For years, the librarians at the New-York Historical Society
have kept a record of the questions posed to them by curious New
Yorkers and visitors to the city. Who was the first woman to run
for mayor of New York? Why are beavers featured on the city's
official seal? Is it true that a nineteenth-century New Yorker
built a house out of spite? These questions involve people, places,
buildings, monuments, rumors, and urban myths. They concern sports,
food, transportation, the arts, politics, nature, and Central Park,
among many other subjects. Taken together, they attest to the
infinite stories hidden within the most intriguing metropolis in
the world.
In "When Did the Statue of Liberty Turn Green?" the staff of the
New-York Historical Society Library answer more than a hundred of
the most popular and compelling queries. The endlessly entertaining
entries in this book feature hard-to-find data and unforgettable
profiles, sharing snapshots of New York's secret history for all to
enjoy. Drawing on the library's extensive collections, the staff
reveal when the first book was printed in New York, whether the
story of Harlem residents presenting rats to government officials
is true, who exactly were the Collyer brothers and why were they
famous, and why premature babies were once displayed in Coney
Island. For readers who love trivia, urban history, strange tales,
and, of course, New York City, this book will delight with its
rich, informative, and surprising stories.
Look inside to learn:
How "Peg-Leg" Peter Stuyvesant lost his right leg Whether
Manhattan used to have cowboysHow the New York Yankees got their
nameWho was Pig Foot MaryWhy the Manhattan House of Detention is
called the TombsWho was Topsy and how she electrified New York
CityHow many speakeasies were open during ProhibitionWhat occurred
every May in the nineteenth century to cause so much commotionWhen
penguins were stolen from the Coney Island Aquarium
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