, one of only five designated scenic landmarks in New York City(ENY p. 85). From 1875-1910 the park was developed as an English pastoral style garden according to the original designs of Fredrick Law Olmsted(ENY p. 85).
We crossed Riverside Drive West to General Grant NAtional Memorial. Ulysses S. Grant was commander of the Union Army during the Civil war and President of the United State from 1869-1877( ENY p. 85). We went inside Grants Tomb, where he and his wife are laid to rest. It was grand with marble stair cases and amazing portrayals of moments of Grants' life in history, including the surrender by Robert E. Lee to Grant in 1865. John Duncan was the architect who designed the tomb.Ny City fought to have him buried here. Grant, the Mayor at the time( no relation) wanted him buried in Central Park but his son picked this place. We sat on the steps of the memorial where Mike gave us a verbal quiz about all the sites we have seen so far. Everyone that got an answer correct got a number and the person with the most numbers wins the "lucky" bracelet from East Harlem. I was tied with Joe, the history major, but got the last question correct, winning the bracelet. I need to keep it on for a year. I hope I will be lucky enough to secure a great grade in this class!
We looked at the outside of Riverside Church , which is the tallest church in the United States(ENY p. 85). This Gothic Revival Church was built in 1927 by the architectural firm of Alens, Pelton, and Collins with funds donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr(ENY p. 85).We walked heading east ton 120th Street to Morningside Park, the natural dividing line between Morningside Heights and Harlem(ENY p. 86). The park sits on a cliff made up of Manhattan Schist and came into existence because it was deemed too expensive to extend the street grid across such steep terrain.You could really get the sense of how high up you were by the view around you.We walked down a long flight of stairs which put us in Harlem.
We saw a ten foot tall statue of harriet Tubman, who was a former slave and risked her life numerous times to free slaves using the underground railroad. My daughter, in sixth grade was Harriet Tubman for a school project called living legends. She had to dress up and speak as if she was Harriet herself. I remember it well. I was excited to go home and tell her about the statue.
Harlem was originally established as the Dutch community of Nieuw Haarlem by Peter Stuyvesant in 1658 and named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands(ENY p. 87). By the late 1800's and construction of the elevated train lines Harlem had become one of the most exclusive residential areas in Manhattan, filled with fashionable rowhouses that were typically occupied by the large families of affluent white Protestants and their live-in servants(ENY p. 88). I liked the quietness of the neighborhood and once again we saw many stoops. The sidewalks seem wider in Harlem and water bottles are a lot cheaper than they are in Midtown! As we walked along 125th Street you really got to see the people of the community going about their everyday lives. It was a busy place with lots of shops and people. Across the street was the famous Apollo Theater where so many artist made names for themselves. There were a group of men playing bongo drums in front of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, they were pretty good! Mike and Damien went for some authentic soul food and the rest of us headed downtown via the 1/2/3 train to Penn Station. It was a full but educating day!
7. Lower MAnhattan
As I was getting on the LIRR, I realized how comfortable I was getting with this commute and, other than the heat, I will be sad when it is over. I made my way to Penn and met the class as usual. Because of the train schedule, I always arrive around ten o'clock giving me some time to people watch. Viben and I are usually the first ones to arrive. When everyone was there we headed to the E train to the World Trade Center Stop.
We exited the train and immediately I felt a different vibe. Yes, there were tourists sight seeing but there were also family members of those who perished in the attack on 9/11/01. You could tell. It was on there faces. We stopped in front of St. Paul's Church, which was built in 1764. It was here before the Twin Towers and was here after.Some might say by "divine intervention" was not damaged on that terrible day. It stood and still stands today directly across from the 1 World Trade. It was saved from debree and rubble from the Towers collapse by a tree that stood in front of it. The story still gives me goose bumps. When something as terrible as 9/11 happens it is powerful to see an indescribable act such as this. It gives hope to the hopeless. St. Paul's opened its doors on the days and weeks following this attack to the men and women, firefighters and lay people alike, that were working at ground zero. They provide beds and what I thought was most important, they provided communion. I remember everything about that awful day. Being in that church and seeing those photos brought back emotions I had not felt in a long time. I will never forget that day.
When St Paul's Church was built, this area was residential, a community, a parish. It was not full of tall buildings. One exciting piece of information we learned was that George Washington himself went to services at this church. His pew in which he sat is on display in the Church. This Church in understated for today's time, but when thinking back trying to imagine what it may have been like it is pretty spectacular. Completed in 1766, this is New York's only intact pre-revolutionary War Church. It is also the oldest surviving church in Manhattan as well as the oldest building in continuous use in New York City(ENY p.46).
Our next stop was a look at the Woolworth Building. Woolworth was the founder of a successful chain of 5 and 10 stores that still bear his name( ENY p. 46). When he as looking to build his headquarters he wanted to be able to see it from the Brooklyn Bridge. This neo-gothic style building was designed by Cass Golbert and was the tallest building in New York for 17 years until the Chrysler Building was completed in 1930(ENY p. 46).
We made our way to City Hall, the oldest in the country. It was formed in 1898, with the consolidation of the City. This is actually New York's third City Hall. The first was built by the Dutch in the 17th century on Pearl Street; the second was built in 1700 on Wall Street(and eventually became Federal Hall) (ENY p. 40). The front of the building created with marble and Limestone is a majestic site, while the rear of the building in brownstone. When City Hall was erected it faced what was all of Manhattan. There was forest and marsh behind it. No one ever thought they would possibly go beyond it. The area around City Hall in Lower Manhattan has become known as the Civic Center, primarily because the neighborhood houses most of the cities government offices(ENY p.40).
We made our way to the Tweed Court House and had a "classroom" session. Built between 1861-1881, the Italian-Style courthouse was designed by two of New York's most prominent 19th century architects-John Kellum and Leopold Eidlitz and has been called "one of the city's grandest and most important civic monuments" by the New York Landmark's Preservation Commission(ENY p. 45). We discussed the Irish famine of the 1840's and how the English "starved" the Irish by not giving them the means to survive. Damien also told us about the author Jonathan Swift who, in the 1700's wrote the modest proposal in which he recommends the English help the poor/hungry Irish by eating there young! Tweed was one of New York's corrupt politicians of his time. Tweed came to control the Tammany Hall political machine that ran New York in the late 19th century(ENY p. 45). From 1866-1871, members of the saw called "Tweed Ring" essentially controlled all city spending, diverting obscenely large amounts of public funds into their own pockets( ENY p.45). His corrupt activities were soon made public by cartoonist, Thomas Nast. Tweed was tried and convicted in his own courthouse in1873( ENY p. 47). He was thrown in jail and died there. We actually saw the very jail( Ludlow) in which he died when we were on our tour of HArlem with Jim, it is now a Seward high school(just another type of jail!).
We stopped at the intersections formerly known as the five points. There is absolutely no remains of the five points area from the 1800's. It was such a vial place that the authorities of that time believed there was no means of rehabilitation for the area and it needed to be destroyed. The one good thing that came out of five points was dance forms were combined here yielding us tap and jazz.
We went to the African Burial ground Museum. This is a museum dedicated to the African slaves and their loved ones that were buried under this ground in the 1800's. No one knew that these graves existed until 1991 when construction work began on a federal project and the remains were found. The African-American community fought for the rights of these remains and the importance of respecting the dead and to create this monument to forever acknowledge this horrible time in history. Many politicians wanted to ignore the remains and continue on with construction. It is this kind of behavior that can never be tolerated. We saw a short film reenacting the death of a slave and the process the slave community went through to bury their dead. It was very moving.
We went to Trinity Church where a bronze sculpture the roots of the sycamore tree that protected St. Paul's Church is on display in the courtyard(ENY p. 50). We also saw in the graveyard, the grave site of Alexander Hamilton and his wife Eliza. It was a quaint little graveyard that people almost were mistaking for a park and allowing their children to run around in.
We headed for a four o'clock ferry to Governor's Island. It was a quick ride, about 5 minutes and we were there. We walked through Fort Jay and then saw Castle Williams and we were lucky enough to get a tour of the prison cells by Emily, the park ranger. It was very hot but trying to imagine it without heat in the winter was almost worse! Once we were done with the prison we were given time to wonder on our own. I was looking forward to riding the bikes Mike told us about but when we got there we were no longer able to rent the bikes because it was too late. Lavern and I found the hammocks and relaxed until it was time to get back on ferry. I think it would have been nice if I was able to rent the bike and see more of the island. Once back in lower Manhattan we took the 1 train back to Penn and I headed home.
We exited the train and immediately I felt a different vibe. Yes, there were tourists sight seeing but there were also family members of those who perished in the attack on 9/11/01. You could tell. It was on there faces. We stopped in front of St. Paul's Church, which was built in 1764. It was here before the Twin Towers and was here after.Some might say by "divine intervention" was not damaged on that terrible day. It stood and still stands today directly across from the 1 World Trade. It was saved from debree and rubble from the Towers collapse by a tree that stood in front of it. The story still gives me goose bumps. When something as terrible as 9/11 happens it is powerful to see an indescribable act such as this. It gives hope to the hopeless. St. Paul's opened its doors on the days and weeks following this attack to the men and women, firefighters and lay people alike, that were working at ground zero. They provide beds and what I thought was most important, they provided communion. I remember everything about that awful day. Being in that church and seeing those photos brought back emotions I had not felt in a long time. I will never forget that day.
When St Paul's Church was built, this area was residential, a community, a parish. It was not full of tall buildings. One exciting piece of information we learned was that George Washington himself went to services at this church. His pew in which he sat is on display in the Church. This Church in understated for today's time, but when thinking back trying to imagine what it may have been like it is pretty spectacular. Completed in 1766, this is New York's only intact pre-revolutionary War Church. It is also the oldest surviving church in Manhattan as well as the oldest building in continuous use in New York City(ENY p.46).
Our next stop was a look at the Woolworth Building. Woolworth was the founder of a successful chain of 5 and 10 stores that still bear his name( ENY p. 46). When he as looking to build his headquarters he wanted to be able to see it from the Brooklyn Bridge. This neo-gothic style building was designed by Cass Golbert and was the tallest building in New York for 17 years until the Chrysler Building was completed in 1930(ENY p. 46).
We made our way to City Hall, the oldest in the country. It was formed in 1898, with the consolidation of the City. This is actually New York's third City Hall. The first was built by the Dutch in the 17th century on Pearl Street; the second was built in 1700 on Wall Street(and eventually became Federal Hall) (ENY p. 40). The front of the building created with marble and Limestone is a majestic site, while the rear of the building in brownstone. When City Hall was erected it faced what was all of Manhattan. There was forest and marsh behind it. No one ever thought they would possibly go beyond it. The area around City Hall in Lower Manhattan has become known as the Civic Center, primarily because the neighborhood houses most of the cities government offices(ENY p.40).
We made our way to the Tweed Court House and had a "classroom" session. Built between 1861-1881, the Italian-Style courthouse was designed by two of New York's most prominent 19th century architects-John Kellum and Leopold Eidlitz and has been called "one of the city's grandest and most important civic monuments" by the New York Landmark's Preservation Commission(ENY p. 45). We discussed the Irish famine of the 1840's and how the English "starved" the Irish by not giving them the means to survive. Damien also told us about the author Jonathan Swift who, in the 1700's wrote the modest proposal in which he recommends the English help the poor/hungry Irish by eating there young! Tweed was one of New York's corrupt politicians of his time. Tweed came to control the Tammany Hall political machine that ran New York in the late 19th century(ENY p. 45). From 1866-1871, members of the saw called "Tweed Ring" essentially controlled all city spending, diverting obscenely large amounts of public funds into their own pockets( ENY p.45). His corrupt activities were soon made public by cartoonist, Thomas Nast. Tweed was tried and convicted in his own courthouse in1873( ENY p. 47). He was thrown in jail and died there. We actually saw the very jail( Ludlow) in which he died when we were on our tour of HArlem with Jim, it is now a Seward high school(just another type of jail!).
We stopped at the intersections formerly known as the five points. There is absolutely no remains of the five points area from the 1800's. It was such a vial place that the authorities of that time believed there was no means of rehabilitation for the area and it needed to be destroyed. The one good thing that came out of five points was dance forms were combined here yielding us tap and jazz.
We went to the African Burial ground Museum. This is a museum dedicated to the African slaves and their loved ones that were buried under this ground in the 1800's. No one knew that these graves existed until 1991 when construction work began on a federal project and the remains were found. The African-American community fought for the rights of these remains and the importance of respecting the dead and to create this monument to forever acknowledge this horrible time in history. Many politicians wanted to ignore the remains and continue on with construction. It is this kind of behavior that can never be tolerated. We saw a short film reenacting the death of a slave and the process the slave community went through to bury their dead. It was very moving.
We went to Trinity Church where a bronze sculpture the roots of the sycamore tree that protected St. Paul's Church is on display in the courtyard(ENY p. 50). We also saw in the graveyard, the grave site of Alexander Hamilton and his wife Eliza. It was a quaint little graveyard that people almost were mistaking for a park and allowing their children to run around in.
We headed for a four o'clock ferry to Governor's Island. It was a quick ride, about 5 minutes and we were there. We walked through Fort Jay and then saw Castle Williams and we were lucky enough to get a tour of the prison cells by Emily, the park ranger. It was very hot but trying to imagine it without heat in the winter was almost worse! Once we were done with the prison we were given time to wonder on our own. I was looking forward to riding the bikes Mike told us about but when we got there we were no longer able to rent the bikes because it was too late. Lavern and I found the hammocks and relaxed until it was time to get back on ferry. I think it would have been nice if I was able to rent the bike and see more of the island. Once back in lower Manhattan we took the 1 train back to Penn and I headed home.
8. Immigrant New York/Lower East side & chinatown
Well today is our last class. We met at our usual spot in Penn Station. Mike told us the day before that we would be going to for Bialys this morning to Kossar's Bialys. We walked to the F train and took it to Delancey Street Station. We got off and we saw on the corner of Essex and Delancey the Essex Street market. Mike told us about how people use to come with pushcarts and sell there merchandises. When Fiorello Laguardia became Mayor in 1933 he was determined to eliminate all pushcart markets because they clogged the streets and created unsanitary conditions(ENY p.67). Instead he had markets like this one on Essex Street created where goods could be sold and banned all pushcarts from the streets of the Lower East Side(ENY p. 67). We then walked to Kossar's. MIke took our orders for bagels and bialys. I had an onion bialy and I didn't think it was that good. Also, it claimed to be there since 1936, but I would think the recipe has changed over the years. We went to Seward park to eat. It is the first public park in NYC. It was named after William Seward, Governor of New York from1839-1842(ENY p.69). Mike told us about how the Ashkenazi Jewish people came to this area, fleeing religious persecution they came and settled here. By 1900, the Lower Eastside of Manhattan had the dubious distinction of being the most densely populated place in the world-with more inhabitants per acre at the time than even Boombay, India(ENY p. 66). Mike told us that the Williamsburg Bridge was known as Jews Highway. We saw many different Churches that were converted to synagogues and Visa-versa. We saw the tenement houses. We saw the signs of gentrification happening. Jim told us the large modern blue building we first saw when we got off the train was designed by the dean of architecture from Columbia University and the apartments in there were going for as high as $15,000,000. Jim, our tour guide and he was telling us how this area use to be farmland belonging to Stuyvesant and Delancey. He told us that James Delancey was not on the side of the colonist but was a loyalist to King George lll. The third farm was called Rutger's farm. Strauss Square use to be called Rutger's square but was renamed Strauss Square after Nathan Strauss, one of the brothers that owned A&S and Macy's. He was known for making pasteurized milk and for opening libraries to children. The library that is there today usually has a line around the block in the morning to get in.
Jim told us in 1867, they past the first tenement law that stated if you had twenty or more people in a building you had to provide running water and an escape ladder in case of a fire. 1879, the "dumbbell" tenement law was passed. It meant the building had to be built in the shape of a dumbbell in order to provide light and air into the courtyard in between the building. Unfortunately, these areas served as a place for people to throw their garbage out and it filled the streets with trash. In 1901 was the next tenement law that stated every apartment had to have running cold water. This seems unimaginable in todays world and often we take this for granted. I think it is so important to understand how the first New Yorkers' survived and learned from their mistakes and tried so hard to make things better for the future.
Jim took us in front of the Henry Street Settlement where Liilan Wald, a nurse,lived in the here among the community, creating public health nursing; bringing nursing into the community. The idea of the settlement was to help people settle into their community. 1940, VNS of New York was started. It was such a revolutionary idea and I could not imagine what patient care would be like today if we didn't have visiting nurses.
We walked along and came to St Mary's Church which is the third oldest in the city. We walked through a park where, similar to East Harlem, the men in the community were congregating on benches, people were playing in the park. We saw, only from the outside, Eldridge Street Synagogue. It was an impressive sight and Jim encouraged us to come back and go inside that they are very welcoming to visitors. We had reservations for Lunch in Chinatown and were on a schedule. As we walked we saw a dead rat! Now we've experienced NY! We continued walking. Jim joined us for lunch at Congee Village for Chinese food. Mike ordered for us. Everything was delicious! I just don't remember the names of what I ate. The vegetables were great, the restaurant was neat. The decor was authentic Chinese. Viben is now done with Molloy College! He told us about how he went to high school in India but did his senior year here. He really didn't like it, he had to take four years of regents in one year! I wish him well as I do to all my classmates. It was nice to be in a class with people with different majors and hear their stories.
Gotham July 2014, farewell!
Jim told us in 1867, they past the first tenement law that stated if you had twenty or more people in a building you had to provide running water and an escape ladder in case of a fire. 1879, the "dumbbell" tenement law was passed. It meant the building had to be built in the shape of a dumbbell in order to provide light and air into the courtyard in between the building. Unfortunately, these areas served as a place for people to throw their garbage out and it filled the streets with trash. In 1901 was the next tenement law that stated every apartment had to have running cold water. This seems unimaginable in todays world and often we take this for granted. I think it is so important to understand how the first New Yorkers' survived and learned from their mistakes and tried so hard to make things better for the future.
Jim took us in front of the Henry Street Settlement where Liilan Wald, a nurse,lived in the here among the community, creating public health nursing; bringing nursing into the community. The idea of the settlement was to help people settle into their community. 1940, VNS of New York was started. It was such a revolutionary idea and I could not imagine what patient care would be like today if we didn't have visiting nurses.
We walked along and came to St Mary's Church which is the third oldest in the city. We walked through a park where, similar to East Harlem, the men in the community were congregating on benches, people were playing in the park. We saw, only from the outside, Eldridge Street Synagogue. It was an impressive sight and Jim encouraged us to come back and go inside that they are very welcoming to visitors. We had reservations for Lunch in Chinatown and were on a schedule. As we walked we saw a dead rat! Now we've experienced NY! We continued walking. Jim joined us for lunch at Congee Village for Chinese food. Mike ordered for us. Everything was delicious! I just don't remember the names of what I ate. The vegetables were great, the restaurant was neat. The decor was authentic Chinese. Viben is now done with Molloy College! He told us about how he went to high school in India but did his senior year here. He really didn't like it, he had to take four years of regents in one year! I wish him well as I do to all my classmates. It was nice to be in a class with people with different majors and hear their stories.
Gotham July 2014, farewell!
9. Impressions
I really enjoyed this class, heat and all. I saw places I would never have ventured to on my own, but now I feel comfortable going on an adventure to some of the sights we were not able to see. I loved Brooklyn, I don't know if it is because it was the least familiar to me and so pleasantly surprising! I enjoyed the sense of community in the people of East Harlem and Chinatown. It is that sense of community that I think makes these neighborhoods so rich with heritage. I feel like I know more about the subway system and have ridden on lines that I had no idea where they went. I will never forget the things I learned.