5. The Exuberant East Side
Turns out there actually is a rose in Spanish Harlem. We started off this exciting day is East Harlem also know as "Spanish Harlem" or El Barrio. What struck me first was the energetic feeling of the neighborhood. And yes, I do mean NEIGHBORHOOD!! Spanish Harlem was filled with unique individuals (believe me, we ran into some real characters), but more than that -there was a great sense of community that I just didn't expect. The inhabitants have a sense of pride about their neighborhood and were quite willing to stop to speak to this group of eager students. More than one person spoke to us and conveyed their pearls of wisdom. One man actually told us that he thought gentrification was good for the neighborhood. This was surprising to me. I don't mean to sound cynical, but I think that perhaps he wasn't completely clear on the meaning of the word.
I had always envisioned Harlem to be a dangerous place. This is not necessarily true. While any place can be made dangerous, especially when you place a bunch or people of low socio-economic backgrounds under the same roof as was done when in 1958 when the Carver Houses were created (ENY, p 162). This housing project composed of 13 buildings was created for low income residents of the neighborhood and was named after George Washington Carver (ENY, p. 162).
Next stop was the Museum of the City of New York. We watched a short film that provided so much information regarding the history of New York City.
It was a well done and engaging film that. traces the growth of New York City from a settlement of a few hundred Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans to its present status as one of the world’s great cities. Narrated by actor Stanley Tucci, the film features animated maps and archival photographs, prints, and paintings from the Museum’s collections. A trip to the museum is worth it just to see this short film (ENY, p. 163).
One of the exhibits that I enjoyed was Gilded New York. It explores the city’s visual culture at the end of the 19th century, when its elite class flaunted their money as never before. In New York, this era was marked by the sudden rise of industrial and corporate wealth, amassed by such titans as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, who expressed their high status through extravagant fashions, architecture, and interior design. The exhibition presents a lavish display of some 100 works, including costumes, jewelry, portraits, and decorative objects, all created between the mid-1870s and the early 20th century. The dazzling works in the exhibition illuminated an era when members of the new American aristocracy often displayed their wealth in storied balls in Fifth Avenue mansions and hotels. It was a time when New York became the nation’s corporate headquarters and a popular Ladies’ Mile of luxury retail establishments and cultural institutions helped launch the city to global prominence.
I believe it was at this time that we met our most awesome, charismatic and knowledgeable Latino guide, Luke. In addition to being our tour guide for "El Barrio", Luke is a talented poet that performs nationwide (perhaps worldwide- I'm not quite sure). We were treated to one of his poems in a museum that could not have been any different from the Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio (ENY, p. 163).
The poem was awesome. What was different about El Museo del Barrio that was evident right from the start was the smell. Wow, this place smelled like awesome food. It always comes back to food with me, doesn't it? El Museo del Barrio is New York’s leading Latino cultural institution. It welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures. cultural celebrations, and educational programs.
Another interesting stop of the day was the Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden This is an ornamental garden in East Harlem. It's a collaboration of Hope Community, an East Harlem non-profit, and GrowNYC. While we were not allowed to enter the garden, we were able to peer through the fence to see both a mural and a sculpture. The sculpture "Seed of Growth", designed by Lina Puerta, celebrates the strength and diversity of women. It's a representation of female anatomy- fallopian tubes, representing fertility (ENY, p. 164). Along the back wall of the garden is a mural entitled "Soldaderas". The mural depicts Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. It's a tribute to the struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of the neighborhood.
We broke for lunch and then headed to Upper Central Park which runs from 110th street to 88th street. The park is stunning. and made me feel really proud to be a New Yorker. From Central Park we continued to Midtown where we saw some beautiful examples of Art Deco architecture in the Chrysler Building and then continued on to Grand Central Station Commonly referred to as 'Grand Central Station,' the historic Grand Central Terminal is a famous NYC landmark in Midtown Manhattan. Located on 42nd St and Park Ave, Grand Central is one of the busiest train stations in the world, and serves nearly 200,000 NYC commuters every day. Built in 1871, Grand Central Terminal is home to 44 train platforms, several great NY restaurants, and some of the most beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture in NYC.
I had always envisioned Harlem to be a dangerous place. This is not necessarily true. While any place can be made dangerous, especially when you place a bunch or people of low socio-economic backgrounds under the same roof as was done when in 1958 when the Carver Houses were created (ENY, p 162). This housing project composed of 13 buildings was created for low income residents of the neighborhood and was named after George Washington Carver (ENY, p. 162).
Next stop was the Museum of the City of New York. We watched a short film that provided so much information regarding the history of New York City.
It was a well done and engaging film that. traces the growth of New York City from a settlement of a few hundred Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans to its present status as one of the world’s great cities. Narrated by actor Stanley Tucci, the film features animated maps and archival photographs, prints, and paintings from the Museum’s collections. A trip to the museum is worth it just to see this short film (ENY, p. 163).
One of the exhibits that I enjoyed was Gilded New York. It explores the city’s visual culture at the end of the 19th century, when its elite class flaunted their money as never before. In New York, this era was marked by the sudden rise of industrial and corporate wealth, amassed by such titans as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, who expressed their high status through extravagant fashions, architecture, and interior design. The exhibition presents a lavish display of some 100 works, including costumes, jewelry, portraits, and decorative objects, all created between the mid-1870s and the early 20th century. The dazzling works in the exhibition illuminated an era when members of the new American aristocracy often displayed their wealth in storied balls in Fifth Avenue mansions and hotels. It was a time when New York became the nation’s corporate headquarters and a popular Ladies’ Mile of luxury retail establishments and cultural institutions helped launch the city to global prominence.
I believe it was at this time that we met our most awesome, charismatic and knowledgeable Latino guide, Luke. In addition to being our tour guide for "El Barrio", Luke is a talented poet that performs nationwide (perhaps worldwide- I'm not quite sure). We were treated to one of his poems in a museum that could not have been any different from the Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio (ENY, p. 163).
The poem was awesome. What was different about El Museo del Barrio that was evident right from the start was the smell. Wow, this place smelled like awesome food. It always comes back to food with me, doesn't it? El Museo del Barrio is New York’s leading Latino cultural institution. It welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures. cultural celebrations, and educational programs.
Another interesting stop of the day was the Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden This is an ornamental garden in East Harlem. It's a collaboration of Hope Community, an East Harlem non-profit, and GrowNYC. While we were not allowed to enter the garden, we were able to peer through the fence to see both a mural and a sculpture. The sculpture "Seed of Growth", designed by Lina Puerta, celebrates the strength and diversity of women. It's a representation of female anatomy- fallopian tubes, representing fertility (ENY, p. 164). Along the back wall of the garden is a mural entitled "Soldaderas". The mural depicts Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. It's a tribute to the struggles of the Puerto Rican and Mexican inhabitants of the neighborhood.
We broke for lunch and then headed to Upper Central Park which runs from 110th street to 88th street. The park is stunning. and made me feel really proud to be a New Yorker. From Central Park we continued to Midtown where we saw some beautiful examples of Art Deco architecture in the Chrysler Building and then continued on to Grand Central Station Commonly referred to as 'Grand Central Station,' the historic Grand Central Terminal is a famous NYC landmark in Midtown Manhattan. Located on 42nd St and Park Ave, Grand Central is one of the busiest train stations in the world, and serves nearly 200,000 NYC commuters every day. Built in 1871, Grand Central Terminal is home to 44 train platforms, several great NY restaurants, and some of the most beautiful Beaux-Arts architecture in NYC.
6. West Side Story
Okay, so maybe the weather affected my mood this morning. It was rainy and dreary so we decided to partake in indoor activities this Saturday. First stop was the Museum of Modern Art. This place made me so cranky. Apparently everyone else in the city had the same idea as Mike, as evidenced by the crowd in the museum. We were rushed through the exhibits and did not have much time to enjoy or even to contemplate the artists' works. I'm told that the purpose of art is to evoke thought. Interesting, because what I thought about much of what I saw today was "What the f#%&"? If some of the exhibits there are "art", then so is this:
It's mine. It's never been done before. Therefore it is art!
We saw a lot of penises and some disturbing sculptures, but, I did enjoy Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans! Also, I could appreciate Jackson Pollock. He was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. Pollock was well known for his unique style of drip painting. Some people secretly think to themselves that they could do that when looking at Pollock's pieces, but I can pretty much assure you that is far from true. I do like my crumpled ticket though....
Yum Yum! It's time for lunch and it couldn't have come any sooner. This week lunch was on Molloy and were is store for some tasty Thai cuisine at Yum Yum restaurant. I had my favorite, Panang Curry and it was delightful. After lunch I took a quick jaunt over to Schmackery's for a sweet treat.
The weather cleared as did my mood. We walked along Riverside Park which is four miles long and runs from 72nd Street to 158th reet, along the Hudson River.st couples ever! Morningside Heights, depending upon to whom you speak, is either part of Manhattan's Upper Westside or part of Greater Harlem (ENY, P. 166). What is undeniable, no matter who you speak to, is the beauty of the architecture and the richness of the history in this part of the city. General Grant National Memorial or Grants' Tomb is impressive. It is built of white granite and consists of a gorgeous dome. The stairway to the memorial greets you with six Doric column, leading to a portico inscribed with the words "Let us have peace" )ENY, p. 171).
We headed from the memorial through a part of Barnard University campus which is the sister school to Columbia University. We sat of the stairs to the impressive Columbia University library. Columbia's campus is beautiful The noted architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White strikes again.
From the Columbia campus we went to the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. Cathedral of St. John the Divine is located on Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street. The Cathedral was build in response to the completion of the monumental St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1879 (ENY, p. 167). A competition for the best design for a Cathedral was held in 1887 and the winners were the firm on Heins and LeFarge. Within the Cathedral is an exhibit created by pioneering Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing. Xu Bing created his Phoenix from debris collected from various construction sites across Beijing. The "debris" has been transformed into his most monumental project to date. The Phoenix hang suspended in the Nave, two majestic birds in perpetual flight beneath its celestial ceiling. It is absolutely breathtaking
We saw a lot of penises and some disturbing sculptures, but, I did enjoy Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans! Also, I could appreciate Jackson Pollock. He was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. Pollock was well known for his unique style of drip painting. Some people secretly think to themselves that they could do that when looking at Pollock's pieces, but I can pretty much assure you that is far from true. I do like my crumpled ticket though....
Yum Yum! It's time for lunch and it couldn't have come any sooner. This week lunch was on Molloy and were is store for some tasty Thai cuisine at Yum Yum restaurant. I had my favorite, Panang Curry and it was delightful. After lunch I took a quick jaunt over to Schmackery's for a sweet treat.
The weather cleared as did my mood. We walked along Riverside Park which is four miles long and runs from 72nd Street to 158th reet, along the Hudson River.st couples ever! Morningside Heights, depending upon to whom you speak, is either part of Manhattan's Upper Westside or part of Greater Harlem (ENY, P. 166). What is undeniable, no matter who you speak to, is the beauty of the architecture and the richness of the history in this part of the city. General Grant National Memorial or Grants' Tomb is impressive. It is built of white granite and consists of a gorgeous dome. The stairway to the memorial greets you with six Doric column, leading to a portico inscribed with the words "Let us have peace" )ENY, p. 171).
We headed from the memorial through a part of Barnard University campus which is the sister school to Columbia University. We sat of the stairs to the impressive Columbia University library. Columbia's campus is beautiful The noted architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White strikes again.
From the Columbia campus we went to the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. Cathedral of St. John the Divine is located on Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street. The Cathedral was build in response to the completion of the monumental St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1879 (ENY, p. 167). A competition for the best design for a Cathedral was held in 1887 and the winners were the firm on Heins and LeFarge. Within the Cathedral is an exhibit created by pioneering Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing. Xu Bing created his Phoenix from debris collected from various construction sites across Beijing. The "debris" has been transformed into his most monumental project to date. The Phoenix hang suspended in the Nave, two majestic birds in perpetual flight beneath its celestial ceiling. It is absolutely breathtaking
7. Lower Eastside & Chinatown
The Lower East Side and Chinatown are neighborhoods in New York City that evidence our city's rich history of immigration unlike any other. We took the F train to Delancey Street. From there we walked over to check out the Essex Street Market which specializes in a wide variety of culinary products including gourmet cheeses, premium cuts of meat, fresh fish and general grocery items. It's a public market made up of many smaller merchants who pride themselves on getting to know their customers..Their customers may have been Irish, German, or Jews (ENY, p. 65)..
Beginning in the 1840s, millions of immigrants poured into New York City, seeking a new and better life for themselves and their families. Built in 1863, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum was once home to 7,000 immigrants between 1863 and 1935. The museum provides a unique look into the lives of its former residents and the history of the Lower East Side. Each year, thousands upon thousands of students visit the museum to learn about immigration and New York City.
I was immediately lured in by the story of Bridget Meehan and Joseph Moore! Bridget Meehan was just seventeen when she came alone to New York from Ireland in 1863. Joseph Moore came two years later at the age of 20. Most likely they met and married sometime in 1865 in New York Within two years of arriving in New York, they were living at 65 Mott Street in the notorious Five Points, among Irish, African-American, Chinese, and myriad other cultures. Five Points was a rough neighborhood. Tenements back then did not have the stigma attached to them that they have today. The Moore Family moved into 97 Orchard Street (which is now The Tenement Museum) in search a better life for their growing family. Unfortunately, their daughter Agnes passed away during their short time of residence at 97 Orchard Street and the family moved on. We were able to see a re-creation of a typical apartment that would have been inhabited by a family such as the Moore's.
We followed up our experience at the Tenement Museum with a trip to Canal Street and Chinatown. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that this was my first trip to Chinatown. It is beautiful, in my opinion. Crowded, colorful, full of good smells...I literally felt like I was no longer in New York City. Everyone around me was Chinese, spoke Chinese, all the signs and newspapers were written in Chinese. Even the police officers were Chinese!! Two observations: the Chinese still like to smoke cigarettes a LOT and they are very superstitious. Tthe streets were very clean! It was crowded, like REALLY crowded, yet I felt safe.
We spit up into teams and explored Chinatown. We reconvened back at Congee Village for an authentic Chinese Food lunch. I loved it. Many of the students were whiny and complaining that they wanted chicken and broccoli, which I found to be annoying. While in China, do as the Chinese do.....eat as the Chinese eat.
After lunch we went on a walking tour with Jim around the Lower East Side. We went to one of the world's largest candy stores, Economy Candy. It was like a scene our of a Willy Wonka movie. We walked down Delancey Street and Mike showed us the Williamsburg Bridge, also known as the Jews Highway because much of the Jewish population lived in Williamsburg and traveled into the Lower East Side for worship. Speaking of worship we also saw the Bialystoker Synagogue and the Eldridge Street Synagogue. The Bialystoker Synagogue was once a church that lost most of its congregation and then it turned into a synagogue. As we continued down the street we went to 313 East Broadway where there was a huge beaux art building that was built in 1904. This building was used by orthodox Jewish women to purify themselves before they got married and after they had their period. I found this sort of intriguing and interesting!! It's called a Mikvah, when a Jewish woman has to cleanse herself with pure water.
We also stopped at the Henry Street Settlement. In 1892, Lilliam Wald a 25-year-old nurse then enrolled in the Women’s Medical College, volunteered to teach a class on home health care for immigrant women at the Louis Down Town Sabbath and Daly School on the Lower East Side. One day, she was approached by a young girl who kept repeating "mommy ... baby ... blood". Wald gathered some sheets from her bed-making lesson and followed the child to her home, a cramped two-room tenement apartment. Inside, she found the child’s mother who had recently given birth and in need of health care. The doctor tending to her had left because she could not afford to pay him. This was Wald’s first experience with poverty; she called the episode her "baptism by fire" and dedicated herself to bringing nursing care, and eventually education and access to the arts, to the immigrant poor on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The next year she founded the Nurses' Settlement, which later changed its name to the Henry Street Settlement. (ENY, p. 69).
We also stopped at the Henry Street Settlement. In 1892, Lilliam Wald a 25-year-old nurse then enrolled in the Women’s Medical College, volunteered to teach a class on home health care for immigrant women at the Louis Down Town Sabbath and Daly School on the Lower East Side. One day, she was approached by a young girl who kept repeating "mommy ... baby ... blood". Wald gathered some sheets from her bed-making lesson and followed the child to her home, a cramped two-room tenement apartment. Inside, she found the child’s mother who had recently given birth and in need of health care. The doctor tending to her had left because she could not afford to pay him. This was Wald’s first experience with poverty; she called the episode her "baptism by fire" and dedicated herself to bringing nursing care, and eventually education and access to the arts, to the immigrant poor on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The next year she founded the Nurses' Settlement, which later changed its name to the Henry Street Settlement. (ENY, p. 69).
8. Lower Manhattan, Downtown Financial District and 9-11 Memorial
Last Day of class! I have mixed emotions. I believe we did things in a different sequence than Mike usually does! Therefore, we started off today's journey in Battery Park City. This neighborhood did not exist prior to 1967. Up until the late 1950s it was a body of water filled with piers which served as a trading port. The safe, protected harbor is one of the features that made New York so desirable. By the 1960s most of the piers became abandoned and unsound which gave Governor Nelson Rockefeller the great idea of creating a 90-acre planned community to be built near the city's financial district. This community was created by using the landfill excavated from the World Trade Center site. It was a great plan! Upon it's completion the community was considered to be one of the best pieces of real estate. To this day it is very desirable piece of real estate for many reasons, not only because of the harbor as in the past.
We stopped to visit the Robert Wagner Park. Named for Robert F. Wagner Jr.—a former NYC deputy mayor, chairman of the City Planning Commission, president of the Health and Hospitals Corporation and president of the Board of Education—and positioned next to New York's waterfront. The park has one of the most amazing views in the City, including a clear shot of the Statue of Liberty. When Mike asked if we knew who Robert Wagner was, I thought he was referring to the actor, lol! We had the opportunity to see Fritz Koenig's 22 ton statue called the Sphere. The statue once stood in front of the Twin Towers. It was damaged, yet it survived, kind of like a lot of New Yorkers on that fateful day. Appropriately, the statue now stands as a sign of resiliency and can be seen in Robert Wagner Park.
We also walked through Castle Clinton which was built before the War of 1812 and became New York City's first aquarium, then relocated to Coney Island. Castle Clinton was named after Mayor DeWitt Clinton and was originally called the West Battery. A "battery" was a fortified emplacement for heavy guns. Battery Park served as a fort and stood in about 35 feet of water, then as an immigrant depot station in 1855. I'm impressed by the fact that it still stands today. Not too far off was Luis Sanguino's 1973 statue, "The Immigrants" dedicated to the eight million people who passed through Castle Clinton's immigrant depot. The statue which points to the struggles that immigrants faced upon beginning their new lives in America includes, a freed African slave, a priest, a worker, and a Jew. I found this statue to be particularly remarkable because thousands of immigrants continue to flee to America and they all face the same struggles decades later (ENY, p. 56-57). That wraps up Battery Park, it was off to the Fraunces Tavern Museum.
At the Fraunces Tavern Museum we learned why the building is considered by some to be Manhattan's oldest and by others to be the biggest fraud.. The Fraunces Tavern Museum is where George Washington gave his farewell address to his army on December 4th, 1783. According to our awesome and enthusiastic tour guide (loved her!), Washington chose this particular building as opposed to a religious space because of its communal and unified location in the long room. Benjamin Tallmadge's wrote about the event in his memoirs of 1830, which are on display on the third floor of this museum.
To give us a sense of the building, our guide explained the layout as follows: the bottom floor was the communal/bar area in which people would come to find out what was going on in the world, the second floor contained private dining rooms including the long room where Washington allegedly gave his farewell address, the third floor is where Samuel Fraunces (a renowned chef) lived along with his family, and the attic contained rooms for the servants (typical). Originally built in 1719 by wealthy merchant Stephen Delancey, it is arguably Manhattan's building as well as the biggest fake (ENY, p. 55). Some believe it is the biggest fake because having undergone three different fires inflicted upon by cannon balls from the American Revolution, it has been through many phases of reconstruction. This does not take away from the fact that it was built on the first original landfill and was right on the water. Continuing with our tour, we visited the Map room which contained a number of maps dating back to the 18th century, the FlagRroom filled with numerous flags all different in style depending on the maker's interpretation. Flags changed all the time, depending on who made the Flag and who he or she felt was a "true colony" and deserved representation. I loved the Flag Room!
Next, we walked through Bowling Green Park which is named after the game of bowls that was played by the British during colonial times. It was a very small park filled with puddles, and in the middle of it was a fountain in commemoration of the completion of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842 (ENY, 54). From here, we walked across the street and stopped in front, rather, behind the Charging Bull which is a 3.5 ton, 16 foot long bronze statue created by New York City artist Arthuro Di Modico after Black Monday (ENY, p. 53). Today, we witnessed many tourists visiting the bull and having their pictures taken with their handles on it's testicles, which Mike said is good luck. Yes, of course I touched them too. It was pretty funny! It was also here where we got a little lecture on Broadway. Broadway is known as the "Canyon of Heroes" because it served as the setting for many parades following huge events like Charles Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic (ENY, p. 53). By this time, everyone was hungry so it was off to lunch in the World Financial Center at a very nice food court called Brookfield Place food court( Hudson Eats!). After enjoying some very tasty Mexican food that was considerably better than Chipotle, we proceeded to the highly anticipated 9/11 Memorial.
The 9/11 Memorial is located in the Financial District. On September 11th, 2001, all of New York City and America at large was impacted by the terrorist attack that needlessly claimed the lives of so many. Located in the area where the Twin Towers once stood is the 9/11 Memorial which opened in 2011 and was the result of a competition that had 5,201 submissions. A 13 member jury decided on a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker called "Reflecting Absence." With two pools situated in the footprints of the Twin Towers, it is truly stunning and moving. 30 foot waterfalls, the largest manmade waterfalls in America descend into a center void and the names of the hundreds of victims are inscribed around the edges. I had not yet been to visit the memorial since its creation, although I have been wanting to. I had mixed emotions with an underlying feeling of dread, however, I'm glad I finally went to see it. I took my time while there and truly tried to be "in the moment" and to pay my personal respects to all those lives lost. It filled with an overwhelming sadness, yet there was hope in there too. In some ways, when something horrible like this happens, it causes a nation to unite and to put aside their differences. In some ways, 9/11 did this for us. It caused everyone to stop and think and to appreciate their loved ones, to hug them just a little bit closer.
In addition to the memorial we also had the opportunity to see "Freedom Tower." Standing at 1,776 feet (1776, Independence Day), it is now the tallest building in the United States and the fourth tallest in the world, for now at least. Also, I unfortunately did not get to take a picture but I did see the "Survivor Tree." This Callery pear tree was planted at the original World Trade Center site in the 1970s and was badly burned by the attack but it miraculously survived, was nursed back to health, and in 2010 was planted in the memorial plaza. It stands out today because it has numerous anchors holding it in place (ENY, p.48-49). After about fifteen minutes, it was time to move onto our next stop: St. Paul's Chapel.
Walking through St. Paul's Chapel's cemetery, I noticed the majority of the gravestones were no longer legible and understandably so, they are from the 18th century and as we were standing in the cemetery, Mike started talking about the chapel and I had no idea what he was talking about or where to look. Turns out it was the building in front of me covered in sheets and scaffolds. This chapel was designed by Thomas McBean out of Manhattan Schist and completed in 1766. It is New York's only intact (well, sort of) pre-Revolutionary War Church surviving the great fire of 1776 and the 9/11 attack thanks to a sycamore tree which is said to have deflected the debris. It is also in this chapel where George Washington worshipped (ENY, p. 46-47). From here we could also see Mike's favorite building, the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building was designed by none other than McKim, Mead and White. At the top of this multi-style building stands a 20-foot tall gilded statue, "Civic Fame" created by Adolph Weinman. This statue is of a barefoot female standing on a copper ball, holding a five-pointed crown symbolizing the five boroughs. It is the third largest statue in New York City.
We stopped to visit the Robert Wagner Park. Named for Robert F. Wagner Jr.—a former NYC deputy mayor, chairman of the City Planning Commission, president of the Health and Hospitals Corporation and president of the Board of Education—and positioned next to New York's waterfront. The park has one of the most amazing views in the City, including a clear shot of the Statue of Liberty. When Mike asked if we knew who Robert Wagner was, I thought he was referring to the actor, lol! We had the opportunity to see Fritz Koenig's 22 ton statue called the Sphere. The statue once stood in front of the Twin Towers. It was damaged, yet it survived, kind of like a lot of New Yorkers on that fateful day. Appropriately, the statue now stands as a sign of resiliency and can be seen in Robert Wagner Park.
We also walked through Castle Clinton which was built before the War of 1812 and became New York City's first aquarium, then relocated to Coney Island. Castle Clinton was named after Mayor DeWitt Clinton and was originally called the West Battery. A "battery" was a fortified emplacement for heavy guns. Battery Park served as a fort and stood in about 35 feet of water, then as an immigrant depot station in 1855. I'm impressed by the fact that it still stands today. Not too far off was Luis Sanguino's 1973 statue, "The Immigrants" dedicated to the eight million people who passed through Castle Clinton's immigrant depot. The statue which points to the struggles that immigrants faced upon beginning their new lives in America includes, a freed African slave, a priest, a worker, and a Jew. I found this statue to be particularly remarkable because thousands of immigrants continue to flee to America and they all face the same struggles decades later (ENY, p. 56-57). That wraps up Battery Park, it was off to the Fraunces Tavern Museum.
At the Fraunces Tavern Museum we learned why the building is considered by some to be Manhattan's oldest and by others to be the biggest fraud.. The Fraunces Tavern Museum is where George Washington gave his farewell address to his army on December 4th, 1783. According to our awesome and enthusiastic tour guide (loved her!), Washington chose this particular building as opposed to a religious space because of its communal and unified location in the long room. Benjamin Tallmadge's wrote about the event in his memoirs of 1830, which are on display on the third floor of this museum.
To give us a sense of the building, our guide explained the layout as follows: the bottom floor was the communal/bar area in which people would come to find out what was going on in the world, the second floor contained private dining rooms including the long room where Washington allegedly gave his farewell address, the third floor is where Samuel Fraunces (a renowned chef) lived along with his family, and the attic contained rooms for the servants (typical). Originally built in 1719 by wealthy merchant Stephen Delancey, it is arguably Manhattan's building as well as the biggest fake (ENY, p. 55). Some believe it is the biggest fake because having undergone three different fires inflicted upon by cannon balls from the American Revolution, it has been through many phases of reconstruction. This does not take away from the fact that it was built on the first original landfill and was right on the water. Continuing with our tour, we visited the Map room which contained a number of maps dating back to the 18th century, the FlagRroom filled with numerous flags all different in style depending on the maker's interpretation. Flags changed all the time, depending on who made the Flag and who he or she felt was a "true colony" and deserved representation. I loved the Flag Room!
Next, we walked through Bowling Green Park which is named after the game of bowls that was played by the British during colonial times. It was a very small park filled with puddles, and in the middle of it was a fountain in commemoration of the completion of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842 (ENY, 54). From here, we walked across the street and stopped in front, rather, behind the Charging Bull which is a 3.5 ton, 16 foot long bronze statue created by New York City artist Arthuro Di Modico after Black Monday (ENY, p. 53). Today, we witnessed many tourists visiting the bull and having their pictures taken with their handles on it's testicles, which Mike said is good luck. Yes, of course I touched them too. It was pretty funny! It was also here where we got a little lecture on Broadway. Broadway is known as the "Canyon of Heroes" because it served as the setting for many parades following huge events like Charles Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic (ENY, p. 53). By this time, everyone was hungry so it was off to lunch in the World Financial Center at a very nice food court called Brookfield Place food court( Hudson Eats!). After enjoying some very tasty Mexican food that was considerably better than Chipotle, we proceeded to the highly anticipated 9/11 Memorial.
The 9/11 Memorial is located in the Financial District. On September 11th, 2001, all of New York City and America at large was impacted by the terrorist attack that needlessly claimed the lives of so many. Located in the area where the Twin Towers once stood is the 9/11 Memorial which opened in 2011 and was the result of a competition that had 5,201 submissions. A 13 member jury decided on a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker called "Reflecting Absence." With two pools situated in the footprints of the Twin Towers, it is truly stunning and moving. 30 foot waterfalls, the largest manmade waterfalls in America descend into a center void and the names of the hundreds of victims are inscribed around the edges. I had not yet been to visit the memorial since its creation, although I have been wanting to. I had mixed emotions with an underlying feeling of dread, however, I'm glad I finally went to see it. I took my time while there and truly tried to be "in the moment" and to pay my personal respects to all those lives lost. It filled with an overwhelming sadness, yet there was hope in there too. In some ways, when something horrible like this happens, it causes a nation to unite and to put aside their differences. In some ways, 9/11 did this for us. It caused everyone to stop and think and to appreciate their loved ones, to hug them just a little bit closer.
In addition to the memorial we also had the opportunity to see "Freedom Tower." Standing at 1,776 feet (1776, Independence Day), it is now the tallest building in the United States and the fourth tallest in the world, for now at least. Also, I unfortunately did not get to take a picture but I did see the "Survivor Tree." This Callery pear tree was planted at the original World Trade Center site in the 1970s and was badly burned by the attack but it miraculously survived, was nursed back to health, and in 2010 was planted in the memorial plaza. It stands out today because it has numerous anchors holding it in place (ENY, p.48-49). After about fifteen minutes, it was time to move onto our next stop: St. Paul's Chapel.
Walking through St. Paul's Chapel's cemetery, I noticed the majority of the gravestones were no longer legible and understandably so, they are from the 18th century and as we were standing in the cemetery, Mike started talking about the chapel and I had no idea what he was talking about or where to look. Turns out it was the building in front of me covered in sheets and scaffolds. This chapel was designed by Thomas McBean out of Manhattan Schist and completed in 1766. It is New York's only intact (well, sort of) pre-Revolutionary War Church surviving the great fire of 1776 and the 9/11 attack thanks to a sycamore tree which is said to have deflected the debris. It is also in this chapel where George Washington worshipped (ENY, p. 46-47). From here we could also see Mike's favorite building, the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building was designed by none other than McKim, Mead and White. At the top of this multi-style building stands a 20-foot tall gilded statue, "Civic Fame" created by Adolph Weinman. This statue is of a barefoot female standing on a copper ball, holding a five-pointed crown symbolizing the five boroughs. It is the third largest statue in New York City.
9. Lasting Impressions
This course has taught me more about NYC than I ever could have imagined. I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of it. I started off this journey by telling you that I felt like a tourist in my own city. I am proud to say that that is considerable LESS true today. I'd like to thank Mike and Lelia for being patient with the group and imparting their unparalleled knowledge. These two make a great team; complimenting each other's strengths and weaknesses. The course was exactly what I expected (a lot of walking!), yet so much more. I learned so much about our rich history and at the risk of sounding sappy I'll tell you I am somewhat more proud to be a New Yorker having taken the course. This opportunity helped me to learn, grow, reflect and become more cultured
We were constantly moving, seeing hearing and learning and I felt I was in excellent hands at all times. if Mike and Lee set out to want me to spend more time in the city, then they did an amazing job. I am much more likely to seize the day and take advantage of the many opportunities this city of ours has to offer. I can't wait to bring my family in to re-visit some of the sights at my own pace and share with them some of what I've learned.
One of the things I love about NYC is it's resiliency and diversity of our people. Walking through the city you have the opportunity to see people at all different stations of life. One never knows the sum of experiences that has led an individual to their particular station in life. Never judge, always be kind. Kindness matters and costs nothing.
Thank you, Mike and Lee for teaching me more about my city than I imagined possible.
We were constantly moving, seeing hearing and learning and I felt I was in excellent hands at all times. if Mike and Lee set out to want me to spend more time in the city, then they did an amazing job. I am much more likely to seize the day and take advantage of the many opportunities this city of ours has to offer. I can't wait to bring my family in to re-visit some of the sights at my own pace and share with them some of what I've learned.
One of the things I love about NYC is it's resiliency and diversity of our people. Walking through the city you have the opportunity to see people at all different stations of life. One never knows the sum of experiences that has led an individual to their particular station in life. Never judge, always be kind. Kindness matters and costs nothing.
Thank you, Mike and Lee for teaching me more about my city than I imagined possible.