Tag: History

Christmas and Holidays in New York

With the beginning of November, the focus of many becomes the holiday season. Christmas lights go up, ads with fashion models in holiday colors appear on billboards and on public transportation, and store windows along Fifth Avenue go to war with each other over which is the most over-the-top display of Season’s Greetings. As New York is the country’s largest city, it lays claim over several important Christmas traditions.

In the press and writing, New York can lay claim to one of the first modern interpretations of Santa Claus through NYC native Clement Clark Moore’s 1823 poem, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” which describes the lovable Santa Claus most people recognize delivering gifts from house to house on his sleigh pulled by reindeer. Santa’s existence and reputation was solidified in an 1897 editorial from the New York Sun, entitled “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.” This editorial, reprinted on Christmas Day by most New York papers, is believed to be the most reprinted editorial in history. Many neighborhoods ring in holiday cheer with residents of some Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst putting up large Christmas and holiday light displays in front of their homes.

Perhaps the quintessential symbol of the holiday season in New York is the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center. The first tree was a small, 20 foot tree raised by construction workers at Rockefeller Center in 1931 by workers building the complex. First raised officially in 1933, the tree is usually a Norway Spruce between 70 and 100 feet tall. In recent years, it has been harvested from New York State or a neighboring state, but it has come from further afield in the past. The tree, which is crowned by a massive star made of Swarovski crystal, is up for display in the middle of November and lit the day after Thanksgiving. The tree is in the court in the middle of Rockefeller Center and is near the famous ice rink, a must-see for any visitor to the city during this time.

Many visitors come to New York this time of the year to see the city at what many would say is at its best. In addition to shopping and seeing the city in its spectacular holidays decorations, it is also a great idea to take a Sights by Sam walking tour of the city—especially a nightly holiday tour that will run from December 1st to December 31st. You are able to book this tour at sightsbysam.com.

Halloween and NYC

Halloween is one of the biggest unofficial holidays in the United States, with ghouls and goblins adding a certain sense of joy and millions of dollars to the economy. New York, like most other places, celebrates this unofficial holiday.

Halloween is believed to have originated with Celtic tribes in what is now France and the British Isles. They believed that the spirits of the dead roamed the Earth for one night. In order to stop this festival, the Roman Catholic Church moved the observance of All Saints Day to November 1st from the springtime to stop the observance of the pagan ritual–although many continued to unofficially celebrate the holiday. Even though Halloween was not widely celebrated in the U.S. initially, Halloween gained popularity in New York as Irish and British immigrants brought customs such as dressing up in costumes and asking for treats from neighbors. As New York was a major port of entry for immigrants from these countries, it began to catch on among residents of the city. By the early 20th Century, many towns across America had begun to celebrate the holidays through Halloween parties to unite towns and neighborhoods.

Like other communities across the country, there are many haunted houses and block parties throughout the city celebrating Halloween. Perhaps the most famous Halloween event in the city is the Village Halloween Parade. This event has been around since 1974 and grown out from a simple parade of trick or treaters through Greenwich Village to one of New York’s greatest spectacles. The parade occurred after September 11, 2001, when a giant phoenix float was featured that symbolized the rebirth the city. The parade did not occur in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy. Thousands of costumed revelers participate in the parade annually, which starts after sunset on Halloween.

While this holiday only comes around once a year, Halloween is a colorful time to be in the city—especially if the weather is nice and crisp for fall. You can learn about the history of holidays in New York and important moments of the city’s history on a Sights by Sam walking tour of the city.

Presidential History in New York

While Washington has been the capital of the U.S. since 1800, New York (which was the former capital of the country) has been the unofficial capital of sorts as the country’s center of media, culture, and has people from every corner of the planet. Despite the fact that the city is no longer the capital of the country, it has a rich political history involving the leaders of the country, with successful candidates, and those such as Al Smith and Samuel Tilden who were never elected. This has been most notable through three individuals, George Washington, Ulysses Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt.

The history of New York with the presidency has to do from the very beginning of the country when George Washington took the oath of office at Federal Hall in Lower Manhattan. Washington also prayed at St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan when the capital was in New York. Washington even had an association with New York as a great leader of the country when he helped to liberate the city from the British at the end of the war and had his farewell dinner with his military officers at Fraunces Tavern after the war.

Ulysses S. Grant was born in Ohio and was living in Illinois when he became the 18th president of the United States. A famous Civil War general, Grant’s presidency was marred by various scandals involving corruption. After retiring to Upstate New York after his presidency, Grant died in 1885. His tomb was built in Morningside Heights in 1897. The tomb suffered neglect over the years, but was recently restored in the last 20 years. Grant remains the only president buried within the city limits.

Theodore Roosevelt, the only president born within New York, has one of the most lasting impacts on the presidency and the city. Before being president, Roosevelt was governor of New York State and the NYPD commissioner. He is also famous for leading his “Rough Riders” up San Juan Hill in Cuba. Roosevelt is associated with the former NYPD headquarters in the Lower East Side as well as his birthplace, located between Union Square and Madison Square Park. He also had an important role in helping to build the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in the Upper West Side..

Guests are able to learn about the rich history of New York on any Sights by Sam walking tour. Anyone attending a tour can also learn about other significant presidential moments such as the speech that Abraham Lincoln made at the Cooper Union that made his presidency and the special rail car FDR used to travel in and out of the city among others.

African Burial Ground

In the Civic Center of Manhattan near the Ted Weiss Federal Building is an important monument that commemorates 15,000 people of African descent—both slave and free, who were buried in a graveyard that was on the then outskirts of the city. The African Burial Ground National Monument commemorates these individuals and their contribution to the early history of New York.

It is believed that the Dutch first imported African slaves into the New Netherland colony in 1626. While the Dutch offered some degree of emancipation to slaves in their colony, this was rescinded by the English after 1664 when they took the colony from the Dutch. One of the many restrictions placed on people of African descent is that they could not be buried with Europeans in their cemeteries, necessitating the foundation and use of a burial ground on what is now Duane Street (north of the old borders of the city). Although the burial ground was heavily used (as New York had a very large African population), much of this population fled with the British after the American Revolution (as Americans demanded the return of slaves to their masters). The area of the graveyard was filled over and built upon (which ironically preserved most of the graves).

In the 1990s during the construction of the Weiss Federal Building, bodies were discovered during the excavation to anchor the building to the bedrock of Manhattan. After hundreds of bodies were found, archeologists were called in and it was discovered that the building was planned over the burial ground. Due to protests from African Americans, the federal government declared the area a National Historic Landmark, which halted construction of the building over the site (its plans modified to be away from the burial ground) and called for a monument (finally completed in 2007). This site is important in the cultural history of the city and can easily be seen as a follow-up to the “Foundation of New York” tour from Sights by Sam.

Sylvan Terrace

Located near the Morris-Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights, there are many important residential areas that were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The rash of building occurred when the heirs of the Jumel Family sold off their vast landholdings.

In addition to stately apartment buildings and cultural institutions that were constructed at nearby Audubon Terrace, one of the more unique streets is the cobblestoned Sylvan Terrace. Forming a “stair street” on 161st Street, 20 wood framed houses were built by Gilbert Robinson, Jr. in 1883. The houses were originally rented to laborers and servants who lived in the neighborhood and worked at some of the more stately buildings in the neighborhood. After decades of neglect, New York City made the area a historic district and restored the houses back to their original appearance.

Today, each of the houses in the district is valued over $1 million. The residences are very stately and the surrounding neighborhood near the Harlem River is very picturesque. In addition to the Morris-Jamel Mansion, the area is also close to High Bridge Park and Fort Tryon Park. This is the type of information you will learn on a Sights by Sam tour of New York.

Morris-Jumel Mansion

For all of the towering skyscrapers and massive edifices in the city, New York is home to a few historic houses. In addition to the Dyckman Farm House in Inwood and the Wyckoff House in Brooklyn, one of the oldest and most famous houses in the city is the Morris-Jamel Mansion.

Built in 1766, the Morris-Jamel Mansion takes the names of two of its most famous owners, the Morris Family, who fought for the British during the Revolutionary War, and the Jumels, who were originally from France. The house is famous for briefly being the headquarters for General George Washington during the Battle of New York and actually was a place where he slept (regarding the old popular adage). Perched on a commanding bluff overlooking Manhattan, the Bronx, and New Jersey, it made a logical headquarters. After the Revolutionary War, Stephen Jumel, his former mistress Eliza, and their children moved in. After an extensive redecoration of the house and the death of Stephen, Eliza married Aaron Burr, the former vice president and murderer of Alexander Hamilton. She was married to Burr from 1832 to 1836 when Burr died (Eliza had actually filed for divorce from him in 1834 and it was granted on the day of his death). Eliza lived in the house until 1865 when she died.

In the intervening years from 1865 until the present day, the formerly vast landholdings were broken up into pieces. In 1903, the City of New York acquired the house and the area is now a park. The house itself is perched on Coogan’s Bluff,a high point on the island where the former Polo Grounds were once visible and is today within visual range of Yankee Stadium. The interior of the mansion is currently being restored to how it would have looked during Eliza’s life. This is the type of information you will learn on a Sights by Sam tour.

Your City and New York: Washington, D.C.

New York and Washington are locked in a perpetual battle to be the dominant city in the U.S.  While New York has tall buildings and a population that may be more cosmopolitan, Washington styles itself as the most powerful city in the free world given that the federal government is headquartered there.  Despite this rivalry and some of the aesthetic differences in the city (the glass towers of Midtown Manhattan versus the marble-sheathed government buildings in Washington), there are many similarities.

Both cities can claim the title as capital and have a connection to George Washington.  While Washington, DC, is obviously named for our first president (he never lived in the Federal City (he passed away before its completion), he was inaugurated as president of the United States in New York at Federal Hall (which you can see on a Sights by Sam  “Foundation of New York” tour).  The attempt to keep New York as the capital failed due to a political compromise to keep the Union together— partially proposed by New Yorker Alexander Hamilton.  Although not quite as stately as the Capitol Building in DC, the New York City Hall was a stop for Abraham Lincoln on his way to Washington from Illinois and when he returned to be buried after his assassination in 1865.

In terms of other aspects of the similarities between both cities, both Washington and New York are ordered by famous street grids that use easy to remember letters and numbers to find one’s way around (with the odd other name thrown in for good measure).  Both cities even have traffic circles in their grids—although New York counts Columbus Circle as the big one for this while there are many in Washington (lending their names to various neighborhoods).  Both cities also have world-class museums— and the Smithsonian Institution even has arms in both locations.  Washington is defined by its rivers—the Potomac and the Anacostia— while Manhattan is surrounded by three main rivers.  Each city also has a subway system that is central to the identity of natives and visitors alike.

While Washington and New York will probably be locked in combat for bragging rights and in sports rivalries until the end of time, these two cities have more similarities than immediately meet the eye.  A final point to ponder is that each city is also a magnet to people who are looking to make a mark on society or start anew.  This is the type of information you will learn on a Sights by Sam tour.

Little Italy

Since the arrival of many Italian immigrants in the 1800s, Italian-Americans have been one of the most important groups in the city—with many famous people in the city—such as mayors and athletes among them.  Although today most Italian Americans in the city live in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, the center of the Italian universe in New York was once Little Italy in Lower Manhattan.

Italians started coming to New York in the mid and  late 1800s in large numbers.  Many were fleeing from the wars of Italian unification and hard economic times in Southern Italy (Naples, Calabria, and Sicily) to find safety and jobs in the U.S.  Many Italians settled in Lower Manhattan from south of Canal Street to Houston Street.  At one point, there were tens of thousands of Italians in this area.  Italian-American businesses such as restaurants, bakeries, and banks proliferated in the area.  New arrivals to the neighborhood slowed to a trickle after the federal Immigration and Nationality Act of 1924 (repealed in the 1960s) put strict quotas on the number of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe into the U.S.

As Italian Americans became more integrated with the larger society, people in the neighborhood became more upwardly mobile and left.  This occurred at the same time as the Chinese population began to rapidly expand, with Chinese and Chinese-Americans moving into the area known as Little Italy.  Although the population of Italian Americans is now less than 1200 in the area, it is still famous as a center for Italian life in the city, hosting many famous restaurants and the annual Festival of San Gennaro (the patron saint of Naples, Italy).  You can see Little Italy today on the “Lost in the Lower East Side” tour from Sights by Sam.

Rockefeller Center

The first “city-within-a-city” designed in the world, site of New York’s Christmastime fun (where the tree and the ice rink live), and the headquarters for NBC Universal (and site of the Today Show), Rockefeller Center forms an important part of Midtown and is a tourist destination all year long.

The Rockefeller Center complex contains 19 buildings and covers 22 acres.  It was financed by the Rockefeller Family with the original intent to build a new Metropolitan Opera.  When the Great Depression hit, the focus of the project changed to a commercial development.  The centerpiece of Rockefeller Center is 30 Rockefeller Center (called 30 Rock), which is 872 feet tall and the headquarters of NBC.  This is also the site of the 30 Rock observation deck.  The Rainbow Room supper club is also in this building.  In front of 30 Rock is the square where ice skating is held in the winter.  30 Rock and most of the other buildings were designed by Raymond Hood in the art deco style.

Aside from the observation deck and shopping in and around the complex, the star attraction of the area is Radio City Music Hall.  This theater, which seats 6,000 is known for its dancing spectaculars, starring the Rockettes dancers.  The stage is known for having a stylized sunset.

Rockefeller Center, a complex built at the height of the Great Depression by one of New York’s most prominent families, helped renew Midtown Manhattan.  The area, long a center of media, also known for its modern art, leisure pursuits, and nearby shopping opportunities, continues to be a focal point near the center of the island that forms the center of the known world.  This complex can be seen on a Sights by Sam walking tour.

St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral

In SoHo, there sits St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.  The building was deconsecrated as a cathedral when the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral was completed on Fifth Avenue in 1879.  Now a basilica, a site of pilgrimage in the Roman Catholic Church, the old cathedral is a distinct presence in the neighborhood.  The basilica has come into the news recently due to a sale of one of its burial plots (that can hold six) for $7 million (which the basilica will use to restore its pipe organ and other architectural items).

St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral was once the primary place of Roman Catholic worship in the city.  It was designed by Joseph-Francois Mangin, who also designed the New York City Hall, in 1815.  The cathedral had been built on an area that was formerly designated as a Roman Catholic graveyard.  St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral became a focal point for Roman Catholics in the city as their numbers increased in the 1800s, especially with large numbers of Irish immigrants arriving to the city.  In 1836, there was an incident where the cathedral was almost invaded by nativist protestants, but was repelled by worshippers at the church.  After 1879, the old cathedral functioned as a parish church to the surrounding neighborhood before it was declared a basilica in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

In recognition of the changing demographics of its neighborhood, the basilica celebrates mass in English, Spanish, and Mandarin every Sunday.  St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is important to the history of what is now SoHo.  It also serves as the anchor of markets and a sharp contrast to nearby structures that were built in the later part of he 1800s.  Both the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral can be seen on a Sights by Sam tour.