5. The Eastside
Our 4th class began the usual way at Penn Station, gathering for a quick chat about our plans for the day. Hearing that we were headed to Central Park definitely made me excited to start the day. So then we went on our way, first grabbing the E train to Lexington and 53rd and then transferring to the 6 for 103rd street in East Harlem. We stood at the corner (across from the very place where I would later that day have the best taco ever!!!) and spoke about East Harlem and all that is stands for. Originally, this was a mainly rural area until the creation of the elevated train service in 1880, allowing the area to further develop with the construction of apartment buildings and immigration of many people (ENY, pg. 162). These individuals consisted of Germans, Irish, Scandinavians, and Eastern Europeans, with a large population of Italians taking over the area at one point. Later, an influx of immigrants would come to the area from Puerto Rico, giving East Harlem a new title of “El Barrio” and making it mainly centered on Latino culture (ENY, pg. 162). Although these individuals brought a distinctive new culture to the area, the development of large housing projects led to a great increase in crime because many people were then living together in poverty, causing chaos for the East Harlem area (ENY, pg. 162). Because of this, the area became one of the most dangerous sections of New York City in the 1960’s and 1970’s. However, the El Barrio community has undergone a lot of change in recent years with gentrification starting in the late 1990’s, improving the area to be a better place. However, with this gentrification comes the concern that perhaps El Barrio will lose its cultural uniqueness with the influx of new, non-Latino individuals.
We walked past the Carver Houses, “a housing project of 13 buildings that was created for low income residents of the neighborhood and completed in 1958” (ENY, pg. 162). We learned that these projects were made to get people out of the tenements and put them in a cleaner, more modern high-rise style housing. However, pushing all of the poverty level people into one area caused high crime rates, as previously mentioned, which caused many problems for East Harlem. Also, we stopped at the statue of Alexander Hamilton to briefly discuss his connection with the area, in relation to the capital originally being in New York City. After our short walk, we came upon our destination- the Museum of the City of New York. Both the exterior and interior of the building were beautiful, with the entryway sparkling with hanging lights, a magnificent marble staircase, and a unique window on the far wall. The museum displays “changing exhibitions focused on the history of New York City, ‘especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation’” (ENY, pg. 162). The thing that first caught my eye was the stairwell, as strange as that sounds. The walls were covered with inspirational and historical quotes about the city and it’s influences, also incorporating old black and white images. Not to mention, the marble stairs, which slippery or not, were beautiful. We caught a viewing of the documentary the museum has on a loop, called “Timescapes,” which “provides an engaging multimedia history of New York City” (ENY, pg. 163). I really enjoyed all 22 minutes of this film from the early history to the current image. It had a great way of visually delivering the history that allowed me to better understand all that occurred and really seemed to hit all the major events that turned the city into what it is today. For me, one of the most impressionable moments of the film was the quote that touched on the idea that it is a city of colossal wealth and haggard poverty that showed the best and worst of America. I really felt that this was such an accurate depiction of New York City in such a simple form. Next, we went to the second floor where we viewed some beautiful paintings that captured the city throughout different points in time, and then we made our way into the Tiffany & Co Foundation Gallery. This room was filled with old Tiffany and Co jewels and antiques that I definitely enjoyed viewing. I would love to revisit that museum and spend more time there sometime soon.
We walked a block along Fifth Avenue and arrived at El Museo del Barrio, which 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, pg. 163). We had a quick break so I got a much needed coffee while we waited for our tour guide, Luke. Also in this time we decided to try for a group picture and asked for assistance from a lady sitting close by. We got more than we bargained for. This lady had us all cracking up as she played the role of a professional photographer trying to get a perfect picture. After the photo fiasco, Luke came out and we circled up to say our names and listen to his introduction, which was fantastic. Luke is one of those people who just naturally exert positivity and knowledge on all people that he encounters. The first poem that he recited immediately captivated me and really got me thinking about the issues that he touched upon, which is exactly what he was going for I assume. I really like the way he wanted us to be involved with what he was saying and said that he would be depending on us to engage in conversation with him throughout the duration of the tour, rather than him just throwing out facts about the area. He really wanted us to learn and use our minds.
Down 104th street we took a pit stop to discuss the different things we passed on the street. Something so simple like the men sitting on the street corner talking had so much meaning to it, which Luke helped us discover. This specific situation showed the way that the public spaces in East Harlem were a picture of intergeneration and a sense of community that not all areas possess anymore. I loved the way that Luke stopped and just started chatting about the area with the people sitting eating their lunch in the park, and it really made me wish that life could still be that way for everyone, everywhere. As we made our way to our next location, we passed and area on a street that was filled with different writings and hand made art, which were all intended to be inspiration for the people of the community and an emotional outlet for it’s people. This is something that my community definitely lacks. We continued our walk and entered the Modesto “Tin” Flores Garden, a community garden for the residents of East Harlem to enjoy. In this space there are multiple displays of unique artwork that all hold an important meaning. The first, an outdoor fountain called “Seed of Growth,” symbolizes a woman’s fallopian tubes (sounds strange right?) and “celebrates the strength and diversity of women” (ENY, pg. 164). Another piece of artwork that we spoke about in great detail was the mural located on the far wall of the park, called “Soldaderas.” This piece was created in 2011 by Yasmin Hernandez and shows a Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, and a Puerto Rican poet, Julia de Burgos, holdings hands with their cultures’ flags waving behind them. The mural was designed to symbolize the “struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of East Harlem and the ties that bind theses two communities together” (ENY, pg. 164). Luke helped us understand all of the different aspects of the painting and all of the meanings they hold. I found it so interesting that one mural could have so much meaning and history behind it. This specific garden seemed to be a powerful representation of the celebration of women and their unification in this community, with the colorful and funky art being quite intriguing all on its own.
Two more important and symbolic murals that we viewed on our tour of East Harlem were the mural dedicated to Revered Pedro Pietri, where Luke read us some powerful words by Pietri himself, and the large “Spirit of East Harlem” mural. The latter was located on the corner of Lexington and 104th street and was a enormous portrayal of life in the 1970’s. It showed different inhabitants of the Latino community, their influences on the area, and how they enjoyed their lives (ENY, pg. 165). This was one of my favorite pieces of artwork that we saw because it seemed to be such a great display of what the area was originally made up of. The display of public art strewn around EL Barrio is captivating and fulfilling in more ways than one. Finally, our last stop on our East Harlem tour with Luke was to Justo Botanica, a family run shop since 1954, serving the public with old-fashioned remedies (herbals). The owner explained that it was a place where people of all races and nationalities came for prosperity and hope through spiritual health. As a believer in nature and all that it offers, I found this place to be really interesting and also inspiring. It was a great display of what El Barrio is all about in regards to strong cultural influences.
Now, let me tell you about the best lunch, EVER. We had our choice of some of the very best Caribbean, Mexican, and Puerto Rican restaurants so it was really hard to choose. But the second I heard tacos, I was all for it… and thank gosh. By far, the best tacos I’ve ever had were at the very little spot of El Aguila. GO GO GO. I have never been happier than when I was eating that carnitas taco (maybe a slight exaggeration, but not entirely). I have no shame in saying that those tacos were definitely the best part of my day.
The second half of our day was spent exploring the entirety of one of the world’s most famous green spaces, Central Park. It was explained that “Large-scale recreational areas, like Central Park, provide those who dwell in densely populated cities with oases of tranquil green space that help take some of the harsh edges off urban living” (ENY, pg. 149). I found this sentence to be a perfect summary of central park. In the mid 1800’s, the population in New York City had increased tremendously, making the need for a different space very apparent. The New York Legislature bought 700 acres to create the park and the landscape design was chosen through a competition. The winners of this competition were Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux with their plan called the “Greensward Plan” (ENY, pg. 149). The entirely manmade landscape consisted of expansive and naturalistic green space, sunken transverse roads to accommodate city traffic, roads for horse carriages carrying people, 36 bridges, and much more. The park was completed by 1873 and was a great success, however, by the early 20th century, things started to go bad in the park. The park was in a state of neglect and decay, so Robert Moses was hired to be in charge of all the cities parks, with his main priority being the restoration of Central Park (ENY, pg. 150). Again, after Robert Moses left office, the park became neglected and wound up a place of frequent crime and vandalism. As a result, the Central Park Conservancy was established in 1980 to restore the park once again (ENY, pg. 150). Luckily, the park regained its success and remains an icon of New York City until this day.
Our tour of Central Park began at the Vanderbilt Gates on Fifth Avenue at 105th street, which serve as a beautiful entryway to the park. They were build in Paris in 1894 and were first located at the Vanderbilt Mansion on Fifth Avenue and 58th street, but were later donated to the City of New York (ENY, pg. 150). The gates lead to the Conservatory Garden, a 6-acre space containing 3 different gardens, including the English, French, and Italian styles. The garden was created in 1937 for the purpose of providing unemployed New Yorkers with jobs through the Works Project Administration during the times of the great Depression (ENY, pg. 151). Not only am I a huge fan of parks, but gardens are my ultimate favorite. I could spend hours walking around conservatories and I would be completely content, so this part of the day was exciting for me. Walking over to the English Garden to see the Francis Hodges Burnett Memorial Fountain, we strolled beneath a trellis type structure covered with shrubbery and limbs of trees intertwining around the sides. It was magical. And also, it was exactly like what I pictured my future wedding location to look like. One day.
We were then faced with a decision to make. We had the choice of going to the Metropolitan Museum, or taking a long walking tour of Central Park. We of course, without hesitation, opted for the leisurely stroll through the park, because who wouldn’t with that perfect weather? We continued our walk and made it to the Central Park Reservoir. The views of the reservoir are outstanding and unlike any other of the city. Again, I felt myself needing to take it all in for a few moments because it was overwhelming. This city seems to do that to me quite often. The reservoir itself is 40 feet deep, holds over 1 billion gallons of water, and was built in the 1860s as a temporary water supply for the city that lasted for 131 years (ENY, pg. 151). I’m surprised to say it, but I was absolutely feeling jealous of all the people jogging around the reservoir on such a beautiful day. Had I been wearing my running clothes, I probably would have taken off and met you guys back at Penn Station.
We eventually came upon the lower end of Central Park, where there were still tons of sights to be seen. We learned that the Egyptian Obelisk is the oldest monument in the entire city, dating back 3500 years. As a gesture, “the Khedive of Egypt gave the obelisk to the City of New York in 1881 to facilitate good will and improved trade between Egypt and the United States” (ENY, pg. 153). Currently, the structure is undergoing renovation to help preserve the exterior since it has been continuously damaged by New York’s harsh weather. The next sight was Belvedere Castle, which Mike says is the most beautiful structure of the park. It was designed by Olmstead and Vaux, the creators of the park. It was built in 1869 out of schist from the park itself and is the second highest elevation in the park, now standing as a visitor’s center (ENY, pg. 154).
The Ramble, a 38-acre “wild garden,” contains winding trails with water weaving in and out and is enjoyed by many everyday. Through here we came upon the Boat Pond, “a ‘naturalistic’ water lily pond” (ENY, pg. 154). A fun fact is that this was the pond used in the film Stuart Little, which was a favorite of mine as a little girl. It appeared to be straight out of a storybook watching the couples glide on the water in the rowboats. It definitely looks like an ideal date spot. We strolled alongside bikers and joggers and made our way through the park over to Central Park West and 72nd street, where the Strawberry Fields memorial is located for John Lennon. He was famous for being apart of the Beatles and a peace activist and was shot down in front of his home in the Dakota Hotel directly across from the park on December 8th, 1980 (ENY, pg. 156). The memorial is “a meditative environment centered upon a circular black and white tile mosaic bearing the title of one of Lennon’s most inspiring songs, ‘Imagine’” (ENY, pg. 156). You can feel the emotion that runs through each fan, embracing in the significance of the memorial of the late John Lennon and I was glad to finally experience this after hearing about it all of my life. Our last stop of the day was Bethesda Terrace leading to the Central Park Lake, this area being known as the heart of Central Park. In the middle is a large fountain with a statue, the Angel of the Waters, which was supposed to be blessing the Pool of Bethesda. Beneath her are four cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Peace, and Health (ENY, pg. 155). Bethesda Terrace is beautiful, meaningful, and full of life and entertainment every day. We enjoyed watching a ballerina prancing around gracefully, fathers and sons fishing, and men making balloon animals. It was a great ending to a lovely afternoon in the park.
There’s just something so special about walking through Central Park with all of the greenery that surrounds you and the views of the skyscrapers rising from above the trees. So to end our day we walked a few more blocks down (because why quit now right?), across Sheep’s Meadow (which is a spot right out of a movie!), and made it back to Penn just in time to grab an ice cream cone and a spot on train. It was a beautiful and fun day. See you next week, New York City.
Our 4th class began the usual way at Penn Station, gathering for a quick chat about our plans for the day. Hearing that we were headed to Central Park definitely made me excited to start the day. So then we went on our way, first grabbing the E train to Lexington and 53rd and then transferring to the 6 for 103rd street in East Harlem. We stood at the corner (across from the very place where I would later that day have the best taco ever!!!) and spoke about East Harlem and all that is stands for. Originally, this was a mainly rural area until the creation of the elevated train service in 1880, allowing the area to further develop with the construction of apartment buildings and immigration of many people (ENY, pg. 162). These individuals consisted of Germans, Irish, Scandinavians, and Eastern Europeans, with a large population of Italians taking over the area at one point. Later, an influx of immigrants would come to the area from Puerto Rico, giving East Harlem a new title of “El Barrio” and making it mainly centered on Latino culture (ENY, pg. 162). Although these individuals brought a distinctive new culture to the area, the development of large housing projects led to a great increase in crime because many people were then living together in poverty, causing chaos for the East Harlem area (ENY, pg. 162). Because of this, the area became one of the most dangerous sections of New York City in the 1960’s and 1970’s. However, the El Barrio community has undergone a lot of change in recent years with gentrification starting in the late 1990’s, improving the area to be a better place. However, with this gentrification comes the concern that perhaps El Barrio will lose its cultural uniqueness with the influx of new, non-Latino individuals.
We walked past the Carver Houses, “a housing project of 13 buildings that was created for low income residents of the neighborhood and completed in 1958” (ENY, pg. 162). We learned that these projects were made to get people out of the tenements and put them in a cleaner, more modern high-rise style housing. However, pushing all of the poverty level people into one area caused high crime rates, as previously mentioned, which caused many problems for East Harlem. Also, we stopped at the statue of Alexander Hamilton to briefly discuss his connection with the area, in relation to the capital originally being in New York City. After our short walk, we came upon our destination- the Museum of the City of New York. Both the exterior and interior of the building were beautiful, with the entryway sparkling with hanging lights, a magnificent marble staircase, and a unique window on the far wall. The museum displays “changing exhibitions focused on the history of New York City, ‘especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation’” (ENY, pg. 162). The thing that first caught my eye was the stairwell, as strange as that sounds. The walls were covered with inspirational and historical quotes about the city and it’s influences, also incorporating old black and white images. Not to mention, the marble stairs, which slippery or not, were beautiful. We caught a viewing of the documentary the museum has on a loop, called “Timescapes,” which “provides an engaging multimedia history of New York City” (ENY, pg. 163). I really enjoyed all 22 minutes of this film from the early history to the current image. It had a great way of visually delivering the history that allowed me to better understand all that occurred and really seemed to hit all the major events that turned the city into what it is today. For me, one of the most impressionable moments of the film was the quote that touched on the idea that it is a city of colossal wealth and haggard poverty that showed the best and worst of America. I really felt that this was such an accurate depiction of New York City in such a simple form. Next, we went to the second floor where we viewed some beautiful paintings that captured the city throughout different points in time, and then we made our way into the Tiffany & Co Foundation Gallery. This room was filled with old Tiffany and Co jewels and antiques that I definitely enjoyed viewing. I would love to revisit that museum and spend more time there sometime soon.
We walked a block along Fifth Avenue and arrived at El Museo del Barrio, which 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, pg. 163). We had a quick break so I got a much needed coffee while we waited for our tour guide, Luke. Also in this time we decided to try for a group picture and asked for assistance from a lady sitting close by. We got more than we bargained for. This lady had us all cracking up as she played the role of a professional photographer trying to get a perfect picture. After the photo fiasco, Luke came out and we circled up to say our names and listen to his introduction, which was fantastic. Luke is one of those people who just naturally exert positivity and knowledge on all people that he encounters. The first poem that he recited immediately captivated me and really got me thinking about the issues that he touched upon, which is exactly what he was going for I assume. I really like the way he wanted us to be involved with what he was saying and said that he would be depending on us to engage in conversation with him throughout the duration of the tour, rather than him just throwing out facts about the area. He really wanted us to learn and use our minds.
Down 104th street we took a pit stop to discuss the different things we passed on the street. Something so simple like the men sitting on the street corner talking had so much meaning to it, which Luke helped us discover. This specific situation showed the way that the public spaces in East Harlem were a picture of intergeneration and a sense of community that not all areas possess anymore. I loved the way that Luke stopped and just started chatting about the area with the people sitting eating their lunch in the park, and it really made me wish that life could still be that way for everyone, everywhere. As we made our way to our next location, we passed and area on a street that was filled with different writings and hand made art, which were all intended to be inspiration for the people of the community and an emotional outlet for it’s people. This is something that my community definitely lacks. We continued our walk and entered the Modesto “Tin” Flores Garden, a community garden for the residents of East Harlem to enjoy. In this space there are multiple displays of unique artwork that all hold an important meaning. The first, an outdoor fountain called “Seed of Growth,” symbolizes a woman’s fallopian tubes (sounds strange right?) and “celebrates the strength and diversity of women” (ENY, pg. 164). Another piece of artwork that we spoke about in great detail was the mural located on the far wall of the park, called “Soldaderas.” This piece was created in 2011 by Yasmin Hernandez and shows a Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, and a Puerto Rican poet, Julia de Burgos, holdings hands with their cultures’ flags waving behind them. The mural was designed to symbolize the “struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of East Harlem and the ties that bind theses two communities together” (ENY, pg. 164). Luke helped us understand all of the different aspects of the painting and all of the meanings they hold. I found it so interesting that one mural could have so much meaning and history behind it. This specific garden seemed to be a powerful representation of the celebration of women and their unification in this community, with the colorful and funky art being quite intriguing all on its own.
Two more important and symbolic murals that we viewed on our tour of East Harlem were the mural dedicated to Revered Pedro Pietri, where Luke read us some powerful words by Pietri himself, and the large “Spirit of East Harlem” mural. The latter was located on the corner of Lexington and 104th street and was a enormous portrayal of life in the 1970’s. It showed different inhabitants of the Latino community, their influences on the area, and how they enjoyed their lives (ENY, pg. 165). This was one of my favorite pieces of artwork that we saw because it seemed to be such a great display of what the area was originally made up of. The display of public art strewn around EL Barrio is captivating and fulfilling in more ways than one. Finally, our last stop on our East Harlem tour with Luke was to Justo Botanica, a family run shop since 1954, serving the public with old-fashioned remedies (herbals). The owner explained that it was a place where people of all races and nationalities came for prosperity and hope through spiritual health. As a believer in nature and all that it offers, I found this place to be really interesting and also inspiring. It was a great display of what El Barrio is all about in regards to strong cultural influences.
Now, let me tell you about the best lunch, EVER. We had our choice of some of the very best Caribbean, Mexican, and Puerto Rican restaurants so it was really hard to choose. But the second I heard tacos, I was all for it… and thank gosh. By far, the best tacos I’ve ever had were at the very little spot of El Aguila. GO GO GO. I have never been happier than when I was eating that carnitas taco (maybe a slight exaggeration, but not entirely). I have no shame in saying that those tacos were definitely the best part of my day.
The second half of our day was spent exploring the entirety of one of the world’s most famous green spaces, Central Park. It was explained that “Large-scale recreational areas, like Central Park, provide those who dwell in densely populated cities with oases of tranquil green space that help take some of the harsh edges off urban living” (ENY, pg. 149). I found this sentence to be a perfect summary of central park. In the mid 1800’s, the population in New York City had increased tremendously, making the need for a different space very apparent. The New York Legislature bought 700 acres to create the park and the landscape design was chosen through a competition. The winners of this competition were Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux with their plan called the “Greensward Plan” (ENY, pg. 149). The entirely manmade landscape consisted of expansive and naturalistic green space, sunken transverse roads to accommodate city traffic, roads for horse carriages carrying people, 36 bridges, and much more. The park was completed by 1873 and was a great success, however, by the early 20th century, things started to go bad in the park. The park was in a state of neglect and decay, so Robert Moses was hired to be in charge of all the cities parks, with his main priority being the restoration of Central Park (ENY, pg. 150). Again, after Robert Moses left office, the park became neglected and wound up a place of frequent crime and vandalism. As a result, the Central Park Conservancy was established in 1980 to restore the park once again (ENY, pg. 150). Luckily, the park regained its success and remains an icon of New York City until this day.
Our tour of Central Park began at the Vanderbilt Gates on Fifth Avenue at 105th street, which serve as a beautiful entryway to the park. They were build in Paris in 1894 and were first located at the Vanderbilt Mansion on Fifth Avenue and 58th street, but were later donated to the City of New York (ENY, pg. 150). The gates lead to the Conservatory Garden, a 6-acre space containing 3 different gardens, including the English, French, and Italian styles. The garden was created in 1937 for the purpose of providing unemployed New Yorkers with jobs through the Works Project Administration during the times of the great Depression (ENY, pg. 151). Not only am I a huge fan of parks, but gardens are my ultimate favorite. I could spend hours walking around conservatories and I would be completely content, so this part of the day was exciting for me. Walking over to the English Garden to see the Francis Hodges Burnett Memorial Fountain, we strolled beneath a trellis type structure covered with shrubbery and limbs of trees intertwining around the sides. It was magical. And also, it was exactly like what I pictured my future wedding location to look like. One day.
We were then faced with a decision to make. We had the choice of going to the Metropolitan Museum, or taking a long walking tour of Central Park. We of course, without hesitation, opted for the leisurely stroll through the park, because who wouldn’t with that perfect weather? We continued our walk and made it to the Central Park Reservoir. The views of the reservoir are outstanding and unlike any other of the city. Again, I felt myself needing to take it all in for a few moments because it was overwhelming. This city seems to do that to me quite often. The reservoir itself is 40 feet deep, holds over 1 billion gallons of water, and was built in the 1860s as a temporary water supply for the city that lasted for 131 years (ENY, pg. 151). I’m surprised to say it, but I was absolutely feeling jealous of all the people jogging around the reservoir on such a beautiful day. Had I been wearing my running clothes, I probably would have taken off and met you guys back at Penn Station.
We eventually came upon the lower end of Central Park, where there were still tons of sights to be seen. We learned that the Egyptian Obelisk is the oldest monument in the entire city, dating back 3500 years. As a gesture, “the Khedive of Egypt gave the obelisk to the City of New York in 1881 to facilitate good will and improved trade between Egypt and the United States” (ENY, pg. 153). Currently, the structure is undergoing renovation to help preserve the exterior since it has been continuously damaged by New York’s harsh weather. The next sight was Belvedere Castle, which Mike says is the most beautiful structure of the park. It was designed by Olmstead and Vaux, the creators of the park. It was built in 1869 out of schist from the park itself and is the second highest elevation in the park, now standing as a visitor’s center (ENY, pg. 154).
The Ramble, a 38-acre “wild garden,” contains winding trails with water weaving in and out and is enjoyed by many everyday. Through here we came upon the Boat Pond, “a ‘naturalistic’ water lily pond” (ENY, pg. 154). A fun fact is that this was the pond used in the film Stuart Little, which was a favorite of mine as a little girl. It appeared to be straight out of a storybook watching the couples glide on the water in the rowboats. It definitely looks like an ideal date spot. We strolled alongside bikers and joggers and made our way through the park over to Central Park West and 72nd street, where the Strawberry Fields memorial is located for John Lennon. He was famous for being apart of the Beatles and a peace activist and was shot down in front of his home in the Dakota Hotel directly across from the park on December 8th, 1980 (ENY, pg. 156). The memorial is “a meditative environment centered upon a circular black and white tile mosaic bearing the title of one of Lennon’s most inspiring songs, ‘Imagine’” (ENY, pg. 156). You can feel the emotion that runs through each fan, embracing in the significance of the memorial of the late John Lennon and I was glad to finally experience this after hearing about it all of my life. Our last stop of the day was Bethesda Terrace leading to the Central Park Lake, this area being known as the heart of Central Park. In the middle is a large fountain with a statue, the Angel of the Waters, which was supposed to be blessing the Pool of Bethesda. Beneath her are four cherubs representing Temperance, Purity, Peace, and Health (ENY, pg. 155). Bethesda Terrace is beautiful, meaningful, and full of life and entertainment every day. We enjoyed watching a ballerina prancing around gracefully, fathers and sons fishing, and men making balloon animals. It was a great ending to a lovely afternoon in the park.
There’s just something so special about walking through Central Park with all of the greenery that surrounds you and the views of the skyscrapers rising from above the trees. So to end our day we walked a few more blocks down (because why quit now right?), across Sheep’s Meadow (which is a spot right out of a movie!), and made it back to Penn just in time to grab an ice cream cone and a spot on train. It was a beautiful and fun day. See you next week, New York City.
6. The Westside
This week was our 5th class (already??) and the weather was stunning. I mean 70 degrees in October with a bright warm sun? I’ll take it, gladly. I munched on a delicious bagel in Penn Station as we gathered around to listen to an overview of our day before we headed to the subways. We jumped on the E train, transferring to the 6 to get uptown, where we then got off to make our way to Fifth Avenue. We exited the subway and I instantly loved the atmosphere. The buildings were gorgeous, the streets were quaint and clean, and it just felt so peaceful in that area. That must be why it’s so dang expensive to live in the Upper East Side, but hey, a girl can dream right? So we made our way over to Fifth Ave and walked up to East 70th street, where the Frick Museum was located.
I had never heard of this place prior to visiting it this week so I was interested in what would be inside. I was hoping to take a tour of an elegant mansion from the very early years of New York City, which is half of what I got, however, I did not anticipate that it was mainly a museum for displaying artwork from earlier centuries. As an individual who is not intrigued by artwork, especially the historical kind, I wasn’t too enthused, but still I followed along, listening and learning. We divided into two groups and began the tours with our guides who would lead and educated us. We first entered the Garden Court, located in the center of the home, which I immediately loved. I am a sucker for anything floral, green, or water. And inside of someone’s home? Sign me up! Here we discussed that the home, Beaux-Art in style, was owned by Henry Clay Frick. He was originally from Pittsburgh and first moved into the Vanderbilt house on Fifth Avenue before making this Gilded Age mansion his permanent residence in 1914. The home was designed by Thomas Hastings of Carrere and Hastings. Although Mr. Frick only lived a short 5 years in this house, his wife remained here until her death, when it was then turned into the Museum that we visited, with the collection officially opening to the public in 1935. His vision for the Gilded Age mansion was simplicity, which seems very confusing when you take the tour and see the extensive detail from floor to ceiling. We entered the large dining room, which was utilized as an eating space for large dinner parties or for the family privately. In this room we viewed 2 different paintings of women by Thomas Gainsborough, created in the 18th century. We compared the two, discussing what they each represent while our tour guide looked to us to participate, which made it a bit more interesting.
Next, we moved into the “after dinner room” for the women. In here were many paintings of the ever so popular cherub set in different scenes. Here we spoke about a few different paintings and looked into the message behind them, which personally, I had trouble really seeing. However, I did enjoy the delicate quality that these paintings possessed. Next, we went next door to the “after dinner room” for the men, which definitely had a more masculine feel, with the art work being a bit more harsh and serious. There was a beautiful, large fireplace in the room, a couch that faced it, a wall of windows looking out to Fifth Avenue, and ceilings that Mr. Frick wanted to keep as simple. However, they were far from it! Nothing in that house was simple, but I felt that that was the beauty of it. The last room that we spent time wandering through was the Great West Gallery that displays numerous works of Mr. Frick’s art collection. As many of the other paintings throughout the house, these were of the Western European culture dating from hundreds of years ago. The floors and walls were covered in dark green velvet, the ceilings were high with skylights, and the moldings were exquisite, displaying layer upon layer of carved wood design. The piece that seemed to be of most importance was a work by Jan Vermeer created in 1667, called the Mistress and Maid. The work of art pictured what seemed to be maid handing something to another lady, who seemed to be caught off guard or curious. We stood for a moment and looked at the image, gathering our own thoughts, before discussing all together the possibilities for what the artist was trying to portray in the piece. It was definitely interesting to see how much meaning was believed to be behind seemingly simple paintings.
The tour concluded in this Great West Gallery, which was designed for the home with the sole purpose of showcasing Mr. Frick’s extensive art collection in an exceptional an impressive way. The countless works of art in the Museum, dating back from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century, provided us with a lot to look at. I must admit that I was not too fond of the Frick Museum. Although I like experiencing new things as we do in this class, I’m not a fan of art, which is what this revolved around. I did however enjoy the architectural aspects of the Frick home. Also just a side note… boo for no pictures inside of the Museum (except for the garden, which to be honest, was the best thing about it to me anyways!).
We exited the museum and entered Central Park from Fifth Ave on the Upper East Side. We crossed through the park, passing countless runners, tourists taking horse and carriage rides, and even some bands out performing on this beautiful Friday afternoon. I never mind walking if it’s through that wonderful park! So we came out on the other side to Central Park West where we continued walking through the streets until we came to Broadway. Lincoln Center was right in front of us so we made a pit stop, of course. Surrounding the pretty fountain in the center were a few different buildings including: Avery Fisher Hall, the home of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera House, and the David H. Koch Theatre, home to the New York City Ballet. Clearly, we were in the heart of New York City’s performance center where some of the world’s most talented artists perform each day. I personally have always wanted to attend a Ballet performance and wouldn’t mind going to a glamorous night at the Opera House, either. We stepped inside of the latter and got a quick taste of the red velvet carpets cascading down the double staircase, following the path up the many levels of the building. In my head I imagined what the inside of the theatre might look like. In the middle of the stairs was an odd chandelier hanging high from above. It looked like a winter piece to me and I definitely wasn’t a huge fan of it, like most.
After Lincoln Center, the walk to lunch continued through the Upper West Side, making our way down to the Hell’s Kitchen area in Midtown West. We walked for about an hour until we finally reached our lunch destination (which I didn’t mind because it built up my appetite after eating that whole bagel a few hours before) at Yum Yum. The restaurant was tiny and had exposed brick walls, which I LOVE. Each of us diligently looked through the meals and I tried to help some of my friends that weren’t so familiar with Thai food. It all sounded delicious to me… decisions, decisions. I ultimately chose the Thai salad with peanut sauce as an appetizer, ginger chicken, and a nice cold coke. I enjoyed it a lot, but was definitely experiencing some fatigue after eating so I ran with Mayra, and I mean actually ran, down to the corner to get a quick iced coffee. We moved so fast that we didn’t even have time to drool over the delicious desserts inside of Amy’s, but the coffee was worth the tease (can you tell by now that I’m addicted to caffeine?).
After leaving lunch we continued walking through Hell’s Kitchen, which hold’s a lot of history that’s unrelated to food, which I found surprising! Hell’s Kitchen is the area located between 34th and 59th streets from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. It is currently home to upscale apartments, young professionals, and a multitude of delicious international restaurants due to gentrification (ENY, pg. 122). Before this however, in the mid 19th century, the area was a large colonial-era farm that transitioned into becoming more industrial, which attracted immigrants looking for employment. With the influx of immigrants, tenements were created to provide housing for these people. As this occurred, the area became congested and dangerous, getting overrun by gangs and organized crime in the mid 20the century. The new immigrants from Puerto Rico often caused chaos with the older Irish and Italians from the area. Here’s a fun fact- the violence from these opposing groups as actually the inspiration for the West Side Story musical (ENY, pg. 122). Luckily now, Hell’s Kitchen is going increasing popularity as many people may look to live here, or even just come for some great cuisine.
We made our way into Midtown, getting a quick glimpse of Time Square with all it’s Billboards, lights, and shops, as we descended down into the subway. We exited the subway and met our tour guide who was really nice and super informative. He gave us a brief overview of Harlem, which is located just north of Central Park. It is perfectly described in the book as “an eclectic ethnic melting pot, and intensively spiritual place of churches and mosques, an example of urban blight and racial conflict, the place where jazz became a distinctive American form of music, and the soul of African-American culture in the United Sates” (ENY, pg. 173). The area was originally established in 1658 as a Dutch community and was named after Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, during the time of Washington in 1776, the British army burned Harlem to the ground, although it would soon be rebuilt (ENY, pg. 174). In it’s early days around 1800, the area was mainly rural with many large farming estates belonging to Dutch descendants. This section of the city was located so far away from the main areas of lower Manhattan that only options to get there were steamboat or stagecoach, making it unappealing to developers. Luckily, in 1851, the New York and Harlem Railroad began service from lower Manhattan and Westchester Country to Harlem. Additionally, the elevated rail lines soon extended through Harlem along 2nd, 3rd, and 8th Avenues by 1880. With these advances came the desire to develop the Harlem area through the creation of beautiful apartments buildings and row houses, changing Harlem into one of the most exclusive residential areas of the city (ENY, pg. 174).
Things began to change in Harlem when in a 1904 real estate crash landlords were desperate and began to rent to middle class black families who were fleeing from discrimination in other areas of the city and in the South. By 1930 the black population of Harlem was 70%. Soon, Harlem became the cultural capital of black America with the creation of the Harlem Renaissance, “a period which saw the flowering of black music, literature, art, and political thought” (ENY, pg. 175). During this time, jazz music took over Harlem, black literature portrayed African-American experience in the form of poetry and fiction, and much more. The Harlem Renaissance ended around the time of the Great Depression due to unemployment, unfixable housing conditions, and violent crime. Local leaders came about around this time. For example, Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Jr became known as Harlem’s first African-American congressman and Malcolm X, a figure who supported the idea of direct confrontation as the most effective way to improve life for black Americans (ENY, pg. 176). In the late 20th century, Harlem got a break and began to experience a sort of comeback with developments funds being given to the area, 125th Street’s revitalization, and improvements in the area’s infrastructure. Also, gentrification really helped the area became the desirable hotspot that it is today (ENY, pg. 176).
Our tour began down Lenox Avenue, also called Malcolm X Blvd, in front of Harlem Hospital. The buildings is home to the first featured mirror mural wall, our tour guide informed us. The outside of the hospital is one large mural, however, from inside the people see straight out as if it were just a normal glass window. This is such a creative and fun idea that is definitely unique to this hospital. He explained that the mural was an image that goes along with the theme of Harlem, and that the image portrayed a Duke Ellington type character. I definitely enjoyed this combination of artwork and architecture. We turned onto West 137th Street and stopped at the Mother AME Zion Church, between Lenox and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. The red doors, Gothic Revival style, and Manhattan Schist stone blocks on the exterior of the church immediately caught my eye. This church dates back to 1796, making it the oldest black church in New York State! It was designed by George E. Foster Jr., one of New York’s first black architects, and served as a freedom church during the years before the Civil War (ENY, pg. 180). Around the corner we came to the Renaissance Ballroom, which was first built in 1924 and served as an important musical venue. Although currently the building is in unfortunate condition, there are still remnants of the pretty exterior with mosaic tiles along the top of the building. There are plans to restore it and utilize it as a social hall and community space (ENY, pg. 180).
We continued on, soon coming to Striver’s Row, which is a section of 130 homes on West 138th and 139th Streets, developed by David H. King between 1891 and 1893. These rowhouses were intentionally designed to look different, which was accomplished by having three architectural firms work separately on different sections. The houses are described as having “sophisticated architectural details, elegant woodwork, and modern amenities that were uncommon at the time for middle class housing” (ENY, pg. 181). The homes had trouble selling but eventually were purchased mostly by leaders in the black community, which is where the term “strivers” comes from. The houses were elegant and beautiful, while also being so rich looking in architectural design. Down the streets there were giant trees that hung overhead, bishop’s crook lampposts, and lighter brick coloring that stood out from other rowhouses in the city. As we stood on the corner of West 139th Street, we got a wonderful view of Shepherd Hall, a building that is part of the CUNY school. The building is based upon English gothic cathedrals style and has Manhattan Schist married with white terra cotta, making it extra appealing to the eye (ENY, pg. 184).
Next, we were onto the Harlem Walk of Fame, located on 135th street. The strip has multiple bronze plaques that are set in the ground, their purpose being to “honor great African-Americans who have made notable contributions in music, science, the arts, and public service” (ENY, pg. 183). I felt like I was in Hollywood! Although many are names I’ve only vaguely heard of, they were of upmost importance and definitely had a great influence on the Harlem area. Some of the plaques that we stopped to look at were those of Ella Fitzgerald, Marcus Garven, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X, and Billie Holiday. As we made it to the end of the walk of fame, a guy on a bike with a music box passed us and I felt it was so representative of my vision of the culture here in Harlem. The end of the day approached as we walked toward 125th street, which we learned was the real “heart of Harlem.” It was definitely evident that this area was more commercial rather than residential. We headed down this Street toward the subway and got such a look at the culture here in such a short amount of time. There were drummers and dancers on the corner, street vendors on every side walk selling authentic African dress, and much more. It was a perfect way to end a day in Harlem. We grabbed a subway straight back to Penn Station and so ends our 5th class. See you next week!
This week was our 5th class (already??) and the weather was stunning. I mean 70 degrees in October with a bright warm sun? I’ll take it, gladly. I munched on a delicious bagel in Penn Station as we gathered around to listen to an overview of our day before we headed to the subways. We jumped on the E train, transferring to the 6 to get uptown, where we then got off to make our way to Fifth Avenue. We exited the subway and I instantly loved the atmosphere. The buildings were gorgeous, the streets were quaint and clean, and it just felt so peaceful in that area. That must be why it’s so dang expensive to live in the Upper East Side, but hey, a girl can dream right? So we made our way over to Fifth Ave and walked up to East 70th street, where the Frick Museum was located.
I had never heard of this place prior to visiting it this week so I was interested in what would be inside. I was hoping to take a tour of an elegant mansion from the very early years of New York City, which is half of what I got, however, I did not anticipate that it was mainly a museum for displaying artwork from earlier centuries. As an individual who is not intrigued by artwork, especially the historical kind, I wasn’t too enthused, but still I followed along, listening and learning. We divided into two groups and began the tours with our guides who would lead and educated us. We first entered the Garden Court, located in the center of the home, which I immediately loved. I am a sucker for anything floral, green, or water. And inside of someone’s home? Sign me up! Here we discussed that the home, Beaux-Art in style, was owned by Henry Clay Frick. He was originally from Pittsburgh and first moved into the Vanderbilt house on Fifth Avenue before making this Gilded Age mansion his permanent residence in 1914. The home was designed by Thomas Hastings of Carrere and Hastings. Although Mr. Frick only lived a short 5 years in this house, his wife remained here until her death, when it was then turned into the Museum that we visited, with the collection officially opening to the public in 1935. His vision for the Gilded Age mansion was simplicity, which seems very confusing when you take the tour and see the extensive detail from floor to ceiling. We entered the large dining room, which was utilized as an eating space for large dinner parties or for the family privately. In this room we viewed 2 different paintings of women by Thomas Gainsborough, created in the 18th century. We compared the two, discussing what they each represent while our tour guide looked to us to participate, which made it a bit more interesting.
Next, we moved into the “after dinner room” for the women. In here were many paintings of the ever so popular cherub set in different scenes. Here we spoke about a few different paintings and looked into the message behind them, which personally, I had trouble really seeing. However, I did enjoy the delicate quality that these paintings possessed. Next, we went next door to the “after dinner room” for the men, which definitely had a more masculine feel, with the art work being a bit more harsh and serious. There was a beautiful, large fireplace in the room, a couch that faced it, a wall of windows looking out to Fifth Avenue, and ceilings that Mr. Frick wanted to keep as simple. However, they were far from it! Nothing in that house was simple, but I felt that that was the beauty of it. The last room that we spent time wandering through was the Great West Gallery that displays numerous works of Mr. Frick’s art collection. As many of the other paintings throughout the house, these were of the Western European culture dating from hundreds of years ago. The floors and walls were covered in dark green velvet, the ceilings were high with skylights, and the moldings were exquisite, displaying layer upon layer of carved wood design. The piece that seemed to be of most importance was a work by Jan Vermeer created in 1667, called the Mistress and Maid. The work of art pictured what seemed to be maid handing something to another lady, who seemed to be caught off guard or curious. We stood for a moment and looked at the image, gathering our own thoughts, before discussing all together the possibilities for what the artist was trying to portray in the piece. It was definitely interesting to see how much meaning was believed to be behind seemingly simple paintings.
The tour concluded in this Great West Gallery, which was designed for the home with the sole purpose of showcasing Mr. Frick’s extensive art collection in an exceptional an impressive way. The countless works of art in the Museum, dating back from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century, provided us with a lot to look at. I must admit that I was not too fond of the Frick Museum. Although I like experiencing new things as we do in this class, I’m not a fan of art, which is what this revolved around. I did however enjoy the architectural aspects of the Frick home. Also just a side note… boo for no pictures inside of the Museum (except for the garden, which to be honest, was the best thing about it to me anyways!).
We exited the museum and entered Central Park from Fifth Ave on the Upper East Side. We crossed through the park, passing countless runners, tourists taking horse and carriage rides, and even some bands out performing on this beautiful Friday afternoon. I never mind walking if it’s through that wonderful park! So we came out on the other side to Central Park West where we continued walking through the streets until we came to Broadway. Lincoln Center was right in front of us so we made a pit stop, of course. Surrounding the pretty fountain in the center were a few different buildings including: Avery Fisher Hall, the home of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera House, and the David H. Koch Theatre, home to the New York City Ballet. Clearly, we were in the heart of New York City’s performance center where some of the world’s most talented artists perform each day. I personally have always wanted to attend a Ballet performance and wouldn’t mind going to a glamorous night at the Opera House, either. We stepped inside of the latter and got a quick taste of the red velvet carpets cascading down the double staircase, following the path up the many levels of the building. In my head I imagined what the inside of the theatre might look like. In the middle of the stairs was an odd chandelier hanging high from above. It looked like a winter piece to me and I definitely wasn’t a huge fan of it, like most.
After Lincoln Center, the walk to lunch continued through the Upper West Side, making our way down to the Hell’s Kitchen area in Midtown West. We walked for about an hour until we finally reached our lunch destination (which I didn’t mind because it built up my appetite after eating that whole bagel a few hours before) at Yum Yum. The restaurant was tiny and had exposed brick walls, which I LOVE. Each of us diligently looked through the meals and I tried to help some of my friends that weren’t so familiar with Thai food. It all sounded delicious to me… decisions, decisions. I ultimately chose the Thai salad with peanut sauce as an appetizer, ginger chicken, and a nice cold coke. I enjoyed it a lot, but was definitely experiencing some fatigue after eating so I ran with Mayra, and I mean actually ran, down to the corner to get a quick iced coffee. We moved so fast that we didn’t even have time to drool over the delicious desserts inside of Amy’s, but the coffee was worth the tease (can you tell by now that I’m addicted to caffeine?).
After leaving lunch we continued walking through Hell’s Kitchen, which hold’s a lot of history that’s unrelated to food, which I found surprising! Hell’s Kitchen is the area located between 34th and 59th streets from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. It is currently home to upscale apartments, young professionals, and a multitude of delicious international restaurants due to gentrification (ENY, pg. 122). Before this however, in the mid 19th century, the area was a large colonial-era farm that transitioned into becoming more industrial, which attracted immigrants looking for employment. With the influx of immigrants, tenements were created to provide housing for these people. As this occurred, the area became congested and dangerous, getting overrun by gangs and organized crime in the mid 20the century. The new immigrants from Puerto Rico often caused chaos with the older Irish and Italians from the area. Here’s a fun fact- the violence from these opposing groups as actually the inspiration for the West Side Story musical (ENY, pg. 122). Luckily now, Hell’s Kitchen is going increasing popularity as many people may look to live here, or even just come for some great cuisine.
We made our way into Midtown, getting a quick glimpse of Time Square with all it’s Billboards, lights, and shops, as we descended down into the subway. We exited the subway and met our tour guide who was really nice and super informative. He gave us a brief overview of Harlem, which is located just north of Central Park. It is perfectly described in the book as “an eclectic ethnic melting pot, and intensively spiritual place of churches and mosques, an example of urban blight and racial conflict, the place where jazz became a distinctive American form of music, and the soul of African-American culture in the United Sates” (ENY, pg. 173). The area was originally established in 1658 as a Dutch community and was named after Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, during the time of Washington in 1776, the British army burned Harlem to the ground, although it would soon be rebuilt (ENY, pg. 174). In it’s early days around 1800, the area was mainly rural with many large farming estates belonging to Dutch descendants. This section of the city was located so far away from the main areas of lower Manhattan that only options to get there were steamboat or stagecoach, making it unappealing to developers. Luckily, in 1851, the New York and Harlem Railroad began service from lower Manhattan and Westchester Country to Harlem. Additionally, the elevated rail lines soon extended through Harlem along 2nd, 3rd, and 8th Avenues by 1880. With these advances came the desire to develop the Harlem area through the creation of beautiful apartments buildings and row houses, changing Harlem into one of the most exclusive residential areas of the city (ENY, pg. 174).
Things began to change in Harlem when in a 1904 real estate crash landlords were desperate and began to rent to middle class black families who were fleeing from discrimination in other areas of the city and in the South. By 1930 the black population of Harlem was 70%. Soon, Harlem became the cultural capital of black America with the creation of the Harlem Renaissance, “a period which saw the flowering of black music, literature, art, and political thought” (ENY, pg. 175). During this time, jazz music took over Harlem, black literature portrayed African-American experience in the form of poetry and fiction, and much more. The Harlem Renaissance ended around the time of the Great Depression due to unemployment, unfixable housing conditions, and violent crime. Local leaders came about around this time. For example, Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Jr became known as Harlem’s first African-American congressman and Malcolm X, a figure who supported the idea of direct confrontation as the most effective way to improve life for black Americans (ENY, pg. 176). In the late 20th century, Harlem got a break and began to experience a sort of comeback with developments funds being given to the area, 125th Street’s revitalization, and improvements in the area’s infrastructure. Also, gentrification really helped the area became the desirable hotspot that it is today (ENY, pg. 176).
Our tour began down Lenox Avenue, also called Malcolm X Blvd, in front of Harlem Hospital. The buildings is home to the first featured mirror mural wall, our tour guide informed us. The outside of the hospital is one large mural, however, from inside the people see straight out as if it were just a normal glass window. This is such a creative and fun idea that is definitely unique to this hospital. He explained that the mural was an image that goes along with the theme of Harlem, and that the image portrayed a Duke Ellington type character. I definitely enjoyed this combination of artwork and architecture. We turned onto West 137th Street and stopped at the Mother AME Zion Church, between Lenox and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. The red doors, Gothic Revival style, and Manhattan Schist stone blocks on the exterior of the church immediately caught my eye. This church dates back to 1796, making it the oldest black church in New York State! It was designed by George E. Foster Jr., one of New York’s first black architects, and served as a freedom church during the years before the Civil War (ENY, pg. 180). Around the corner we came to the Renaissance Ballroom, which was first built in 1924 and served as an important musical venue. Although currently the building is in unfortunate condition, there are still remnants of the pretty exterior with mosaic tiles along the top of the building. There are plans to restore it and utilize it as a social hall and community space (ENY, pg. 180).
We continued on, soon coming to Striver’s Row, which is a section of 130 homes on West 138th and 139th Streets, developed by David H. King between 1891 and 1893. These rowhouses were intentionally designed to look different, which was accomplished by having three architectural firms work separately on different sections. The houses are described as having “sophisticated architectural details, elegant woodwork, and modern amenities that were uncommon at the time for middle class housing” (ENY, pg. 181). The homes had trouble selling but eventually were purchased mostly by leaders in the black community, which is where the term “strivers” comes from. The houses were elegant and beautiful, while also being so rich looking in architectural design. Down the streets there were giant trees that hung overhead, bishop’s crook lampposts, and lighter brick coloring that stood out from other rowhouses in the city. As we stood on the corner of West 139th Street, we got a wonderful view of Shepherd Hall, a building that is part of the CUNY school. The building is based upon English gothic cathedrals style and has Manhattan Schist married with white terra cotta, making it extra appealing to the eye (ENY, pg. 184).
Next, we were onto the Harlem Walk of Fame, located on 135th street. The strip has multiple bronze plaques that are set in the ground, their purpose being to “honor great African-Americans who have made notable contributions in music, science, the arts, and public service” (ENY, pg. 183). I felt like I was in Hollywood! Although many are names I’ve only vaguely heard of, they were of upmost importance and definitely had a great influence on the Harlem area. Some of the plaques that we stopped to look at were those of Ella Fitzgerald, Marcus Garven, Langston Hughes, Malcolm X, and Billie Holiday. As we made it to the end of the walk of fame, a guy on a bike with a music box passed us and I felt it was so representative of my vision of the culture here in Harlem. The end of the day approached as we walked toward 125th street, which we learned was the real “heart of Harlem.” It was definitely evident that this area was more commercial rather than residential. We headed down this Street toward the subway and got such a look at the culture here in such a short amount of time. There were drummers and dancers on the corner, street vendors on every side walk selling authentic African dress, and much more. It was a perfect way to end a day in Harlem. We grabbed a subway straight back to Penn Station and so ends our 5th class. See you next week!
7. Life in Lower Manhattan
For our second to last class, we spent the day exploring Lower Manhattan, the center of business and government in the city. This southernmost section of New York City was originally established by the Dutch in 1624, who had then referred to it as Nieuw Amsterdam (ENY, pg. 39). It was not only the first great melting-pot in the country, but it more importantly served as the Capital from 1785-1790. In the years to come, Lower Manhattan would become a major financial district with the popularity on Wall Street, and home to many of the world’s largest corporations, which would be housed in skyscrapers all over the area (ENY, pg. 39). This section of Manhattan is not one I had been familiar with before today’s class, so I was excited to experience the hustle and bustle of the whole business world that lived here. I got to Penn Station after a hectic and interesting ride on the LIRR (it was Comic Con, enough said). We gathered, chatted quickly about the plans for the day as usual, and then headed for the subway. The day started off on a good note with a nice live steel drum performance on the platform. Who doesn’t love those classic New York City subway/street performers? I was sad to go when the 3 train arrived. But, we got on and took the subway three stops to Park Place, where we exited and had our first pit stop. It was the Woolworth building, which would actually remain in our sights for the rest of the day, pretty much. This building was created as a corporate headquarters for F.W. Woolworth’s successful chain of 5 and 10-cent stores. The neo-Gothic style building, with influences of medieval cathedrals from France, was the creation of a man named Cass Gilbert. It was competed in 1913 and stood as the second tallest building in the world and the first tallest in New York City until the creation of the Chrysler Building in 1930 (ENY, pg. 46). It is said that the lobby is one of the most spectacular in the city, but unfortunately it is now closed to the public so we didn’t get to see it. However, I could only imagine its beauty based on the elegance and charm of the exterior, which can be seen from all over Lower Manhattan, something I really enjoyed about the building. Additionally, a large arch with intricate detailed carvings surrounded the entrance of the building. It was both beautiful and fascinating.
We got to the gates of City Hall Park, which was one of the most elegant parks I’ve seen in New York City. The combination of the water fountain, stacked lampposts, greenery, and view of the enormous Municipal Building above the trees gave it a kind of classy feeling as I walked through from one side to the other. We walked passed a group of people laughing and having a great time with the always-popular New York City street performers as we got to our next spot. The Municipal Building was constructed between 1907 and 1914 by Mike’s favorite architectural firm, McKim, Mead, and White, and is currently home to thirteen municipal agencies o the City of New York (ENY, pg. 42). We learned that it was initially created because “when the five boroughs joined together to form the greater City of New York in 1898, it soon became apparent that more room was needed to house the city’s numerous governmental agencies” (ENY, pg. 42). Many different influences were combined to create the Beaux-art style and to give the building such a unique and distinct look, including: Roman, Italian Renaissance, and Classical styles (ENY, pg. 42). The building had to have sufficed in regards to needing more space, because it is huge! It’s one of the buildings that make me really feel how large some of the structures in this city are. And it’s not only about the height of this building, because 40 stories isn’t nearly as tall as some of New York’s other buildings, but the magnitude of the structure as a whole is massive. At the highest point of the building stands the third largest statue in the city, which is of a 20-foot woman holding a five-pointed crown, symbolizing the five boroughs (ENY, pg. 43).
Next, we headed a short ways down Centre Street until we hit Foley Square, where multiple courthouses area located. It took me a few minutes to understand which one was which, because hello… why are there so many buildings so close to each other that look a like and serve similar purposes? I don’t get it! But anyway, we sat on the steps of The Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, located at 40 Foley Square. This building was Neoclassical in style and has floral like Corinthian Columns like so many of the buildings in the area, which I loved (remember, I love floral everything). The courthouse was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building, and was completed by his son in 1936 (ENY, pg. 43). While sitting on the steps, Mike informed us on the history behind the fountain, called “Triumph of the Human Spirit,” and statue that stood in the middle of Foley Square. The 50-foot tall granite monument was “inspired by African art and symbolizes the journey that African slaves took across the Atlantic- appropriate given that at one time this area was home to a massive African burial ground” (ENY, pg. 43). Sounds a little creepy right? Well, more on that later when we visit the museum. A second Neoclassical style courthouse stands just north of the first, which is home to the New York State Supreme Court. This building is covered with granite on all sides, is dominated by a Corinthian style colonnade, and is topped with a traditional frieze, which has a quote from George Washington inscribed just below it (ENY, pg. 44). Mike explained to us that the building was supposed to be much larger, however, they ran out of funds and had to cut it down in size. I laughed at this because how does that even happen? I guess someone didn’t follow the budget correctly. Woops! P.S., this class is definitely good for seeing newly married couples on their wedding day, because we saw two more couples standing on the steps of the courthouses taking picture following their nuptials, which makes probably about 10 couples all together throughout the class thus far!
We departed Foley Square and made a right down Chambers Street to head to our third Courthouse of the hour. Fun stuff, I tell you (not really, but interesting stuff I suppose). The Tweed Courthouse was the original idea of the notorious William “Boss” Tweed, a corrupt politician from the 19th century. Today, the Italianate-style building with Corinthian columns is utilized as the headquarters for the New York City Department of Education, however, there is a long tumultuous history behind it. It seemed that he was always up to no good, but in this specific instance, it was said that he appropriated $14 million to build this courthouse, pocketing $10 million himself (ENY, pg. 46)! In 1872 when the public discovered what he had done through cartoons made by Thomas Nast, he was sent to trial in the unfinished courthouse. Work then stopped from 1872-1876 due to his conviction, but it was finally completed in 1881. So back to my confusion about the courthouses that all look alike… if I wanted to elope next week, which courthouse do I go to??? I’ll have to google it.
Our next stop of the day was to the New York City Hall, which sits right in front of the Brooklyn Bridge in the heart of the Civic Center. We arrived to the gates and lined up to go in 10 at a time for a security check. This was very serious business, clearly. We all gathered in front of the building and met our tour guide, Gail. I think it’s safe to say that Gail knew more about the history of City Hall than I know about any one subject. So obviously, she was an excellent tour guide. This building, which was actually the third city hall built, was created by Frenchman Joseph Francoise Mangin, who was inspired by the French Renaissance, in 1811 and holds the record for the oldest city hall in the United States (ENY, pg. 40). I found the building to be very stately and simple, without being overly simple. Standing outside we learned about so much of the history behind the building and even things that came before it. Gail informed us that on July 9th, 1776, George Washington stood right where we were and was first read the Declaration of Independence which I thought was really amazing, even though I’m not exactly a history buff. I enjoyed the story about the New York Times building that sat directly behind us and how she said the people of the city would gather each day to wait for the paper boys to come out shouting the news headlines. I liked that I could just see that happening, and it seems so historical in a simple way. Additionally, Gail informed us that it is symbolic for groups to come to the steps of City Hall and protest on different issues, and how it is their way of making a statement, audience or no audience. Actually, while we were there, a group called Harlem Mothers was on the steps holding sings, yelling chants, and recording a video about their cause. It was exciting to get to witness something like that, even if it was on a smaller scale.
We entered the building and it was exquisite! I was completely astounded by the beauty of the inside of this structure. Can I have that as my office to go to everyday, please? What I really wanted to do was stand by the front entrance the whole time to wait and see if Mayor De Blasio would walk out for his lunch break, but I felt funny to ask permission. So, I proceeded with the rest of the group on our tour of the inside. As you stepped inside, you “find yourself in the building rotunda, standing beneath City Hall’s coffered dome supported by ten Corinthian columns” (ENY, pg. 41). The omega shaped stairway was lovely with its solid marble steps, dark iron railings, and the chandeliers hanging from above. I could have stood there all day gawking at its beauty. We went into the room where the City Council holds their meetings and learned about the many things they are involved in, and then moved into the Governors room. This space is now utilized as an official reception room and houses historic furniture, including the desks of George Washington and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, and many large portraits of notable 19th century citizens (ENY, pg. 41). Everything from the dome, to the window treatments, to the paintings on the walls was beautiful and full of history. I definitely feel grateful for getting to experience such an important place in this city.
After exiting City Hall, we took a quick walk over to the African Burial Ground National Monument, which I assumed was just a memorial site but turned out to be an actual museum. It was determined that “from 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site” (ENY, pg. 44). We learned that although thousand of individuals were at one time buried here, it was eventually forgotten about. Then, during the construction of the Ted Weiss Building in 1991, the burial ground was rediscovered, leading to the creation of the memorial in 2007, which emphasized the influence African American slaves had on the development of New York City (ENY, pg. 45).
So when we entered the building we again went through a security check (this one I found to be a little unnecessary) and then made our way into the exhibits that were scattered around. They had some really cool displays of real life looking figures, images of the skeletons they dug up in the area, and time lines dating back hundreds of years. We only had a short time to walk around and look before heading into the theatre to watch the short film, which painted a really clear picture of the history behind the burial ground. I enjoyed the video a lot and found it to be really informative, while also keeping my attention. That’s always a successful history video in my opinion! Unfortunately, we didn’t have more time so we left the memorial after the movie concluded. Maybe one day I’ll get back there to spend more time discovering the exhibits.
On to lunchtime! I had my sights set on the Halal food truck all day so I couldn’t wait until lunchtime. Luckily, there’s one on almost every corner! So I ran over, grabbed a delicious lamb gyro with extra white sauce (the best!), and mosey on over to City Hall Park to eat it up. We sat on the benches in the park with the crisp air eating and chatting. Although it was a bit chilly, I’m okay with savoring the last of our days where we can eat outside before the cold weather really arrives. My gyro was outrageous, to the point where I seriously considered getting a second one, but decided against it in the end. So after lunch we re-conjugated at the Municipal Building and continued on.
We walked past the park again, turned onto Broadway, and arrived at St. Paul’s Chapel, where the emotional part of our day would begin. The Manhattan schist, Georgian-style chapel was created by Thomas McBean and was completed in 1766, making it the only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church in the city and the oldest building still in use (ENY, pg. 46). Before 9/11, its claim to fame was that George Washington used to attend worship there at the time when New York was the capital of the United States (ENY, pg. 47). Following 9/11, however, the chapel became a daily meeting place for rescue workers, and then a memorial to those who died and those who helped in the rescue efforts after the attacks. The chapel sits directly across from the World Trade Center and somehow survived the collapse of the Twin Towers without a broken window (ENY, pg. 47). Standing outside of the building hearing the story while seeing the Freedom Tower rising above it was enough to give me the chills. Once I walked inside, however, the chills only continued as I walked and looked at all of the things that were dedicated to the lives lost and those who helped so many. There were cutout handprints colored by school children with messages on them, some to the rescuers and some to New York City in general. There were memorial pictures of individuals who died and banners of praise hanging overhead. It was definitely a special place to see.
So, keeping with the memories, we headed out the back of the chapel, exiting right to a view of the World Trade Center. The World Trade Center was created between 1966 and 1987 as a 16-acre commercial complex. At the heart of the complex stood the Twin Towers, an identical pair of 110 story buildings, holding the title of the tallest buildings in the city for almost 40 years (ENY, pg. 48). It is said that these towers “had become symbols of the city’s economic might and its role as the center for global capitalism” (ENY, pg. 48). The date of September 11th, 2001 will forever have a deeper meaning to all American after the horrific attacks on the towers by an Islamic extremist group. In the worst attack in our country’s history, an astounding 2,977 lives were lost and a country was broke, yet more unified than ever (ENY, pg. 48). After the devastation to the area, which extended blocks and blocks into the city, a competition was held for how to design the area where the towers once stood. Years later, 1 World Trade Center was constructed and stands at 1,776 feet, making it the tallest building in the U.S., and an entire memorial was also created. The memorial consists of two 30-foot waterfall pools, each being one acre in size, which drain into a center void. The memorial is called “Reflecting Absence” and contains all the names of the lives lost on in the tragic events, which are inscribed along the outside of the pools. Additionally, over 400 swamp white oak trees were planted with numerous benches where family and visitors can come and sit and pay gratitude to the deceased individuals (ENY, pg. 49).
As we walked through the memorial, I could feel the overwhelming feelings of emotion. It is a mix of sadness for the lives lost, gratitude for all of the heroic efforts put forth by so many individuals, and astonishment at the memory of what had occurred here that day and how far it has come in being rebuilt. I made my way to the second pool and happened to look down right to the name of my dad’s first cousin, Patrick J. Waters, a heroic firefighter who was a victim of the attacks. It was a nice moment to take to be grateful and feel proud that I knew someone as heroic as him, and there was his name, inscribed on the memorial right in front of me to prove it. As of recently, the 9-11 Memorial Museum is also located in this area, which recounts the history of the events of that day and the aftermath of it. One Tuesday evening when I’m prepared to cry my eyes out, I’ll have to go and visit it. Although, I cry every year at the reading of the names on the anniversary, so I don’t know how I could possibly keep it together for something like that!
After taking some time at the memorial, we made our way over to Broadway and took a second to discuss the Equitable Building and the controversy that it created. The 41-story building was made in 1915 with the goal being “to maximize the amount of useable floor space in order to ensure the buildings profitability” (ENY, pg. 50). However, because the building was so tall and straight up without any setbacks, it blocked most of the light coming onto the street. The public realized that if construction of buildings similar to this on continued, the city would become dark and oppressive. Therefore, in 1916, the first zoning law was created, called the 1916 Zoning Resolution, to prevent this occurrence (ENY, pg. 50). We continued down Broadway until we came to the west end of Wall Street where Trinity Church is located. This church, being the third one that stands here, is Gothic Revival Style and was completed in 1846. On to sits a 284-foot spire that made it the tallest building in the city until the Brooklyn Bridge towers were created in 1876 (ENY, pg. 50). We took a walk around the spooky and historical graveyard, which contains the graves of both Robert Fulton and the great Alexander Hamilton.
Now, onto the world famous financial area of Wall Street. The street gets its name from the 14-foot wall hat was built by Peter Stuyvesant in 1653 to protect the city form invasions. It was later was torn down and replaced with a street, which became the financial center of the world by the early 1900s, after Charles Dow began trading stocks (ENY, pg. 51). Walking down the brick lined street, we came to the steps of the Federal Hall National Monument. On these steps stands a famous statue of George Washington being sown in as President. Although this building seemed pretty insignificant to me, as it was seemingly abandoned, minus the small exhibit inside, many important events took place here throughout history. For example, the ideas of freedom on the press and taxation without representation were originated here, the proposal of the United States Bill of Rights, and the swearing in of President George Washington (ENY, pg. 52). Minus the history behind it, I most found it to be pretty underwhelming, with the most noteworthy part about this building to me being the feeling that I was going to take a nice, painful tumble down the steps on my way out! Then, on the corner right across this was the New York Stock Exchange, a 1903 Beaux Art building with Corinthian columns, that “was established as a way to pay back the $80 million in bonds that had been issued by Congress to pay Revolutionary War debts” (ENY, pg. 51). I personally didn’t see much in the aesthetics of the building, but I’m sure the history behind it makes it really important to the area. Clearly, I’m not really one for the background of the stock exchange of New York City, or anything that relates to it to be honest. Good thing this class gives me at least some idea, though!
After leaving the heart of the financial district, we walked down Broadway and came face to face with the Charging Bull statue. I was astounded to find out that it weighs a crazy 3.5 tons! This bronze statue is known to be “the famous symbol of Wall Street optimism” (ENY, pg. 53). Although I’ve seen it before, I mostly recognize the statue from the movie “Hitch” with Will Smith, one of my favorites! There were tons of people surrounding it, so we skipped over getting a closer look, and headed straight for our last destination, the street vendors. I mean the Custom House! (I clearly enjoy some city street vendors). We got a quick view of Bowling Green Park on our way over to the Customs House, took a few minutes to look around at the goods being sold, and then took a seat on the steps of the Alexander Hamilton Custom House, where we ended our day. The Beaux Art building was created to collect duties from shipping imports, as New York was the nations busiest port. It was designed by Cass Gilbert and houses important sculptures out in front of the four continents with meaning behind it. The dynamic sculpture of America is said to represent liberty, justice, and progress (ENY, pg. 54). Today, this building serves as a branch of the Smithsonian Museum, another place I’d like to come back and visit someday soon.
Today, Mike was nice enough to let us go early, so I headed right for the shopping! I took a walk around the vendors, trying not to spend every ounce of cash I had on me, and ultimately decided on a nice, soft scarf. I am a true lover of scarves. Also, 3 of the other girls got the exact same one, so we’re planning on making a date to all go into the city wearing our matching scarves. Just kidding. But that would be funny. So overall, today was a good day, with lots of historical buildings to see and emotions to feel. Now, just one week left!
For our second to last class, we spent the day exploring Lower Manhattan, the center of business and government in the city. This southernmost section of New York City was originally established by the Dutch in 1624, who had then referred to it as Nieuw Amsterdam (ENY, pg. 39). It was not only the first great melting-pot in the country, but it more importantly served as the Capital from 1785-1790. In the years to come, Lower Manhattan would become a major financial district with the popularity on Wall Street, and home to many of the world’s largest corporations, which would be housed in skyscrapers all over the area (ENY, pg. 39). This section of Manhattan is not one I had been familiar with before today’s class, so I was excited to experience the hustle and bustle of the whole business world that lived here. I got to Penn Station after a hectic and interesting ride on the LIRR (it was Comic Con, enough said). We gathered, chatted quickly about the plans for the day as usual, and then headed for the subway. The day started off on a good note with a nice live steel drum performance on the platform. Who doesn’t love those classic New York City subway/street performers? I was sad to go when the 3 train arrived. But, we got on and took the subway three stops to Park Place, where we exited and had our first pit stop. It was the Woolworth building, which would actually remain in our sights for the rest of the day, pretty much. This building was created as a corporate headquarters for F.W. Woolworth’s successful chain of 5 and 10-cent stores. The neo-Gothic style building, with influences of medieval cathedrals from France, was the creation of a man named Cass Gilbert. It was competed in 1913 and stood as the second tallest building in the world and the first tallest in New York City until the creation of the Chrysler Building in 1930 (ENY, pg. 46). It is said that the lobby is one of the most spectacular in the city, but unfortunately it is now closed to the public so we didn’t get to see it. However, I could only imagine its beauty based on the elegance and charm of the exterior, which can be seen from all over Lower Manhattan, something I really enjoyed about the building. Additionally, a large arch with intricate detailed carvings surrounded the entrance of the building. It was both beautiful and fascinating.
We got to the gates of City Hall Park, which was one of the most elegant parks I’ve seen in New York City. The combination of the water fountain, stacked lampposts, greenery, and view of the enormous Municipal Building above the trees gave it a kind of classy feeling as I walked through from one side to the other. We walked passed a group of people laughing and having a great time with the always-popular New York City street performers as we got to our next spot. The Municipal Building was constructed between 1907 and 1914 by Mike’s favorite architectural firm, McKim, Mead, and White, and is currently home to thirteen municipal agencies o the City of New York (ENY, pg. 42). We learned that it was initially created because “when the five boroughs joined together to form the greater City of New York in 1898, it soon became apparent that more room was needed to house the city’s numerous governmental agencies” (ENY, pg. 42). Many different influences were combined to create the Beaux-art style and to give the building such a unique and distinct look, including: Roman, Italian Renaissance, and Classical styles (ENY, pg. 42). The building had to have sufficed in regards to needing more space, because it is huge! It’s one of the buildings that make me really feel how large some of the structures in this city are. And it’s not only about the height of this building, because 40 stories isn’t nearly as tall as some of New York’s other buildings, but the magnitude of the structure as a whole is massive. At the highest point of the building stands the third largest statue in the city, which is of a 20-foot woman holding a five-pointed crown, symbolizing the five boroughs (ENY, pg. 43).
Next, we headed a short ways down Centre Street until we hit Foley Square, where multiple courthouses area located. It took me a few minutes to understand which one was which, because hello… why are there so many buildings so close to each other that look a like and serve similar purposes? I don’t get it! But anyway, we sat on the steps of The Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, located at 40 Foley Square. This building was Neoclassical in style and has floral like Corinthian Columns like so many of the buildings in the area, which I loved (remember, I love floral everything). The courthouse was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building, and was completed by his son in 1936 (ENY, pg. 43). While sitting on the steps, Mike informed us on the history behind the fountain, called “Triumph of the Human Spirit,” and statue that stood in the middle of Foley Square. The 50-foot tall granite monument was “inspired by African art and symbolizes the journey that African slaves took across the Atlantic- appropriate given that at one time this area was home to a massive African burial ground” (ENY, pg. 43). Sounds a little creepy right? Well, more on that later when we visit the museum. A second Neoclassical style courthouse stands just north of the first, which is home to the New York State Supreme Court. This building is covered with granite on all sides, is dominated by a Corinthian style colonnade, and is topped with a traditional frieze, which has a quote from George Washington inscribed just below it (ENY, pg. 44). Mike explained to us that the building was supposed to be much larger, however, they ran out of funds and had to cut it down in size. I laughed at this because how does that even happen? I guess someone didn’t follow the budget correctly. Woops! P.S., this class is definitely good for seeing newly married couples on their wedding day, because we saw two more couples standing on the steps of the courthouses taking picture following their nuptials, which makes probably about 10 couples all together throughout the class thus far!
We departed Foley Square and made a right down Chambers Street to head to our third Courthouse of the hour. Fun stuff, I tell you (not really, but interesting stuff I suppose). The Tweed Courthouse was the original idea of the notorious William “Boss” Tweed, a corrupt politician from the 19th century. Today, the Italianate-style building with Corinthian columns is utilized as the headquarters for the New York City Department of Education, however, there is a long tumultuous history behind it. It seemed that he was always up to no good, but in this specific instance, it was said that he appropriated $14 million to build this courthouse, pocketing $10 million himself (ENY, pg. 46)! In 1872 when the public discovered what he had done through cartoons made by Thomas Nast, he was sent to trial in the unfinished courthouse. Work then stopped from 1872-1876 due to his conviction, but it was finally completed in 1881. So back to my confusion about the courthouses that all look alike… if I wanted to elope next week, which courthouse do I go to??? I’ll have to google it.
Our next stop of the day was to the New York City Hall, which sits right in front of the Brooklyn Bridge in the heart of the Civic Center. We arrived to the gates and lined up to go in 10 at a time for a security check. This was very serious business, clearly. We all gathered in front of the building and met our tour guide, Gail. I think it’s safe to say that Gail knew more about the history of City Hall than I know about any one subject. So obviously, she was an excellent tour guide. This building, which was actually the third city hall built, was created by Frenchman Joseph Francoise Mangin, who was inspired by the French Renaissance, in 1811 and holds the record for the oldest city hall in the United States (ENY, pg. 40). I found the building to be very stately and simple, without being overly simple. Standing outside we learned about so much of the history behind the building and even things that came before it. Gail informed us that on July 9th, 1776, George Washington stood right where we were and was first read the Declaration of Independence which I thought was really amazing, even though I’m not exactly a history buff. I enjoyed the story about the New York Times building that sat directly behind us and how she said the people of the city would gather each day to wait for the paper boys to come out shouting the news headlines. I liked that I could just see that happening, and it seems so historical in a simple way. Additionally, Gail informed us that it is symbolic for groups to come to the steps of City Hall and protest on different issues, and how it is their way of making a statement, audience or no audience. Actually, while we were there, a group called Harlem Mothers was on the steps holding sings, yelling chants, and recording a video about their cause. It was exciting to get to witness something like that, even if it was on a smaller scale.
We entered the building and it was exquisite! I was completely astounded by the beauty of the inside of this structure. Can I have that as my office to go to everyday, please? What I really wanted to do was stand by the front entrance the whole time to wait and see if Mayor De Blasio would walk out for his lunch break, but I felt funny to ask permission. So, I proceeded with the rest of the group on our tour of the inside. As you stepped inside, you “find yourself in the building rotunda, standing beneath City Hall’s coffered dome supported by ten Corinthian columns” (ENY, pg. 41). The omega shaped stairway was lovely with its solid marble steps, dark iron railings, and the chandeliers hanging from above. I could have stood there all day gawking at its beauty. We went into the room where the City Council holds their meetings and learned about the many things they are involved in, and then moved into the Governors room. This space is now utilized as an official reception room and houses historic furniture, including the desks of George Washington and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, and many large portraits of notable 19th century citizens (ENY, pg. 41). Everything from the dome, to the window treatments, to the paintings on the walls was beautiful and full of history. I definitely feel grateful for getting to experience such an important place in this city.
After exiting City Hall, we took a quick walk over to the African Burial Ground National Monument, which I assumed was just a memorial site but turned out to be an actual museum. It was determined that “from 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site” (ENY, pg. 44). We learned that although thousand of individuals were at one time buried here, it was eventually forgotten about. Then, during the construction of the Ted Weiss Building in 1991, the burial ground was rediscovered, leading to the creation of the memorial in 2007, which emphasized the influence African American slaves had on the development of New York City (ENY, pg. 45).
So when we entered the building we again went through a security check (this one I found to be a little unnecessary) and then made our way into the exhibits that were scattered around. They had some really cool displays of real life looking figures, images of the skeletons they dug up in the area, and time lines dating back hundreds of years. We only had a short time to walk around and look before heading into the theatre to watch the short film, which painted a really clear picture of the history behind the burial ground. I enjoyed the video a lot and found it to be really informative, while also keeping my attention. That’s always a successful history video in my opinion! Unfortunately, we didn’t have more time so we left the memorial after the movie concluded. Maybe one day I’ll get back there to spend more time discovering the exhibits.
On to lunchtime! I had my sights set on the Halal food truck all day so I couldn’t wait until lunchtime. Luckily, there’s one on almost every corner! So I ran over, grabbed a delicious lamb gyro with extra white sauce (the best!), and mosey on over to City Hall Park to eat it up. We sat on the benches in the park with the crisp air eating and chatting. Although it was a bit chilly, I’m okay with savoring the last of our days where we can eat outside before the cold weather really arrives. My gyro was outrageous, to the point where I seriously considered getting a second one, but decided against it in the end. So after lunch we re-conjugated at the Municipal Building and continued on.
We walked past the park again, turned onto Broadway, and arrived at St. Paul’s Chapel, where the emotional part of our day would begin. The Manhattan schist, Georgian-style chapel was created by Thomas McBean and was completed in 1766, making it the only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church in the city and the oldest building still in use (ENY, pg. 46). Before 9/11, its claim to fame was that George Washington used to attend worship there at the time when New York was the capital of the United States (ENY, pg. 47). Following 9/11, however, the chapel became a daily meeting place for rescue workers, and then a memorial to those who died and those who helped in the rescue efforts after the attacks. The chapel sits directly across from the World Trade Center and somehow survived the collapse of the Twin Towers without a broken window (ENY, pg. 47). Standing outside of the building hearing the story while seeing the Freedom Tower rising above it was enough to give me the chills. Once I walked inside, however, the chills only continued as I walked and looked at all of the things that were dedicated to the lives lost and those who helped so many. There were cutout handprints colored by school children with messages on them, some to the rescuers and some to New York City in general. There were memorial pictures of individuals who died and banners of praise hanging overhead. It was definitely a special place to see.
So, keeping with the memories, we headed out the back of the chapel, exiting right to a view of the World Trade Center. The World Trade Center was created between 1966 and 1987 as a 16-acre commercial complex. At the heart of the complex stood the Twin Towers, an identical pair of 110 story buildings, holding the title of the tallest buildings in the city for almost 40 years (ENY, pg. 48). It is said that these towers “had become symbols of the city’s economic might and its role as the center for global capitalism” (ENY, pg. 48). The date of September 11th, 2001 will forever have a deeper meaning to all American after the horrific attacks on the towers by an Islamic extremist group. In the worst attack in our country’s history, an astounding 2,977 lives were lost and a country was broke, yet more unified than ever (ENY, pg. 48). After the devastation to the area, which extended blocks and blocks into the city, a competition was held for how to design the area where the towers once stood. Years later, 1 World Trade Center was constructed and stands at 1,776 feet, making it the tallest building in the U.S., and an entire memorial was also created. The memorial consists of two 30-foot waterfall pools, each being one acre in size, which drain into a center void. The memorial is called “Reflecting Absence” and contains all the names of the lives lost on in the tragic events, which are inscribed along the outside of the pools. Additionally, over 400 swamp white oak trees were planted with numerous benches where family and visitors can come and sit and pay gratitude to the deceased individuals (ENY, pg. 49).
As we walked through the memorial, I could feel the overwhelming feelings of emotion. It is a mix of sadness for the lives lost, gratitude for all of the heroic efforts put forth by so many individuals, and astonishment at the memory of what had occurred here that day and how far it has come in being rebuilt. I made my way to the second pool and happened to look down right to the name of my dad’s first cousin, Patrick J. Waters, a heroic firefighter who was a victim of the attacks. It was a nice moment to take to be grateful and feel proud that I knew someone as heroic as him, and there was his name, inscribed on the memorial right in front of me to prove it. As of recently, the 9-11 Memorial Museum is also located in this area, which recounts the history of the events of that day and the aftermath of it. One Tuesday evening when I’m prepared to cry my eyes out, I’ll have to go and visit it. Although, I cry every year at the reading of the names on the anniversary, so I don’t know how I could possibly keep it together for something like that!
After taking some time at the memorial, we made our way over to Broadway and took a second to discuss the Equitable Building and the controversy that it created. The 41-story building was made in 1915 with the goal being “to maximize the amount of useable floor space in order to ensure the buildings profitability” (ENY, pg. 50). However, because the building was so tall and straight up without any setbacks, it blocked most of the light coming onto the street. The public realized that if construction of buildings similar to this on continued, the city would become dark and oppressive. Therefore, in 1916, the first zoning law was created, called the 1916 Zoning Resolution, to prevent this occurrence (ENY, pg. 50). We continued down Broadway until we came to the west end of Wall Street where Trinity Church is located. This church, being the third one that stands here, is Gothic Revival Style and was completed in 1846. On to sits a 284-foot spire that made it the tallest building in the city until the Brooklyn Bridge towers were created in 1876 (ENY, pg. 50). We took a walk around the spooky and historical graveyard, which contains the graves of both Robert Fulton and the great Alexander Hamilton.
Now, onto the world famous financial area of Wall Street. The street gets its name from the 14-foot wall hat was built by Peter Stuyvesant in 1653 to protect the city form invasions. It was later was torn down and replaced with a street, which became the financial center of the world by the early 1900s, after Charles Dow began trading stocks (ENY, pg. 51). Walking down the brick lined street, we came to the steps of the Federal Hall National Monument. On these steps stands a famous statue of George Washington being sown in as President. Although this building seemed pretty insignificant to me, as it was seemingly abandoned, minus the small exhibit inside, many important events took place here throughout history. For example, the ideas of freedom on the press and taxation without representation were originated here, the proposal of the United States Bill of Rights, and the swearing in of President George Washington (ENY, pg. 52). Minus the history behind it, I most found it to be pretty underwhelming, with the most noteworthy part about this building to me being the feeling that I was going to take a nice, painful tumble down the steps on my way out! Then, on the corner right across this was the New York Stock Exchange, a 1903 Beaux Art building with Corinthian columns, that “was established as a way to pay back the $80 million in bonds that had been issued by Congress to pay Revolutionary War debts” (ENY, pg. 51). I personally didn’t see much in the aesthetics of the building, but I’m sure the history behind it makes it really important to the area. Clearly, I’m not really one for the background of the stock exchange of New York City, or anything that relates to it to be honest. Good thing this class gives me at least some idea, though!
After leaving the heart of the financial district, we walked down Broadway and came face to face with the Charging Bull statue. I was astounded to find out that it weighs a crazy 3.5 tons! This bronze statue is known to be “the famous symbol of Wall Street optimism” (ENY, pg. 53). Although I’ve seen it before, I mostly recognize the statue from the movie “Hitch” with Will Smith, one of my favorites! There were tons of people surrounding it, so we skipped over getting a closer look, and headed straight for our last destination, the street vendors. I mean the Custom House! (I clearly enjoy some city street vendors). We got a quick view of Bowling Green Park on our way over to the Customs House, took a few minutes to look around at the goods being sold, and then took a seat on the steps of the Alexander Hamilton Custom House, where we ended our day. The Beaux Art building was created to collect duties from shipping imports, as New York was the nations busiest port. It was designed by Cass Gilbert and houses important sculptures out in front of the four continents with meaning behind it. The dynamic sculpture of America is said to represent liberty, justice, and progress (ENY, pg. 54). Today, this building serves as a branch of the Smithsonian Museum, another place I’d like to come back and visit someday soon.
Today, Mike was nice enough to let us go early, so I headed right for the shopping! I took a walk around the vendors, trying not to spend every ounce of cash I had on me, and ultimately decided on a nice, soft scarf. I am a true lover of scarves. Also, 3 of the other girls got the exact same one, so we’re planning on making a date to all go into the city wearing our matching scarves. Just kidding. But that would be funny. So overall, today was a good day, with lots of historical buildings to see and emotions to feel. Now, just one week left!
8. Immigrant New York
How did we already get to our last class?! That was the question of the day because time sure does fly and it was crazy to be at our last week so quickly. As always, we gathered for our final day in Penn Station as everyone grabbed his or her Starbucks, or bagels, or chocolate croissants to keep us held over until lunchtime. We departed at exactly 11 am, ready to take on our last bit of New York City. We exited Penn Station, walked past a few stores I would have loved to stop and shop around in (H&M, Old Navy, Macys… any of them really work for me), and made our way to the F train, taking it to the Lower East Side, which was our destination for this final class.
The Lower East Side, located in the southern part of Manhattan, is known mostly for being the location of immigrant New York. In the mid to late 1800’s, millions of immigrants of mainly Irish, German, and Eastern European decent made their way to the American shores, pouring into New York City. These immigrants abandoned their home countries after common events such as the famines, wars, and persecutions of the people (ENY, pg. 65). Soon, the Lower East Side became home mainly to Eastern European Jews from Russia, known as the Ashkenazi Jews. To be exact, approximated two and a half million of them came to settle in this area between 1880 and 1924 (ENY, pg. 65). The more I think about the immensity of that number, the more I realize that it was inevitable for this community of people to in a sense take over the Lower East Side, making it mimic their original homeland. With that being said, these groups of people banned together and formed little ethnic communities, or enclaves, of Jewish people who shared the same faith, which eventually turned into the Lower East Side’s language being predominantly Yiddish, as well (ENY, pg. 65). Many of the individuals wound up working in awful, dangerous conditions in sweatshops and small factories, or selling goods and produce from pushcarts to be able to survive living in the city (ENY, pg. 65). Even with this money, most were forced to live in tenements in overcrowded and horrid conditions. So, they would go and work in these conditions, only to come home to the same horrible conditions. Life was definitely way rougher for these people than any of us these days could ever imagine. But, more on the tenements in a minute.
Since, the Jewish population was so high in the Lower East Side, it was only a matter of time before the culture began to take over the area. For example, “In the Jewish sections of Lower Manhattan one could find Yiddish newspapers, more than 500 synagogues, and theaters catering specifically to Jewish audiences” (ENY, pg. 66). On the other hand, there were those who sought to assimilate to the culture of New York City by moving to other areas such as Williamsburg or the Upper West Side. An interesting fact is that by 1900, the Lower East Side was the most densely populated place in the entire world. Now that is an accomplishment! Or was it? So, by 1920 immigration laws were established in order to control the influx of immigrants and the soaring population that was taking over the entire city. Then, again in the 1980s, new immigrants from Asia and Latin America came to settle in the Lower East Side, as many Jewish families moved elsewhere (ENY, pg. 66). As always, gentrification began in the late 20th century, lessening the amount of ethnic bodegas and restaurants, while transforming the area to a desirable area for young, hip individuals.
Our first stop of the day was at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, a preserved tenement building from 1863, that is both a museum with guided tours and a designated National Historic Landmark. Although at first the building had been modified in compliance with the changing tenement laws, eventually in 1935 the landlord decided he would no longer update eh building and evicted those living there (ENY, pg. 67). This museum “provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of the immigrant families who lived in this building during the mid- 19th century” (ENY, pg. 67). And it certainly did give a good indication of the way the estimated 7,000 individuals lived in this specific tenement (Boo again for no pictures allowed.
The museum appeared to be packed, but we luckily had tour guides ready and waiting to educated us. Berto was the name of our tour guide. He was adorable and definitely made me enjoy the museum even more with his enthusiasm and sweet way of explaining everyday. But anyway, back to the important stuff. So we walked up the rickety stairs to the first apartment, which we learned had be home to 7 members of the Levine family. This family migrated from Russia around the 1890’s and lived their lives all together in this tiny, 3 room space. At first, I didn’t’ realize that those 3 rooms was the extent of their apartment because it was such a crazy thought. We sat in what most resembled a living room and discussed the life they lived here. In this space, the 7 members of the family lived, while also sharing the space with workers that were employed by Mr. Levine for his garment business. It was easier to have the dress making “factory” in the home as he did not have to pay money for rent, could control which days he wanted to work, and he could be around his children to see them grow up. A major factor of these was the idea of having control over his workdays. Back in this time, the typical workdays were Monday through Saturday, which presented a problem for the Orthodox Jewish community, as the Sabbath was held on Saturdays. Therefore, Mr. Levine chose to run his business Sunday through Friday instead. While there were positives to this home and work combination space, there were also many negative aspects to it. For example, the hours of work would wind up extending longer, the conditions inside the tenement became even more cramped and harsh, and it was understandably stressful for those in the family and for the workers I would assume, as well. The room had many things in it, such as household items as well as sewing machines and other items that would commonly be found in the work place of a seamstress.
In the kitchen, Mrs. Levine did many things, while also sharing the space with her whole family and the presser for the dressmaking. I was astounded to learn that on top of the crammed and unsanitary conditions, the tenements had no running waters and no bathrooms. To us, these area two of the main components of a home. Instead, Mrs. Levine would have to go down stairs to retrieve water any and every time she needs it! Everything must have taken so much longer and so much more effort. Sounds horrible to me. While listening to Berto, I gazed around the Levine’s tenement and couldn’t believe the way they lived. In the kitchen sat the crib for the youngest child, and in the bedroom was one single bed. How could 7 people possibly sleep, let alone live there? We learned about how in the later years, the children would work in the factories and support the family, which caused issues because of the abuse by employers and the far travel for the children to get to the factories. These area all concepts that are so unfamiliar to people living today.
We continued on to look at another tenement on the same floor and spoke about the changing tenement laws, like the Tenement Housing Act, in the 1900s. They were created in order to improve the conditions of these homes, like the belonging to the Levines that we were able to just experience. With these harsh conditions came the stigmas that were associated with the tenements, like the link to disease. As we stood in the room, I wondered why there were outside windows within the inner walls of the building. Berto explained that they were called “tubercular” windows, allowing more light and air to circulate within the apartments. We went into a room that had a case displaying old items that were left by the families that had lived in this tenement building. The items were said to show faith, language, and labor from that time period. I thought looking at these historical items was a great way to wrap up the tour of the tenements. It was astonishing, almost in a sad way, and also really informative, giving great insight to the lives that these immigrant individuals once led in the Lower East Side.
Now, we began our Chinatown adventure. Mike split us up into 4 groups, handed us a piece of paper with our mission, and we were off. My group head down Delancey Street and made a left onto Bowery, passing the entrance of the Manhattan Bridge. The bridge was completed in 1909 as a way to reduce traffic from the Brooklyn Bridge, and was designed by Leon Moisseiff. The Arch and Colonnade that we passed at Manhattan Bridge Plaza was inspired by the Porte St. Denis in Paris, and was designed by Carrere and Hastings in 1915 (ENY, pg. 74). Although I wanted to stand and stare at the beauty and enormity of the entrance, we were almost hit by multiple cars as we attempted to make our way across the street. That is one busy and traffic filled area! But, we eventually made it across safely. Then, we got to Bayard Street and stumbled upon our first destination for exploring the food and vast culture in Chinatown. With that being said, it was time for bubble tea and pork buns... two of my favorites! I was excited to say the least. So we stopped into Vivi Bubble Tea, where I got my green tea bubble tea, and then at Mai Li Wah Bakery for some baked pork buns. I live for pork buns, but have them rarely, so I was a happy camper. After satisfying our food cravings, we turned right onto Mott Street, which was named after Joseph Mott in the late 1700’s, a local tavern owner and supporter of rebel forces during the American Revolution (ENY, pg. 75). Today, Mott Street is known to be the heart of Chinatown and is mainly aimed at tourists with all its restaurants and souvenir shops. We entered the Eastern States Buddhist Temple of America, where numerous gems stones and Buddha statues sat in cases. It was definitely interesting to look at the things that these individuals cherish as being representative of their culture. She woman in the shop explained how they put food and other offerings in front of the large Buddha in the shop as a religious practice. It was definitely an interesting experience to say the least.
Chinatown is a very unique spot in New York City. As you walk around, you’ll hear Chinese being the main language spoke, Chinese grocery stores selling their traditional produce and spices, and even most sings being written in Chinese. It really does resemble a small version of China in so many ways. Amazingly, “New York’s Chinatown can still boast having the largest number of Chinese immigrants outside of Asia” (ENY, pg. 72). The immigration rates of Chinese went up and down throughout the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century due to different immigration acts. For example, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 halted immigration from China but was later repealed in 1943. And again, the Immigration Act of 1965 allowed large numbers of Chinese immigrants to enter into New York City. In fact, 20,000 Chinese immigrants were allowed in after 1965, as opposed to the 105 per year in 1943 (ENY, pg. 73). After the influx of individuals from China in the later part of the 20th century, the population of Chinatown really skyrocketed, making it the cultural center it still is today.
Canal Street was our next mission to tackle. My immediate thought when I hear Canal Street is shopping, shopping, shopping. But in actuality Canal Street gets its name because, “At one time this street was actually a 40 foot wide canal dug in the early 19th century to drain the contaminated fresh water pond that stood at Foley Square into the Hudson River” (ENY, pg. 77). In 1820, a commercial street was laid over the canal and it is now famous for it’s high volume of food places, as well as being the home of New York’s knock of designer market. We got a little lost for a second, trying to figure out which way the good shops were, but eventually figured it out. We had a short 15 minutes to get our shopping done, so instead we made a group decision to be a few minutes late to lunch for the benefit of our fashion. We quickly hopped from store to store trying to find cute jewelry, bags, and my favorite… scarves! I surprisingly didn’t purchase anything. And really, that is very surprising. I think 20 minutes just wasn’t enough time to do sufficient bargaining and make decisions. I also enjoy Canal Street for the views of the real jewelry, like the store on the corner of Canal Street and Mulberry Street, which I seem to stumble upon every time I’m in the area. I just stand and gawk at the sparkling engagement rings because hey, a girl can dream. Although I love Mulberry Street, I didn’t get to take advantage of it’s great meals, desserts, and music this trip. Mulberry Street actually is a special place to my family, as my sister got engaged right on the corner of Grand and Mulberry right before we went to have dinner at La Mela just 2 years ago. It’s a really funny story that I love to share with people.
After we completed all of the items on the list for our Chinatown mission, we very quickly made our way back to Delancey Street to join the rest of the class for lunch at Congee Village. The atmosphere at the restaurant was really cute and very authentic feeling, which I enjoyed. However, the authenticity of the food is something I did not enjoy if we’re being honest. I am all for trying new foods, but this stuff just wasn’t up my alley. The fried rice was delicious, because can fried rice ever be bad? The house chicken was very flavorful, the broccoli was crunchy and fresh, and the sesame chicken was delicious. Everything else I just wasn’t a fan of, so good thing I was pretty full from my bubble tea and pork bun!
After lunch we met up with our tour guide friend Jim so he could educate us about the Lower East Side. Our walking tour began at the corner of Eldridge Street and Rivington Street, where a branch of the Carnegie Library stands since 1905, created by McKim, Mead, and White. We made our way down Rivington Street, anxiously awaiting our arrival to this mecca candy store, called Economy Candy. It is an old time candy store that first opened in 1937, containing probably every candy imaginable (ENY, pg. 67). Everyone had a field day in here, choosing silly candies and savory sweets. As I’m not a big candy person, I opted to not purchase anything, and I believe I was the only one in the whole class (shh… don’t tell anyone). My favorite thing that I saw in the whole store were the candy cigarettes that I loved buying from the ice cream man as a child, but am totally against now as an educated adult. It’s funny the way things change as you get older. So anyways, we eventually got everyone out of candy heaven and walked a little ways until we were on Delancey Street, standing under the Williamsburg Bridge, also known as Jews Highway. Although this seems like a strange nickname, it was given because many of the Jewish immigrants would travel back and forth between the Lower East Side and Brooklyn (ENY, pg. 67). I think m favorite fun fact that we learned throughout the entire class we learned standing right here staring at the subway sign. This was that Jay Z earned his name from the J and Z trains that run over into Williamsburg. Who knew??? So anyway, next up was the Bialystoker Synagogue, located at 7 Willet Street. This Methodist Episcopal Church, converted into a Synagogue in 1865, was built in 1826. As many of the churches we’ve seen, Manhattan schist was the material of choice for this building (ENY, pg. 68). At the intersection of Grand Street and East Broadway is the 1941 mikvah, “a ritual bath used by orthodox Jewish women to purify themselves after menstruation” (ENY, pg. 68). Jim described the old 1904 Beaux Art building, located at 313 East Broadway, as a Dutch looking, Georgian style (ENY, pg. 68). The concept of this bath is actually pretty gross in my opinion, but things were definitely different back then when this building was utilized for that purpose. Thank gosh.
We took a walk past a school, which I find to be an uncommon find in some parts of the city, and came upon the Henry Street Settlement at 265 Henry Street. In 1893, Lillian Wald, a nursing student, founded the Nurses’ Settlement “to bring nursing care, education and the arts to the immigrant population of the community” (ENY, pg. 69). Two years after it was founded, the organization was supported by banker Jacob Schiff, and allowed Wald to begin the Visiting Nurse Service, which allowed nurses to go in and bring health care to people’s homes (ENY, pg. 69). As you could imagine, this was something that was of great significance to many of us nursing students, as we have learned about it in great detail (thank you Nursing 129). It was actually pretty cool to see the actual location and home of such a famous organization! It had a really quaint and historic feel, just as I would have imagined it. As our day came closer to the end, we made our way to one of our last stops, the Seward Park Library, located at the east end of Seward Park. This library was built in 1910 with funds from Andrew Carnegie, a philanthropist, and is one of the branches of the New York Public Library system. Originally, it was utilized mainly by the Jewish community, as it had the largest Yiddish collection of books (ENY, pg. 70). Now, we took our final stroll together as a class, making our way to the Eldridge Street Synagogue. Eastern European Jews constructed this building in 1887, at a time when the area was primarily Jewish. This beautiful building was designed by Peter and Francis Herter out of brick and terracotta and is a combination of Moorish and Gothic influences (ENY, pg. 71). The design and details of the structure made it distinctly Jewish, although membership decreased and it eventually closed in the 1950s. Then, in 1986, The Eldridge Street Project, a non-profit group, restored it and it reopened in 2007 as a historic museum (ENY, pg. 71). I found this building to be the most beautiful of all the buildings I have come to know in this city from this class. The aesthetics of the light brick, terracotta, stained glass windows, and dark wood grain carved doors were all special and so picturesque. I really thought it was the perfect location to end our great class.
So, the end is here. It was a little sad in the moment, but all worth it. I really feel like I learned so much about this wonderful city, and enjoyed each class for different reasons. After leaving the synagogue, some of us took a nice long walk back to Delancey, catching the F train back to Penn Station for the final time. It was a pleasure to spend these Fridays exploring the city with everyone! When I got onto the LIRR to head back home, I immediately regretted not getting an extra pork bun to snack on. Darn.
How did we already get to our last class?! That was the question of the day because time sure does fly and it was crazy to be at our last week so quickly. As always, we gathered for our final day in Penn Station as everyone grabbed his or her Starbucks, or bagels, or chocolate croissants to keep us held over until lunchtime. We departed at exactly 11 am, ready to take on our last bit of New York City. We exited Penn Station, walked past a few stores I would have loved to stop and shop around in (H&M, Old Navy, Macys… any of them really work for me), and made our way to the F train, taking it to the Lower East Side, which was our destination for this final class.
The Lower East Side, located in the southern part of Manhattan, is known mostly for being the location of immigrant New York. In the mid to late 1800’s, millions of immigrants of mainly Irish, German, and Eastern European decent made their way to the American shores, pouring into New York City. These immigrants abandoned their home countries after common events such as the famines, wars, and persecutions of the people (ENY, pg. 65). Soon, the Lower East Side became home mainly to Eastern European Jews from Russia, known as the Ashkenazi Jews. To be exact, approximated two and a half million of them came to settle in this area between 1880 and 1924 (ENY, pg. 65). The more I think about the immensity of that number, the more I realize that it was inevitable for this community of people to in a sense take over the Lower East Side, making it mimic their original homeland. With that being said, these groups of people banned together and formed little ethnic communities, or enclaves, of Jewish people who shared the same faith, which eventually turned into the Lower East Side’s language being predominantly Yiddish, as well (ENY, pg. 65). Many of the individuals wound up working in awful, dangerous conditions in sweatshops and small factories, or selling goods and produce from pushcarts to be able to survive living in the city (ENY, pg. 65). Even with this money, most were forced to live in tenements in overcrowded and horrid conditions. So, they would go and work in these conditions, only to come home to the same horrible conditions. Life was definitely way rougher for these people than any of us these days could ever imagine. But, more on the tenements in a minute.
Since, the Jewish population was so high in the Lower East Side, it was only a matter of time before the culture began to take over the area. For example, “In the Jewish sections of Lower Manhattan one could find Yiddish newspapers, more than 500 synagogues, and theaters catering specifically to Jewish audiences” (ENY, pg. 66). On the other hand, there were those who sought to assimilate to the culture of New York City by moving to other areas such as Williamsburg or the Upper West Side. An interesting fact is that by 1900, the Lower East Side was the most densely populated place in the entire world. Now that is an accomplishment! Or was it? So, by 1920 immigration laws were established in order to control the influx of immigrants and the soaring population that was taking over the entire city. Then, again in the 1980s, new immigrants from Asia and Latin America came to settle in the Lower East Side, as many Jewish families moved elsewhere (ENY, pg. 66). As always, gentrification began in the late 20th century, lessening the amount of ethnic bodegas and restaurants, while transforming the area to a desirable area for young, hip individuals.
Our first stop of the day was at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, a preserved tenement building from 1863, that is both a museum with guided tours and a designated National Historic Landmark. Although at first the building had been modified in compliance with the changing tenement laws, eventually in 1935 the landlord decided he would no longer update eh building and evicted those living there (ENY, pg. 67). This museum “provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of the immigrant families who lived in this building during the mid- 19th century” (ENY, pg. 67). And it certainly did give a good indication of the way the estimated 7,000 individuals lived in this specific tenement (Boo again for no pictures allowed.
The museum appeared to be packed, but we luckily had tour guides ready and waiting to educated us. Berto was the name of our tour guide. He was adorable and definitely made me enjoy the museum even more with his enthusiasm and sweet way of explaining everyday. But anyway, back to the important stuff. So we walked up the rickety stairs to the first apartment, which we learned had be home to 7 members of the Levine family. This family migrated from Russia around the 1890’s and lived their lives all together in this tiny, 3 room space. At first, I didn’t’ realize that those 3 rooms was the extent of their apartment because it was such a crazy thought. We sat in what most resembled a living room and discussed the life they lived here. In this space, the 7 members of the family lived, while also sharing the space with workers that were employed by Mr. Levine for his garment business. It was easier to have the dress making “factory” in the home as he did not have to pay money for rent, could control which days he wanted to work, and he could be around his children to see them grow up. A major factor of these was the idea of having control over his workdays. Back in this time, the typical workdays were Monday through Saturday, which presented a problem for the Orthodox Jewish community, as the Sabbath was held on Saturdays. Therefore, Mr. Levine chose to run his business Sunday through Friday instead. While there were positives to this home and work combination space, there were also many negative aspects to it. For example, the hours of work would wind up extending longer, the conditions inside the tenement became even more cramped and harsh, and it was understandably stressful for those in the family and for the workers I would assume, as well. The room had many things in it, such as household items as well as sewing machines and other items that would commonly be found in the work place of a seamstress.
In the kitchen, Mrs. Levine did many things, while also sharing the space with her whole family and the presser for the dressmaking. I was astounded to learn that on top of the crammed and unsanitary conditions, the tenements had no running waters and no bathrooms. To us, these area two of the main components of a home. Instead, Mrs. Levine would have to go down stairs to retrieve water any and every time she needs it! Everything must have taken so much longer and so much more effort. Sounds horrible to me. While listening to Berto, I gazed around the Levine’s tenement and couldn’t believe the way they lived. In the kitchen sat the crib for the youngest child, and in the bedroom was one single bed. How could 7 people possibly sleep, let alone live there? We learned about how in the later years, the children would work in the factories and support the family, which caused issues because of the abuse by employers and the far travel for the children to get to the factories. These area all concepts that are so unfamiliar to people living today.
We continued on to look at another tenement on the same floor and spoke about the changing tenement laws, like the Tenement Housing Act, in the 1900s. They were created in order to improve the conditions of these homes, like the belonging to the Levines that we were able to just experience. With these harsh conditions came the stigmas that were associated with the tenements, like the link to disease. As we stood in the room, I wondered why there were outside windows within the inner walls of the building. Berto explained that they were called “tubercular” windows, allowing more light and air to circulate within the apartments. We went into a room that had a case displaying old items that were left by the families that had lived in this tenement building. The items were said to show faith, language, and labor from that time period. I thought looking at these historical items was a great way to wrap up the tour of the tenements. It was astonishing, almost in a sad way, and also really informative, giving great insight to the lives that these immigrant individuals once led in the Lower East Side.
Now, we began our Chinatown adventure. Mike split us up into 4 groups, handed us a piece of paper with our mission, and we were off. My group head down Delancey Street and made a left onto Bowery, passing the entrance of the Manhattan Bridge. The bridge was completed in 1909 as a way to reduce traffic from the Brooklyn Bridge, and was designed by Leon Moisseiff. The Arch and Colonnade that we passed at Manhattan Bridge Plaza was inspired by the Porte St. Denis in Paris, and was designed by Carrere and Hastings in 1915 (ENY, pg. 74). Although I wanted to stand and stare at the beauty and enormity of the entrance, we were almost hit by multiple cars as we attempted to make our way across the street. That is one busy and traffic filled area! But, we eventually made it across safely. Then, we got to Bayard Street and stumbled upon our first destination for exploring the food and vast culture in Chinatown. With that being said, it was time for bubble tea and pork buns... two of my favorites! I was excited to say the least. So we stopped into Vivi Bubble Tea, where I got my green tea bubble tea, and then at Mai Li Wah Bakery for some baked pork buns. I live for pork buns, but have them rarely, so I was a happy camper. After satisfying our food cravings, we turned right onto Mott Street, which was named after Joseph Mott in the late 1700’s, a local tavern owner and supporter of rebel forces during the American Revolution (ENY, pg. 75). Today, Mott Street is known to be the heart of Chinatown and is mainly aimed at tourists with all its restaurants and souvenir shops. We entered the Eastern States Buddhist Temple of America, where numerous gems stones and Buddha statues sat in cases. It was definitely interesting to look at the things that these individuals cherish as being representative of their culture. She woman in the shop explained how they put food and other offerings in front of the large Buddha in the shop as a religious practice. It was definitely an interesting experience to say the least.
Chinatown is a very unique spot in New York City. As you walk around, you’ll hear Chinese being the main language spoke, Chinese grocery stores selling their traditional produce and spices, and even most sings being written in Chinese. It really does resemble a small version of China in so many ways. Amazingly, “New York’s Chinatown can still boast having the largest number of Chinese immigrants outside of Asia” (ENY, pg. 72). The immigration rates of Chinese went up and down throughout the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century due to different immigration acts. For example, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 halted immigration from China but was later repealed in 1943. And again, the Immigration Act of 1965 allowed large numbers of Chinese immigrants to enter into New York City. In fact, 20,000 Chinese immigrants were allowed in after 1965, as opposed to the 105 per year in 1943 (ENY, pg. 73). After the influx of individuals from China in the later part of the 20th century, the population of Chinatown really skyrocketed, making it the cultural center it still is today.
Canal Street was our next mission to tackle. My immediate thought when I hear Canal Street is shopping, shopping, shopping. But in actuality Canal Street gets its name because, “At one time this street was actually a 40 foot wide canal dug in the early 19th century to drain the contaminated fresh water pond that stood at Foley Square into the Hudson River” (ENY, pg. 77). In 1820, a commercial street was laid over the canal and it is now famous for it’s high volume of food places, as well as being the home of New York’s knock of designer market. We got a little lost for a second, trying to figure out which way the good shops were, but eventually figured it out. We had a short 15 minutes to get our shopping done, so instead we made a group decision to be a few minutes late to lunch for the benefit of our fashion. We quickly hopped from store to store trying to find cute jewelry, bags, and my favorite… scarves! I surprisingly didn’t purchase anything. And really, that is very surprising. I think 20 minutes just wasn’t enough time to do sufficient bargaining and make decisions. I also enjoy Canal Street for the views of the real jewelry, like the store on the corner of Canal Street and Mulberry Street, which I seem to stumble upon every time I’m in the area. I just stand and gawk at the sparkling engagement rings because hey, a girl can dream. Although I love Mulberry Street, I didn’t get to take advantage of it’s great meals, desserts, and music this trip. Mulberry Street actually is a special place to my family, as my sister got engaged right on the corner of Grand and Mulberry right before we went to have dinner at La Mela just 2 years ago. It’s a really funny story that I love to share with people.
After we completed all of the items on the list for our Chinatown mission, we very quickly made our way back to Delancey Street to join the rest of the class for lunch at Congee Village. The atmosphere at the restaurant was really cute and very authentic feeling, which I enjoyed. However, the authenticity of the food is something I did not enjoy if we’re being honest. I am all for trying new foods, but this stuff just wasn’t up my alley. The fried rice was delicious, because can fried rice ever be bad? The house chicken was very flavorful, the broccoli was crunchy and fresh, and the sesame chicken was delicious. Everything else I just wasn’t a fan of, so good thing I was pretty full from my bubble tea and pork bun!
After lunch we met up with our tour guide friend Jim so he could educate us about the Lower East Side. Our walking tour began at the corner of Eldridge Street and Rivington Street, where a branch of the Carnegie Library stands since 1905, created by McKim, Mead, and White. We made our way down Rivington Street, anxiously awaiting our arrival to this mecca candy store, called Economy Candy. It is an old time candy store that first opened in 1937, containing probably every candy imaginable (ENY, pg. 67). Everyone had a field day in here, choosing silly candies and savory sweets. As I’m not a big candy person, I opted to not purchase anything, and I believe I was the only one in the whole class (shh… don’t tell anyone). My favorite thing that I saw in the whole store were the candy cigarettes that I loved buying from the ice cream man as a child, but am totally against now as an educated adult. It’s funny the way things change as you get older. So anyways, we eventually got everyone out of candy heaven and walked a little ways until we were on Delancey Street, standing under the Williamsburg Bridge, also known as Jews Highway. Although this seems like a strange nickname, it was given because many of the Jewish immigrants would travel back and forth between the Lower East Side and Brooklyn (ENY, pg. 67). I think m favorite fun fact that we learned throughout the entire class we learned standing right here staring at the subway sign. This was that Jay Z earned his name from the J and Z trains that run over into Williamsburg. Who knew??? So anyway, next up was the Bialystoker Synagogue, located at 7 Willet Street. This Methodist Episcopal Church, converted into a Synagogue in 1865, was built in 1826. As many of the churches we’ve seen, Manhattan schist was the material of choice for this building (ENY, pg. 68). At the intersection of Grand Street and East Broadway is the 1941 mikvah, “a ritual bath used by orthodox Jewish women to purify themselves after menstruation” (ENY, pg. 68). Jim described the old 1904 Beaux Art building, located at 313 East Broadway, as a Dutch looking, Georgian style (ENY, pg. 68). The concept of this bath is actually pretty gross in my opinion, but things were definitely different back then when this building was utilized for that purpose. Thank gosh.
We took a walk past a school, which I find to be an uncommon find in some parts of the city, and came upon the Henry Street Settlement at 265 Henry Street. In 1893, Lillian Wald, a nursing student, founded the Nurses’ Settlement “to bring nursing care, education and the arts to the immigrant population of the community” (ENY, pg. 69). Two years after it was founded, the organization was supported by banker Jacob Schiff, and allowed Wald to begin the Visiting Nurse Service, which allowed nurses to go in and bring health care to people’s homes (ENY, pg. 69). As you could imagine, this was something that was of great significance to many of us nursing students, as we have learned about it in great detail (thank you Nursing 129). It was actually pretty cool to see the actual location and home of such a famous organization! It had a really quaint and historic feel, just as I would have imagined it. As our day came closer to the end, we made our way to one of our last stops, the Seward Park Library, located at the east end of Seward Park. This library was built in 1910 with funds from Andrew Carnegie, a philanthropist, and is one of the branches of the New York Public Library system. Originally, it was utilized mainly by the Jewish community, as it had the largest Yiddish collection of books (ENY, pg. 70). Now, we took our final stroll together as a class, making our way to the Eldridge Street Synagogue. Eastern European Jews constructed this building in 1887, at a time when the area was primarily Jewish. This beautiful building was designed by Peter and Francis Herter out of brick and terracotta and is a combination of Moorish and Gothic influences (ENY, pg. 71). The design and details of the structure made it distinctly Jewish, although membership decreased and it eventually closed in the 1950s. Then, in 1986, The Eldridge Street Project, a non-profit group, restored it and it reopened in 2007 as a historic museum (ENY, pg. 71). I found this building to be the most beautiful of all the buildings I have come to know in this city from this class. The aesthetics of the light brick, terracotta, stained glass windows, and dark wood grain carved doors were all special and so picturesque. I really thought it was the perfect location to end our great class.
So, the end is here. It was a little sad in the moment, but all worth it. I really feel like I learned so much about this wonderful city, and enjoyed each class for different reasons. After leaving the synagogue, some of us took a nice long walk back to Delancey, catching the F train back to Penn Station for the final time. It was a pleasure to spend these Fridays exploring the city with everyone! When I got onto the LIRR to head back home, I immediately regretted not getting an extra pork bun to snack on. Darn.
9. A Changed View of New York
And so our class has come to an end. And what a great experience it was. After spending so much time investigating the city through walking tours, many museums, and even by eating our way through, I definitely feel like I have come to see New York City in a different light. Before, I mostly just saw the glitz and glam of the mainstream features of the city, like the entertainment of Broadway shows, the shopping on 5th Avenue, and the business that occurs in Lower Manhattan. However, after much exploration I see the deep history it possess, the vast culture, and the profound sense of community that is spread throughout the city in so many ways. For me, the beauty no longer lives just in the skyscraper apartment buildings that rise above the treetops, but I now see it in the brownstones of Brooklyn Heights and the small parks that pop up around so many corners in the city. There really is something so special that lies on each block of the city, not just in Times Square, and these things are awaiting discovery by everyday individuals who live here and those who visit.
Although I always new there was a lot of history buried under the roots of the city, I was never knowledgeable on any of it. Now, I can look at a building and know meaningful information about it, which really makes me appreciate it even more. The architecture is something that I have come to appreciate a little more, as we were able to identify repetitive themes, designs, and techniques used to create so many amazing buildings. Whether it was a street of rowhouses, an office building, or a church, the structures were each special and unique in their own ways that most people would not notice upon walking by it on the street. Additionally, the vast culture that lives within New York City is unlike any other in the world. What I love most is that there is both a culture that belongs to the native New Yorkers themselves, as well as the culture that is unique to the millions of immigrants that have made this city their home. These individuals have formed ethnic enclaves in different sections of the city, while also spreading the culture to all of those who visit these places in hopes of discovering some authentic cultural traditions of the immigrant people. New York City’s reputation for being a place with immense culture and diversity is something that I believe will forever remain true to this city.
Some of the ideas I had about New York City prior to this course were only solidified as time went on. For example, I would still definitely consider one day living in New York City. I actually think it would be a more difficult decision now after seeing so many great neighborhoods! Learning about gentrification through this course, however, definitely makes me more aware of the ever-changing ways of this city, which is definitely something I never would have thought so much about before. This city also holds some of the greatest talent in the world, which was evident as we walked through Central Park getting a glimpse of a ballerina dancing, strolled down a street listening to bands play for fun, or even just waited on a subway platform listening to a performer. It makes the city experience that much more exciting with the background noise of these talented individuals. Speaking of subways, my belief that I would forever be confused about the New York City subway system has officially changed! Although I am not fluent in the New York City subway language, I certainly have come to have a better understanding of what trains go where. I’ll keep working on it for sure.
I always felt lost when I would come to the city. Even when I would take a trip in just for the day with my sister, we would always stand on the corner and wonder where we should go. However, I now feel like I have a greater ability to decide what to do and where to go after exploring so many different areas. I look forward to going in on a Sunday for brunch and having the confidence to discover local restaurants and shops, rather than just going to the popular destinations. I really now feel as though my enjoyment lies in the idea of seeking out the small spaces within this large space that we call New York City. Although my view of the city has definitely developed in a new way since taking this course, one thing that has remained the same is that I am proud to be a New Yorker.
P.S. - I must admit that I think after the 8th wedding sighting of the class, I was finally convinced that if I one day get married, it must be set in a location that allows New York City to be the backdrop.
P. P. S. - For those of you who look to take this class in the future with Mike and Meritta, the answer to their questions will always be either Beaux Art or McKim, Mead, and White. You’re welcome.
And so our class has come to an end. And what a great experience it was. After spending so much time investigating the city through walking tours, many museums, and even by eating our way through, I definitely feel like I have come to see New York City in a different light. Before, I mostly just saw the glitz and glam of the mainstream features of the city, like the entertainment of Broadway shows, the shopping on 5th Avenue, and the business that occurs in Lower Manhattan. However, after much exploration I see the deep history it possess, the vast culture, and the profound sense of community that is spread throughout the city in so many ways. For me, the beauty no longer lives just in the skyscraper apartment buildings that rise above the treetops, but I now see it in the brownstones of Brooklyn Heights and the small parks that pop up around so many corners in the city. There really is something so special that lies on each block of the city, not just in Times Square, and these things are awaiting discovery by everyday individuals who live here and those who visit.
Although I always new there was a lot of history buried under the roots of the city, I was never knowledgeable on any of it. Now, I can look at a building and know meaningful information about it, which really makes me appreciate it even more. The architecture is something that I have come to appreciate a little more, as we were able to identify repetitive themes, designs, and techniques used to create so many amazing buildings. Whether it was a street of rowhouses, an office building, or a church, the structures were each special and unique in their own ways that most people would not notice upon walking by it on the street. Additionally, the vast culture that lives within New York City is unlike any other in the world. What I love most is that there is both a culture that belongs to the native New Yorkers themselves, as well as the culture that is unique to the millions of immigrants that have made this city their home. These individuals have formed ethnic enclaves in different sections of the city, while also spreading the culture to all of those who visit these places in hopes of discovering some authentic cultural traditions of the immigrant people. New York City’s reputation for being a place with immense culture and diversity is something that I believe will forever remain true to this city.
Some of the ideas I had about New York City prior to this course were only solidified as time went on. For example, I would still definitely consider one day living in New York City. I actually think it would be a more difficult decision now after seeing so many great neighborhoods! Learning about gentrification through this course, however, definitely makes me more aware of the ever-changing ways of this city, which is definitely something I never would have thought so much about before. This city also holds some of the greatest talent in the world, which was evident as we walked through Central Park getting a glimpse of a ballerina dancing, strolled down a street listening to bands play for fun, or even just waited on a subway platform listening to a performer. It makes the city experience that much more exciting with the background noise of these talented individuals. Speaking of subways, my belief that I would forever be confused about the New York City subway system has officially changed! Although I am not fluent in the New York City subway language, I certainly have come to have a better understanding of what trains go where. I’ll keep working on it for sure.
I always felt lost when I would come to the city. Even when I would take a trip in just for the day with my sister, we would always stand on the corner and wonder where we should go. However, I now feel like I have a greater ability to decide what to do and where to go after exploring so many different areas. I look forward to going in on a Sunday for brunch and having the confidence to discover local restaurants and shops, rather than just going to the popular destinations. I really now feel as though my enjoyment lies in the idea of seeking out the small spaces within this large space that we call New York City. Although my view of the city has definitely developed in a new way since taking this course, one thing that has remained the same is that I am proud to be a New Yorker.
P.S. - I must admit that I think after the 8th wedding sighting of the class, I was finally convinced that if I one day get married, it must be set in a location that allows New York City to be the backdrop.
P. P. S. - For those of you who look to take this class in the future with Mike and Meritta, the answer to their questions will always be either Beaux Art or McKim, Mead, and White. You’re welcome.