Forgotten New York is a program of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, a non-profit organization supported by the Long Island City community.
There’s been an added emphasis this summer on one of the very first things I ever examined for Forgotten NY when I began this thing in 1999 — the locked door at the west end of the north Times Square Shuttle platform, with the mysterious word “Knickerbocker” emossed over it. This, of course, was a [...]
Categorized in: One Shots Subways & Trains Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
I seem to be becoming one of NYC’s great Langoliers, one of those mysterious yet relentless entities written of by Stephen King that arrive after each moment in time has passed, disposing of time and everything in it like garbage disposal units. Or rather, I happen upon things that the Langoliers have somehow missed after [...]
Categorized in: Forgotten Slices Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
Many urbanophiles are aware of the Door to Nowhere on the north Times Square Shuttle platform, emblazoned with the word “Knickerbocker” that long ago opened to a staircase leading directly to the Knickerbocker Hotel, which stood above the station. However, if you walk to the other end of the same platform, you will find, near [...]
Categorized in: One Shots Tagged with: doors Manhattan Times Square
CONTINUED FROM PART 1 In Part One of my quest to walk between both of Manhattan’s cable-stayed bridges, I meandered from Rockefeller University on the East River just north of the Queensboro (that is the only name I call that bridge) west through the Fifties, passing several unsung landmarks such as the Central Synagogue, DuMont Tower, [...]
Categorized in: Walks Tagged with: Hell's Kitchen Manhattan Times Square
Categorized in: Forgotten Slices Neighborhoods Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
Categorized in: Neighborhoods Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
Categorized in: Neighborhoods Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
Welcome to Forgotten NY’snewest installment of “Who Are Those Guys & Gals” in which we investigate statues of real people in Manhattan. Some are instantly recognizable, some are not recognizable at all, but if you’ve ever wondered who they are…you came to the right place… CONTINUED FROM PART 3 (1855-1929) Location: 2 Penn Plaza Sculptor: Adolph [...]
Categorized in: Street Scenes Tagged with: Bryant Park Manhattan Midtown statues Times Square
Nestled in prosperous Murray Hill on East 36th Street between 3rd and Lexington is one of the few alleys of the midtown area. Sniffen Court was constructed between 1850 and 1860 and consists of ten handsome brick carriage houses protected behind a locked iron gate. The carriage houses were built by architect John Sniffen and [...]
Categorized in: Alleys Tagged with: Cooper Square Hell’s Kitchen Kips Bay Manhattan Murray Hill Times Square Turtle Bay Upper East Side
In 1998, a demolition in Duffy Square allowed an ancient (ca. 1880) advertisement for horse and buggy carriages to come to light in the now-high tech, Disneyfied area. In 1998, passersby ignore recently revealed history on Broadway. The recent demolition of the Central Theatre, built in 1877, on the SW corner of Broadway and 47th Street [...]
Categorized in: Ads Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
Next time you are taking the Times Square Shuttle toward Grand Central, walk toward the northern end of the platform. You’ll find a locked door with the word “Knickerbocker” above it. What could it be? Where does the door go? Behind the door is a corridor which led up to the rear lobby of the Knickerbocker Hotel at [...]
Categorized in: Subways & Trains Tagged with: Manhattan Times Square
