journals 1-4
1. Impressions of NYC
Whenever I meet someone who is from outside of New York I always love to brag about being a New Yorker. I always make sure to brag about the fact that I'm only a 50 minute train ride away from one of the greatest cities in the world, but what I always beat myself up about is the fact that I do the same exact thing every time I venture into the city! Once again, I am a 50 minute train ride (that's if the LIRR decides it wants to be cooperative) away from Manhattan, and yet I visit the same old places such as Madison Square Garden, Times Square, Little Italy, the theater district, Coney Island, and the occasional Yankee game. One would think that I've seen it all considering how close I am to the city but there are probably more tourists from outside of the country who have done more than I have.
New York City is intimidating for someone who does not know their way around, it can be frightening! When I think of New York I think of everything being so fast paced and no one ever being able to slow down and take it all in. My impressions have always been that every single person is in a rush (including myself on some occasions) to either catch a train, a subway, a taxi, or every single person is rushing into work because all of the above transportation options were running late. I am eager and excited for this class because I want to be able to take in all that this great city has to offer. I am well aware that there are so many things to do and to see and I want to be able to say I have done that. I would like to be able to go venture into the city with confidence that I know where I am going and to also have confidence to try new things.
The city has so much more to offer other than my typical routines of catching a New York Rangers v. New York Islanders game at the garden (lets go Islanders!) or enjoying a broadway show, which are great things, but I am glad to have the opportunity to open my mind to everything that is out there. The people in the city are also very different from people out here in the suburbs. People from all around the world come to New York to start a new life here. I am curious to see the different lifestyles that these people live in. There is also such a great history in New York as well, which will be a great help to the History of New York class I am also taking this semester. There is no doubt that I will benefit from both of these classes taking into account that I am a History major.
Whenever I meet someone who is from outside of New York I always love to brag about being a New Yorker. I always make sure to brag about the fact that I'm only a 50 minute train ride away from one of the greatest cities in the world, but what I always beat myself up about is the fact that I do the same exact thing every time I venture into the city! Once again, I am a 50 minute train ride (that's if the LIRR decides it wants to be cooperative) away from Manhattan, and yet I visit the same old places such as Madison Square Garden, Times Square, Little Italy, the theater district, Coney Island, and the occasional Yankee game. One would think that I've seen it all considering how close I am to the city but there are probably more tourists from outside of the country who have done more than I have.
New York City is intimidating for someone who does not know their way around, it can be frightening! When I think of New York I think of everything being so fast paced and no one ever being able to slow down and take it all in. My impressions have always been that every single person is in a rush (including myself on some occasions) to either catch a train, a subway, a taxi, or every single person is rushing into work because all of the above transportation options were running late. I am eager and excited for this class because I want to be able to take in all that this great city has to offer. I am well aware that there are so many things to do and to see and I want to be able to say I have done that. I would like to be able to go venture into the city with confidence that I know where I am going and to also have confidence to try new things.
The city has so much more to offer other than my typical routines of catching a New York Rangers v. New York Islanders game at the garden (lets go Islanders!) or enjoying a broadway show, which are great things, but I am glad to have the opportunity to open my mind to everything that is out there. The people in the city are also very different from people out here in the suburbs. People from all around the world come to New York to start a new life here. I am curious to see the different lifestyles that these people live in. There is also such a great history in New York as well, which will be a great help to the History of New York class I am also taking this semester. There is no doubt that I will benefit from both of these classes taking into account that I am a History major.
2. Queens
On the first day of my Gotham experience I could not feel more excited but definitely nervous at the same time! I’m familiar with the usual places, but the subway system is complicated and can be very intimidating. When my train arrived at Penn Station I knew exactly where to meet the class. We were told to meet by the ticket windows near the McDonald's (the McDonald's that I have frequented often after a late night in the city). Our professors weren’t kidding when they said we leave on time because by 11:05 we were making our way to the E train. From the E train we got on the number 7, also known as the “International Express”. It acquired this name because of all the diversity that Queens has to offer. (Essential New York p. 215) In “1898 Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten island consolidated to form the modern City of New York. It immediately became the wealthiest in the US. To connect all the outer boroughs to Manhattan, in 1900 the city began to construct its underground subway system a $35 million dollar project that would result in the most heavily traveled subway system in the world within a decade after it was started.” (Essential New York p.19)
We hopped off the train at Willets-Point and made our way to Flushing Meadows Park and the Queens Museum.
As we walked down the bridge from the subway we were able to get some awesome views of Citi Field and the U.S. Open. Before we headed into the museum, we got a quick rundown of some things we were going to hear about that day. “Queens officially became a borough of New York City on May 4, 1897.” (Essential New York p.214) I was aware that the Dutch were the original European settlers to come to New York but I did not know that “many of the New York boroughs and neighborhoods such as Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Harlem, Flushing, Flatbush, and Coney Island are Dutch in origin.” (Essential New York. p 15) I had visited the Queens Museum and Flushing Meadow Park a few years ago but I was excited to be back and to learn some new things about the area. New York City was the host of the 1939-1940 World’s Fair and the 1964-65 World’s Fair, which is most famous for the Unisphere. The Unisphere is the largest globe structure in the world. (Essential New York p. 219) I've always had an interest in the World’s Fair and what it must have been like. I have heard stories from my grandparents, who attended both of the fairs, and my dad, who went to the 1965 World’s fair. Since I am a frequent vacationer to Disney World, I’m able to get a little taste of what it was like when I visit the World Showcase in Epcot.
We then moved onto the Queens Museum which was recently renovated because it was a lot nicer from the last time I was there. We saw the awesome panorama of New York City, which still amazed me. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of patience it must have taken to piece all of that together. It really put into perspective how massive the area is, just thinking about how small each building is portrayed but it took up such a massive space on the floor.
After our visit at the museum it was time to venture to the Jackson Diner for some Indian food. I was a little weary to try it but when you’re hungry you have to eat! It was not as bad as I thought it would be and I surprisingly finished everything on my plate. (I’m a very picky eater.) I can’t say I’ll ever go out of my way to have Indian food again, but it was definitely different.
Next up was the Museum of the Moving Imagine in Astoria. It was amazing being able to see all of the old cameras and all the work that happens behind the scenes. I was especially impressed by the live TV production of the Mets game they were airing. It showed maybe 8 cameras and how one person is constantly talking to let each camera operator know what the film. It’s things like that that normally you wouldn't think twice about, but it takes a lot to put together a simple thing such as a baseball game. I also enjoyed seeing all the costumes, especially the masks from the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. Before the class even started I was mentally preparing myself for boring museums that I would have to force myself to get through. I was terribly mistaken because I thought this museum was great. I couldn't wait to tell my friends about it because I think it’s something they’d really enjoy also.
Once we arrived in Long Island City, which would be our last stop for our day, our professors had told us to keep in what the area had looked like once we got off the subway because it would drastically change as we started to make our way down to Gantry Park. “With housing prices skyrocketing in the 21st century, driven by the large number of wealthy individuals who have decide to buy real estate in the city- NYC is rapidly becoming a place where the poor and middle class struggle to live. The neighborhoods such as Brooklyn, and Queens, which once had ample supplies of relatively affordable housing, have become subject to the inexorable process of gentrification, driving those who have lived in these neighborhoods for decades and even generations. (Essential New York p.23) Gentrification is so obvious from one block to the next. One minute you’re walking down an industrial looking street and the next you’re staring up at a brand new giant skyscraper. We enjoyed such beautiful views of Manhattan from the other side of the East River and the area looked like a lovely place to live. On the other hand, it was also eye opening for me. I could not imagine how much money it must be to live in this area. It made me think about how so many people my age have the desire to move out into the city and have an apartment, but if this process of gentrification continues, the future possibilities for that happening doesn’t seem too bright! We continued down the East River to Gantry Plaza State Park. The park is “named after the huge 19th century railroad gantries that were used to transfer cargo from ships and trains to be transported throughout Long Island.” (Essential New York p.226)
Our first class came to end here and the day went by a lot faster than I was expecting. The hot weather had tired me out and I was ready to just sit on the train and get home, so I decided to call it an early night and catch a train from Woodside to then transfer at Jamaica to a train that took me straight home to Wantagh. The first day was an awesome experience and there is a little boost in my confidence about navigating through the city.
On the first day of my Gotham experience I could not feel more excited but definitely nervous at the same time! I’m familiar with the usual places, but the subway system is complicated and can be very intimidating. When my train arrived at Penn Station I knew exactly where to meet the class. We were told to meet by the ticket windows near the McDonald's (the McDonald's that I have frequented often after a late night in the city). Our professors weren’t kidding when they said we leave on time because by 11:05 we were making our way to the E train. From the E train we got on the number 7, also known as the “International Express”. It acquired this name because of all the diversity that Queens has to offer. (Essential New York p. 215) In “1898 Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten island consolidated to form the modern City of New York. It immediately became the wealthiest in the US. To connect all the outer boroughs to Manhattan, in 1900 the city began to construct its underground subway system a $35 million dollar project that would result in the most heavily traveled subway system in the world within a decade after it was started.” (Essential New York p.19)
We hopped off the train at Willets-Point and made our way to Flushing Meadows Park and the Queens Museum.
As we walked down the bridge from the subway we were able to get some awesome views of Citi Field and the U.S. Open. Before we headed into the museum, we got a quick rundown of some things we were going to hear about that day. “Queens officially became a borough of New York City on May 4, 1897.” (Essential New York p.214) I was aware that the Dutch were the original European settlers to come to New York but I did not know that “many of the New York boroughs and neighborhoods such as Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Harlem, Flushing, Flatbush, and Coney Island are Dutch in origin.” (Essential New York. p 15) I had visited the Queens Museum and Flushing Meadow Park a few years ago but I was excited to be back and to learn some new things about the area. New York City was the host of the 1939-1940 World’s Fair and the 1964-65 World’s Fair, which is most famous for the Unisphere. The Unisphere is the largest globe structure in the world. (Essential New York p. 219) I've always had an interest in the World’s Fair and what it must have been like. I have heard stories from my grandparents, who attended both of the fairs, and my dad, who went to the 1965 World’s fair. Since I am a frequent vacationer to Disney World, I’m able to get a little taste of what it was like when I visit the World Showcase in Epcot.
We then moved onto the Queens Museum which was recently renovated because it was a lot nicer from the last time I was there. We saw the awesome panorama of New York City, which still amazed me. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of patience it must have taken to piece all of that together. It really put into perspective how massive the area is, just thinking about how small each building is portrayed but it took up such a massive space on the floor.
After our visit at the museum it was time to venture to the Jackson Diner for some Indian food. I was a little weary to try it but when you’re hungry you have to eat! It was not as bad as I thought it would be and I surprisingly finished everything on my plate. (I’m a very picky eater.) I can’t say I’ll ever go out of my way to have Indian food again, but it was definitely different.
Next up was the Museum of the Moving Imagine in Astoria. It was amazing being able to see all of the old cameras and all the work that happens behind the scenes. I was especially impressed by the live TV production of the Mets game they were airing. It showed maybe 8 cameras and how one person is constantly talking to let each camera operator know what the film. It’s things like that that normally you wouldn't think twice about, but it takes a lot to put together a simple thing such as a baseball game. I also enjoyed seeing all the costumes, especially the masks from the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. Before the class even started I was mentally preparing myself for boring museums that I would have to force myself to get through. I was terribly mistaken because I thought this museum was great. I couldn't wait to tell my friends about it because I think it’s something they’d really enjoy also.
Once we arrived in Long Island City, which would be our last stop for our day, our professors had told us to keep in what the area had looked like once we got off the subway because it would drastically change as we started to make our way down to Gantry Park. “With housing prices skyrocketing in the 21st century, driven by the large number of wealthy individuals who have decide to buy real estate in the city- NYC is rapidly becoming a place where the poor and middle class struggle to live. The neighborhoods such as Brooklyn, and Queens, which once had ample supplies of relatively affordable housing, have become subject to the inexorable process of gentrification, driving those who have lived in these neighborhoods for decades and even generations. (Essential New York p.23) Gentrification is so obvious from one block to the next. One minute you’re walking down an industrial looking street and the next you’re staring up at a brand new giant skyscraper. We enjoyed such beautiful views of Manhattan from the other side of the East River and the area looked like a lovely place to live. On the other hand, it was also eye opening for me. I could not imagine how much money it must be to live in this area. It made me think about how so many people my age have the desire to move out into the city and have an apartment, but if this process of gentrification continues, the future possibilities for that happening doesn’t seem too bright! We continued down the East River to Gantry Plaza State Park. The park is “named after the huge 19th century railroad gantries that were used to transfer cargo from ships and trains to be transported throughout Long Island.” (Essential New York p.226)
Our first class came to end here and the day went by a lot faster than I was expecting. The hot weather had tired me out and I was ready to just sit on the train and get home, so I decided to call it an early night and catch a train from Woodside to then transfer at Jamaica to a train that took me straight home to Wantagh. The first day was an awesome experience and there is a little boost in my confidence about navigating through the city.
3. No. Sleep. 'till Brooklyn!
Our adventure into Brooklyn once again started at Penn Station. I was so excited to start the day because I love Brooklyn. My aunt and uncle live in Park Slope and our family goes to their apartment for Thanksgiving and Easter. The one flaw I have with Brooklyn is that my hockey team, The New York Islanders, is going to call the Barclay’s Center their new home starting next season. I’m not looking forward to taking a train into Brooklyn to see them play, only because I’m used to my ten minute drive to the coliseum, but needless to say, I enjoy Brooklyn!
So we started our day in Coney Island. I absolutely love Coney Island. My parents would take my sister and I to the Brooklyn Aquarium (which is right next to the Cyclone) every summer, and when our day was done at the aquarium, would we ride the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel. The Dutch called the island “Conyne Eylandt” or “Rabbit Island” because of the large population of rabbits in the area. (Essential New York, p.193) “By the 1920s Coney Island became New York’s most important summer amusement areas with thrilling rides and weird shows.” (Essential New York, p.194) Coney Island unfortunately began to suffer once more New Yorkers became car owners. It was easier to go out to Long Island and visit the nicer Jones Beach, but once less people went to Coney Island, the economy of the beach community began to dwindle. The future of Coney Island is uncertain but locals are pushing to preserve it’s funky vibe that it is known for. (Essential New York, p.194) Once we listened to some background history of the area, I headed straight for the Cyclone. It was $9 to ride the coaster but it was money well spent! It’s a thrilling ride and the fact that its 87 years old makes me even more nervous to ride it. I was disappointed to see that the Wonder Wheel was not open but happy to know that I can come back next summer without getting lost. We decided to get hot dogs and fries from Nathan’s for lunch because it would be a sin not too.
Next stop: The Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights. This museum was all about the history of the subway systems in New York City and the boroughs and how they came into existence. It was awesome that the museum was in an old subway station. Before New York even had a subway system (which today is hard to imagine) people were transported by elevated steam trains that ran along the streets. The Great Blizzard of 1888 would be the ultimate reason for a subway system. The storm shut down train service throughout the city. (Essential New York, p.202) Our museum guide explained the two different methods to building the subway system. One method, called cut and cover, involved digging up a street and laying down the tunnel and tracks below. The tunnel would then be covered again with a new roadway. There were benefits to this method because it was safer and easier to build but it caused a lot of disruption in traffic because of long periods of construction. (Essential New York, p. 202) The other method is called deep bore tunneling. This method is more complicated than cut and cover but it eliminated the negatives to cut and cover. Deep bore tunneling had huge circular tunneling machines are inserted into a hole dug where the future subway line was supposed to go. This method did not require the street being ripped apart. (Essential New York p.202) It was exciting being able to go into all the different subway cars from different time periods. I felt like some of the cars from back in the day were a lot nicer than the subways today. Reading all the old advertisements was just as fun as going through all the old cars.
Once we left the museum we continued walking through Brooklyn Heights and we admired all the Brownstones. We made it down to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade where we learned that George Washington and his troops retreated from Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan during the Battle of Long Island in the Revolutionary War. Although the Continental Army had been defeated, Washington was able to move the army across to Manhattan to fight another day. (Essential New York p. 191) We took in all the views from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and were reminded that Robert Moses is always with us with the annoying traffic noise from the BQE. We continued to DUMBO which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, not the flying elephant. This was probably my favorite part of the day mainly because of the beautiful views and the whole atmosphere put me in a great mood. In the park area there is Jane’s Carousel which was a carousel originally from Ohio that was restored by a woman named Jane Walentas. (Essential New York, p. 207) The Carousel is encased by transparent glass which many refer to as a “jewel box”, it cost only nine million dollars, but it looks awesome!
The last thing on our agenda was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was completed in 1883 and it is the oldest suspension bridge in the country. It is 1.1 miles long and at the time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Before the bridge was constructed, ferry service or a personal boat was the required transportation to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan. (Essential New York, p.208) The bridge was designed by a German immigrant named John Roebling. Roebling became sick and was close to dying, so he passed on the plans to his 32 year old son, William, but William too became sick. He was forced to work from his apartment but his wife Emily would be the liaison to her husband and crew workers. Emily would study construction and mathematics in order to take charge of the building of the bridge. (Essential New York, p.208)
I never had the greatest memories of the Brooklyn Bridge- every year on the day after Thanksgiving my uncle, who lives in Park Slope, would take all of his nieces and nephews to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Every year I walked across the bridge it was freezing cold, snowing, or raining, or all three! It was nice to be able to stroll across the bridge and take in all the architecture and the views rather than speed walk across because of bad weather. I took so many pictures, so I felt like the ultimate tourist but it was such a beautiful day, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass.
Our adventure into Brooklyn once again started at Penn Station. I was so excited to start the day because I love Brooklyn. My aunt and uncle live in Park Slope and our family goes to their apartment for Thanksgiving and Easter. The one flaw I have with Brooklyn is that my hockey team, The New York Islanders, is going to call the Barclay’s Center their new home starting next season. I’m not looking forward to taking a train into Brooklyn to see them play, only because I’m used to my ten minute drive to the coliseum, but needless to say, I enjoy Brooklyn!
So we started our day in Coney Island. I absolutely love Coney Island. My parents would take my sister and I to the Brooklyn Aquarium (which is right next to the Cyclone) every summer, and when our day was done at the aquarium, would we ride the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel. The Dutch called the island “Conyne Eylandt” or “Rabbit Island” because of the large population of rabbits in the area. (Essential New York, p.193) “By the 1920s Coney Island became New York’s most important summer amusement areas with thrilling rides and weird shows.” (Essential New York, p.194) Coney Island unfortunately began to suffer once more New Yorkers became car owners. It was easier to go out to Long Island and visit the nicer Jones Beach, but once less people went to Coney Island, the economy of the beach community began to dwindle. The future of Coney Island is uncertain but locals are pushing to preserve it’s funky vibe that it is known for. (Essential New York, p.194) Once we listened to some background history of the area, I headed straight for the Cyclone. It was $9 to ride the coaster but it was money well spent! It’s a thrilling ride and the fact that its 87 years old makes me even more nervous to ride it. I was disappointed to see that the Wonder Wheel was not open but happy to know that I can come back next summer without getting lost. We decided to get hot dogs and fries from Nathan’s for lunch because it would be a sin not too.
Next stop: The Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights. This museum was all about the history of the subway systems in New York City and the boroughs and how they came into existence. It was awesome that the museum was in an old subway station. Before New York even had a subway system (which today is hard to imagine) people were transported by elevated steam trains that ran along the streets. The Great Blizzard of 1888 would be the ultimate reason for a subway system. The storm shut down train service throughout the city. (Essential New York, p.202) Our museum guide explained the two different methods to building the subway system. One method, called cut and cover, involved digging up a street and laying down the tunnel and tracks below. The tunnel would then be covered again with a new roadway. There were benefits to this method because it was safer and easier to build but it caused a lot of disruption in traffic because of long periods of construction. (Essential New York, p. 202) The other method is called deep bore tunneling. This method is more complicated than cut and cover but it eliminated the negatives to cut and cover. Deep bore tunneling had huge circular tunneling machines are inserted into a hole dug where the future subway line was supposed to go. This method did not require the street being ripped apart. (Essential New York p.202) It was exciting being able to go into all the different subway cars from different time periods. I felt like some of the cars from back in the day were a lot nicer than the subways today. Reading all the old advertisements was just as fun as going through all the old cars.
Once we left the museum we continued walking through Brooklyn Heights and we admired all the Brownstones. We made it down to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade where we learned that George Washington and his troops retreated from Brooklyn Heights to Manhattan during the Battle of Long Island in the Revolutionary War. Although the Continental Army had been defeated, Washington was able to move the army across to Manhattan to fight another day. (Essential New York p. 191) We took in all the views from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and were reminded that Robert Moses is always with us with the annoying traffic noise from the BQE. We continued to DUMBO which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, not the flying elephant. This was probably my favorite part of the day mainly because of the beautiful views and the whole atmosphere put me in a great mood. In the park area there is Jane’s Carousel which was a carousel originally from Ohio that was restored by a woman named Jane Walentas. (Essential New York, p. 207) The Carousel is encased by transparent glass which many refer to as a “jewel box”, it cost only nine million dollars, but it looks awesome!
The last thing on our agenda was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was completed in 1883 and it is the oldest suspension bridge in the country. It is 1.1 miles long and at the time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Before the bridge was constructed, ferry service or a personal boat was the required transportation to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan. (Essential New York, p.208) The bridge was designed by a German immigrant named John Roebling. Roebling became sick and was close to dying, so he passed on the plans to his 32 year old son, William, but William too became sick. He was forced to work from his apartment but his wife Emily would be the liaison to her husband and crew workers. Emily would study construction and mathematics in order to take charge of the building of the bridge. (Essential New York, p.208)
I never had the greatest memories of the Brooklyn Bridge- every year on the day after Thanksgiving my uncle, who lives in Park Slope, would take all of his nieces and nephews to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Every year I walked across the bridge it was freezing cold, snowing, or raining, or all three! It was nice to be able to stroll across the bridge and take in all the architecture and the views rather than speed walk across because of bad weather. I took so many pictures, so I felt like the ultimate tourist but it was such a beautiful day, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass.
4. The Village and Chelsea
We started today’s class as per usual by meeting in Penn Station. Instead of taking subways throughout the day, we walked. We started with a brief history of Penn Station and how ugly it is (which is so true by the way). It is actually the busiest train station in the United States when many probably assume that Grand Central is the busiest. (Essential New York, p.113) The station was named for the Pennsylvania Railroad because it’s the company that built it. The original Penn Station was built in 1910 by McKim, Mead, and White and it was considered a masterpiece and one of the most impressive buildings in NYC. By the early 60s, it became too expensive to maintain and there were plans to tear it down and build a more modern station. Many New Yorkers fought for it to be restored but ultimately it was demolished in 1963 and an underground Penn Station was created and above would sit Madison Square Garden. (Essential New York, p.114)
We then started our journey to Chelsea. The name Chelsea comes from the former estate of the British army captain Thomas Clark, who purchased 94 acres of land along the Hudson in 1750 and named it after his London neighborhood. (Essential New York, p. 83) The property would be passed onto his grandson, the poet Clement Clark Moore most famous for “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” (Essential New York, p. 83) Chelsea was mainly an exclusive neighborhood until 1847 when the Hudson River Railroad laid tracks throughout Chelsea transforming it into an industrialized and working class area. (Essential New York, p.83) This would all change in the 90s when art galleries could no longer afford to be in SoHo, so they moved to Chelsea. The railroad line that was still in Chelsea was never removed but trains stopped running during the 80s because of numerous fatalities over the years. It was threatened to be demolished but a non-profit community group formed in 1999 to save it and transform it into an elevated park. (Essential New York, p.84) The High Line is definitely one of the most unique parks I have ever visited, as I had been there prior to the class, it’s a place where I can see myself going to time and time again. You can also see how the neighborhood around the High Line is changing with all of the new apartment buildings.
Chelsea is also now known for it’s hundreds of art galleries, “showcasing some of the world’s most prominent contemporary art.” (Essential New York, p. 85) Modern art and contemporary art can be a bit odd but it’s definitely interesting. It’s hard to imagine someone spending $100,000 on a piece of art work but who am I to judge! Some of the galleries we visited had really interesting and unique pieces that I was not expecting to see. The gallery that struck me the most was one that had life size horses made of what looked like large pieces of drift wood.
We then started to make our way to Washington Square Park. The class was introduced to the oldest tree in the city which was right outside the entrance to the park. The tree is called the “Hangman’s Elm” because it was known for public executions back in the 1700s. Inside the park we saw the Washington Arch which was built in 1891 for the inauguration of George Washington. The Arch was modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (Essential New York, p.95)
After exploring the park we made our way to the Merchant’s House. The house is perfectly preserved from the time it was constructed in 1832. Seabury Tredwell lived in the house with his wide, eight children and four servants. The rooms in the house are also perfectly intact and have the same appearance as they would back in the later 1800s. Before we entered the house we were told that it is haunted which automatically freaked me out. I don’t anything haunted or scary so I was a little uneasy taking the tour but I survived! Each room in the house served a specific purpose which I found to be interesting. I also found it be to a little strange that the husband and wives did not sleep in the same bed let alone the same room! The fore area or the vestibule area of the home when you walk through the front door is made to look the fanciest because it is the first impression you get of the house. It was covered in fake marble to make it look grand but without the expense. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and because we had some extra time at the end of the tour she shared some ghost stories with us.
After the Merchant’s House we continued to walk (we did A LOT of walking today) we stopped in front of the Cooper Union Foundation Building which I thought was awesome because President Lincoln composed the Cooper Union Address during the Civil War here (the more you know!) We finally ended (so tired by this point!) in St. Mark’s, a place I’ve never heard of before! We ventured into Tompkins Square Park but before we went into the park we were told to try and pick out what was different about this park. I immediately realized that there is no green space that isn’t fenced off...You can really only walk through the park, there’s no place to lay down on the grass or anything of the sort. The reason for this was because the park used to be well known for many riots and the park was redesigned to prevent it from ever happening again. (Essential New York p.107)
We started today’s class as per usual by meeting in Penn Station. Instead of taking subways throughout the day, we walked. We started with a brief history of Penn Station and how ugly it is (which is so true by the way). It is actually the busiest train station in the United States when many probably assume that Grand Central is the busiest. (Essential New York, p.113) The station was named for the Pennsylvania Railroad because it’s the company that built it. The original Penn Station was built in 1910 by McKim, Mead, and White and it was considered a masterpiece and one of the most impressive buildings in NYC. By the early 60s, it became too expensive to maintain and there were plans to tear it down and build a more modern station. Many New Yorkers fought for it to be restored but ultimately it was demolished in 1963 and an underground Penn Station was created and above would sit Madison Square Garden. (Essential New York, p.114)
We then started our journey to Chelsea. The name Chelsea comes from the former estate of the British army captain Thomas Clark, who purchased 94 acres of land along the Hudson in 1750 and named it after his London neighborhood. (Essential New York, p. 83) The property would be passed onto his grandson, the poet Clement Clark Moore most famous for “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” (Essential New York, p. 83) Chelsea was mainly an exclusive neighborhood until 1847 when the Hudson River Railroad laid tracks throughout Chelsea transforming it into an industrialized and working class area. (Essential New York, p.83) This would all change in the 90s when art galleries could no longer afford to be in SoHo, so they moved to Chelsea. The railroad line that was still in Chelsea was never removed but trains stopped running during the 80s because of numerous fatalities over the years. It was threatened to be demolished but a non-profit community group formed in 1999 to save it and transform it into an elevated park. (Essential New York, p.84) The High Line is definitely one of the most unique parks I have ever visited, as I had been there prior to the class, it’s a place where I can see myself going to time and time again. You can also see how the neighborhood around the High Line is changing with all of the new apartment buildings.
Chelsea is also now known for it’s hundreds of art galleries, “showcasing some of the world’s most prominent contemporary art.” (Essential New York, p. 85) Modern art and contemporary art can be a bit odd but it’s definitely interesting. It’s hard to imagine someone spending $100,000 on a piece of art work but who am I to judge! Some of the galleries we visited had really interesting and unique pieces that I was not expecting to see. The gallery that struck me the most was one that had life size horses made of what looked like large pieces of drift wood.
We then started to make our way to Washington Square Park. The class was introduced to the oldest tree in the city which was right outside the entrance to the park. The tree is called the “Hangman’s Elm” because it was known for public executions back in the 1700s. Inside the park we saw the Washington Arch which was built in 1891 for the inauguration of George Washington. The Arch was modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (Essential New York, p.95)
After exploring the park we made our way to the Merchant’s House. The house is perfectly preserved from the time it was constructed in 1832. Seabury Tredwell lived in the house with his wide, eight children and four servants. The rooms in the house are also perfectly intact and have the same appearance as they would back in the later 1800s. Before we entered the house we were told that it is haunted which automatically freaked me out. I don’t anything haunted or scary so I was a little uneasy taking the tour but I survived! Each room in the house served a specific purpose which I found to be interesting. I also found it be to a little strange that the husband and wives did not sleep in the same bed let alone the same room! The fore area or the vestibule area of the home when you walk through the front door is made to look the fanciest because it is the first impression you get of the house. It was covered in fake marble to make it look grand but without the expense. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and because we had some extra time at the end of the tour she shared some ghost stories with us.
After the Merchant’s House we continued to walk (we did A LOT of walking today) we stopped in front of the Cooper Union Foundation Building which I thought was awesome because President Lincoln composed the Cooper Union Address during the Civil War here (the more you know!) We finally ended (so tired by this point!) in St. Mark’s, a place I’ve never heard of before! We ventured into Tompkins Square Park but before we went into the park we were told to try and pick out what was different about this park. I immediately realized that there is no green space that isn’t fenced off...You can really only walk through the park, there’s no place to lay down on the grass or anything of the sort. The reason for this was because the park used to be well known for many riots and the park was redesigned to prevent it from ever happening again. (Essential New York p.107)