Journal 1 Day 1 Midtown East and Queens 6/5/14
This is where my journey begins, the LIRR. Getting to Penn Station was easier then I thought. Once in Penn Station I can smell the food, feel the heat and listen to a man playing the violin. People were running around like crazy or looking up at the arrival board to see what time there train was coming. Your could feel the energy. Pennsylvania Station was built in 1910 by McKimm, Mead, and White. Its Beaux- Art style building stood there for 50 years above ground but it became costly to maintain it original beauty. So to accommodate Madison Square Garden and a couple of office buildings they tore it down. What a mistake. In 1963 they built the present day Penn Station. It is very gloomy, stuffy and run down. There are plans in the works to rebuild Penn Station with the same designs as the Old Penn Station at the Farley Post Office Building. Lets hope it happens soon.
As we came out of Penn Station on to 7th Avenue and walk to 5th Avenue you can smell the fumes of the cars, taxis and trucks. There was a faint smell of urine camouflaged by pizza cooking. In contrast to Penn Station we arrive at Grand Central Terminal, not to be confused with Grand Central Station the post office. When it was first built it was financed by the Vanderbilt s. The beautiful structure was of Beaux Art design. We enter into the grand balcony. Looking out the first thing I noticed was the brass clock right in the center of the terminal. As I walked down the stair case I noticed the light green Astrological signs painted on the ceiling. It looked like it was constructed backward, but was told it was suppose to being from God's perspective. In the early days of the terminal there were many smoker and over time the walls and ceiling were covered with filth and grime. In the upper right corner by the crab on the ceiling there remains a title that shows how filthy the terminal. In the 1960's there was talk about tearing the terminal down and building two new sky scrapers, but Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis protested to preserve this grand landmark of New York and see won. Today the terminal serves Metro-North Railroad to Winchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties in New York and Fairfield, and New Haven counties in Connecticut
Next we move onto the Chrysler Building on 40 S Lexington Avenue. It was the tallest building in the world for one year until the Empire State Building was built. It was known for its art deco style and the top of the building that has what looks like hood ornament of a Chrysler Car. The inside of the building was composed of metal, woods and marble that was brought over from Africa. Then down East 42 Street came the Daily News Building with its art deco style and one of the first buildings to have a flat roof design. Many of the buildings in Manhattan have this design today. When we ventured into the lobby of this building there was the largest rotating globe I ever did see.
As we head down Lexington Avenue we run into the G.E. Building, which is also has a Art Deco design, but on the top of the building is a crown that is suppose to represent electricity. At the entrance of the building are two arms extended holding a lighting bolt. The inside of the building has pink beautiful marble on all the walls. Everything looks so fancy you do not want to touch a thing.
As we head down Lexington Avenue we run into the G.E. Building, which is also has a Art Deco design, but on the top of the building is a crown that is suppose to represent electricity. At the entrance of the building are two arms extended holding a lighting bolt. The inside of the building has pink beautiful marble on all the walls. Everything looks so fancy you do not want to touch a thing.
Next we past the Seagram Building with its glass and metal structure frame. It was built in 1958 by Lugwig Mies van der Rohe and used the International style of architecture. He set the build's plaza back from the building line so he did not have to use the set back design.
This building do not seem as warm and inviting as other buildings we have seen.
This building do not seem as warm and inviting as other buildings we have seen.
One of my favorite parts of the trip was taking the Roosevelt Tram which runs parallel to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge across the East River. The views were incredible. The tram ride only took a few minutes to cross the East River. Its a way to connect Eastern Manhattan to Queens. Roosevelt Island was first inhabited by the Lenope Indians. Today it has approximately 12,000 residents. At the time it was called the Welfare Island. It was a considered a good place to isolate people with the chicken pox and other diseases from the general public. A penitentiary for prisoners and the Goldwater and Bird S. Coler Hospitals were built there. It had one of the first nursing schools. We walked along the river and saw the old broken down hospitals and penitentiary to end up at the FDR Four Freedoms Park. Four freedoms meaning, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear. The park was shaped like a boat with a bust of FDR's head at the bow of it. What beautiful views of the UN and eastern Manhattan. I could of spent all day there.
Below are views from and on Roosevelt Island (Scymcyk, 2014)
Below are views from and on Roosevelt Island (Scymcyk, 2014)
We then headed over to Queens via the 7 train. Queens is the home to the two major airports in New York, Kennedy and LaGuardia. No wonder Queens it is the most ethically diverse county in the United States. We headed to Astoria to Steinway Street and yes that is the real piano man. We walked to 35th Street where we came upon the the area where some of the greatest films were made. We had to tour the Museum of the Moving Image. It was quit fascinating. Much of the film making industries prefer to work in California due to the better climate conditions. Today in New York on of the biggest studios if Kaufman Astoria Studios. Some of the film makers are making a come back to New York. After leaving the museum we walked to MoMa , meaning Museum of Modern Art and PS 1, meaning Public School #1. Once inside you get the feeling of being back in school, the hallways and class rooms are the same. Each class room is setup to have art exhibits in them. I saw some interest forms of art in a couple of the classrooms. A cross the street from there you can see the Five Pointz. There is still a small area of graffiti on the wall. We continued to walk toward the East River until we came upon the Pepsi Cola Sign In Long Island City. Walking south along the East River we entered Gantry Plaza State Park , so called for the huge gantries. These gantries were used to transport goods to and from Long Island. We walked out on the piers that sit next to the gantries. Still yet another breath taking view
of Manhattan.
Below are Images from the Museum of the Moving Image (Scymcyk, 2014)
of Manhattan.
Below are Images from the Museum of the Moving Image (Scymcyk, 2014)
Journal 1 Day 2 Booming Brooklyn 6/10/14
Day 2 made it into Penn Station with no problems. except when you get there it always so hot. I do like to hear the music, today it was a guy lacing the violin. It was nice to get on to the air condition, elevated D train to Coney Island. The trip almost and hour. I was taking in the view of this worn down area of Brooklyn. Coney Island or it maybe should be called Coney Peninsula now, due to the fact that land filling turned it into a peninsula in the early 20th century. Coney Island was first settled by the Dutch and at that time they called it Conyne Eyhland , which meant Rabbit. This may have been due to all the rabbits there. Brooklyn or as it is referred to as Kings County has the largest population of all the five boroughs. It is the second most highly populated county in the United States. Manhattan if the highest. In 1898 Brooklyn became part of the New York City 's
five boroughs.
In the early 19th Century Coney Island was the place to Go! Back then it took almost an entire day to get to Coney Island from Manhattan by ferry. Then in the 1830s and early 1840s new roads and steamships made it an easier and faster ride. It only took a couple of hours. Coney Island soon became the vacation site to get away from the busy city of Manhattan. Back then and still today Coney Island is known for its amusement parks, summer attractions, and beaches. As more and more roads were built, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the railroad services became available a lot more people came to enjoy Coney Island and its beaches. As early as 1920 to the present people came to have fun on the rides, which includes the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, and many more rides or to take in the side shows. With the expansion of roads by Robert Moses and the automobile less and less people would visit Coney Island, they would head out to Jones Beach. Coney Island took a deep cut from this, which in turn effect their economy. To this day the area still needs a lot of fixing up and more so after Super Storm Sandy. Of course while at Coney Island I had to have a Nathan's hot dog. It was alright. Then a few of us walked down the boardwalk. it was a cloudy, dreary day. There was a mix of school children, tourist and locals of all different ethnic groups. We saw small restaurants and a gift shops along the way. We passed by the Cyclone at Lunar Park and the Wonder Wheel. I think due to the weather and being a school day the boardwalk was not so crowded. I will adventure back though on June 21 to see the Mermaid Parade. It very funny and exciting to watch.
Below are images of Coney Island (Scymcyk, 2014)
five boroughs.
In the early 19th Century Coney Island was the place to Go! Back then it took almost an entire day to get to Coney Island from Manhattan by ferry. Then in the 1830s and early 1840s new roads and steamships made it an easier and faster ride. It only took a couple of hours. Coney Island soon became the vacation site to get away from the busy city of Manhattan. Back then and still today Coney Island is known for its amusement parks, summer attractions, and beaches. As more and more roads were built, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the railroad services became available a lot more people came to enjoy Coney Island and its beaches. As early as 1920 to the present people came to have fun on the rides, which includes the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, and many more rides or to take in the side shows. With the expansion of roads by Robert Moses and the automobile less and less people would visit Coney Island, they would head out to Jones Beach. Coney Island took a deep cut from this, which in turn effect their economy. To this day the area still needs a lot of fixing up and more so after Super Storm Sandy. Of course while at Coney Island I had to have a Nathan's hot dog. It was alright. Then a few of us walked down the boardwalk. it was a cloudy, dreary day. There was a mix of school children, tourist and locals of all different ethnic groups. We saw small restaurants and a gift shops along the way. We passed by the Cyclone at Lunar Park and the Wonder Wheel. I think due to the weather and being a school day the boardwalk was not so crowded. I will adventure back though on June 21 to see the Mermaid Parade. It very funny and exciting to watch.
Below are images of Coney Island (Scymcyk, 2014)
Next stop was on Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, the home to the New York Transit Museum. It was open to the public in 1976. Boy did this place take me back in time. The New York transit system was one of the earliest and most expensive subway systems in the United States. the rail road has three different size rail road cars to fit the size of the tunnel they are in. The need for an under ground rail road system became apparent during the Great Blizzard in 1888, which crippled the entire city. People were also getting frustrated that they had to dodge between the railroad cars, hence the name The Brooklyn Dodges. When they were building the subways there was two way to build them. The first way was the cut and cover. Dig up the ground over the roads, put in the tunnel and then cover it over. This method interrupted street traffic and affected many businesses for long periods of time. This method was not very popular with the locals. The later method called deep bore tunneling did not disturb street traffic or businesses. It was done by digging a hole, circulating tunneling machines are used to burrow under the ground. They did not have to follow the roadways since it was all done underground so it did not disrupt traffic above ground or businesses. This became the preferred method. I enjoyed seeing the old fashion trains and buses with their wicker chairs and suspended fan.
Below images of the Transit Museum (Scymcyk, 2014).
Below images of the Transit Museum (Scymcyk, 2014).
We continued to walk west along Schermerhorn Street, to Court Street. There we stopped to look at the Brooklyn Borough Hall, one of the oldest public buildings in Brooklyn. It was constructed in a Greek Revival style by Gamaliel King built between 1845 to 1848. It was built to represent democracy in a Jeffersonian matter. We walked along to Remsen Street and stopped in front of Spenser Memorial Church on Clinton Street. It was built in 1853, which since has been converted into apartments. Brooklyn is known for many of its churches and house of worship. Continuing from there we head over to 177 Montague Street to the Chase Bank, which was known as the Brooklyn Trust Company Building in 1916. One of the most beautiful banks in New York. It has an Italian Renaissance Style, vaulted ceilings, arched windows, and Roman mosaic style floor. We exit the bank on the other side making a left on to Pierrepont Street . We stroll down Pierrepont Street until we reach the Brooklyn Historical Society, originally in 1863 named the Long Island Historical Society by Henry Pierrepont. As you look up at the building you see the sculptures of Benjamin Franklin and Christopher Columbus. The built looks well kept. As we continue along Pierrepont Street we come to what was once Arthur Miller's , the playwright's home.
We made a left on to Montague Street where we saw some of the oldest Brownstones. The brownstone used came from Connecticut. Today brownstone is not used because it is considered to be very fragile. I like looking at these because they are very similar to where I grew up in Sunset Park area of Brooklyn. We then walked to Montague Terrace. This is the area where George Washington and his troops retrieved back across the river to Manhattan. This area of Brooklyn is called the heights because of the steep slope that once went into the river. As we strolled along you can see and hear the traffic below from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The expressway was built by Robert Moses to the dismay of the local residents. When you look across to the other side of the expressway you see a lot of construction going on. It look like to me that they have a lot more to do.
From the Brooklyn Heights Promenade we made a right turn on to Orange Street. We came upon a the beautiful court yard of the Plymouth Church, but a elderly man would not let us in the court yard. In the court yard was a statue of a famous preacher Henry Ward Beecher. He was born in 1810 and past away in 1887. We proceeded around the block to the other side of the church on Cranberry Street. On this street was a small court yard where one day Walt Whitman lived. He was the author of Leaves of Grass, published in 1855 on Independence Day. He wrote many poems and stories about New York City. He loved the city and felt it that he was a part of it.
Aah ! The Brooklyn Bridge , we can see it as we walk along the East River to the Brooklyn Bridge Park. This whole area is under improvement construction thanks to Mayor Bloomberg. We continue to the end of the park where there is a carousel named Jane's Carousel because it was restored by by Jane Walentas. This area where the carousel is known as DUMBO meaning Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. From this view you can see the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and the Williamsburg Bridge (BMW). All these bridges cross over the East River from Manhattan to Brooklyn or visa versa. As we walk to the right of the park you can see old brick buildings with little black metal stars along the top. These black metal stars where attached to metal rods that helped to support the building. The buildings were factories during the Civil War. They must of been made very strong if they are still standing. What a nice relaxing place to sit back and relax and take in the view of the city. We headed pass the factories to a stair way on Cadman Plaza East and prospect Street to the Brooklyn Bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge was finished being built in 1883. It is the oldest suspension bridge in the United States. It is 1.1 miles long. Before the bridge was built the only way to get to Brooklyn from Manhattan was a ferry. The bridge was designed by John Augustus Roebling. One day when he was surveying the area his foot was crusted by a incoming ferry. He thought he could cure it by pouring water over it, but it did not and had to be amputated. The amputation leg became infected and lead to his death. His son Washington Roebling took over the project, but he too died from decompression sickness, (to much nitrogen bubbles in the blood cause when going under the water and coming up to fast). So Washington Roebling wife, Emily, took over the project with her husbands help from home. It took eleven years and fifteen million dollars to complete the bridge. When the bridge was completed, Emily was said to have walked over the bridge with a rooster in her hand symbolizing victory. That day over 250,000 people walked over the bridge. The bridge came at a high cost 27 men died, many from the bends like Washington Roebling.
While waking over the bridge I could hear traffic below moving. I had to remember to stay to the left on the wooden walk and not to cross over the white painted line or be ran over by the very fast bike riders. I always thought of the bridge being a little bigger. I had not seen it since I was little and you know how every thing always seems larger when you young. It was nice because there were a few places to stop and take pictures. It had spectacular views of the East River, Manhattan and the three bridges. As you walked across the bridge you can tell it is a bridge of distinction, with it large towers. It is a sign of beauty and strength.
Images of the Brooklyn Bridge below (Scymcyk, 2014)
While waking over the bridge I could hear traffic below moving. I had to remember to stay to the left on the wooden walk and not to cross over the white painted line or be ran over by the very fast bike riders. I always thought of the bridge being a little bigger. I had not seen it since I was little and you know how every thing always seems larger when you young. It was nice because there were a few places to stop and take pictures. It had spectacular views of the East River, Manhattan and the three bridges. As you walked across the bridge you can tell it is a bridge of distinction, with it large towers. It is a sign of beauty and strength.
Images of the Brooklyn Bridge below (Scymcyk, 2014)
Journal 1
Day 3 Charming Chelsea and Grooving Greenwich Village 6/12/14
Day 3 Charming Chelsea and Grooving Greenwich Village 6/12/14
Made it to Penn Station again, so happy no problems. When we came out of Penn Station we crossed over 8th Avenue on to West 30th and then over 9th Ave and continued on our way to Chelsea. Chelsea was named after Thomas Clark's hometown in London. Clark brought the land in 1750 and passed the property on to his grandson Clement Clark Moore. Moore wrote the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas". In the early 19th Century Moore divided the countryside in to separate lots 9th Avenue. Soon after the wealthy were building townhouses on the lots. When the railroad was built in came in businesses. Slaughterhouses, breweries and numerous other factories were being put up all over. With that came the blue collar worker. transvestites and hookers. The neighborhood was not so desirable any more. In remained this way until 1990. Artist who were displaying their art work in So Ho could no longer afford the rent there, so they decided to go to Chelsea were the rent was cheaper. The artist would use the unused garages and warehouses. They would paint the cement floors and found that these places were and are a great place to show off their art. You always have to remember when visiting the galleries don't touch any thing and done say anything about the art until you are on your own outside. The good thing about having the artist there are they are slowly fixing up the neighborhood.
As Chelsea had many factories to transport the goods around the city they built freight train line that ran straight throw town. People would gave to jump out of the way of the trains, some people were killed or seriously injured. To solve this problem in the 1930s New York Central Railroad decided to elevate the Freight train 30 feet above the streets. But in the 1980s there was no longer a need for the lines and so it remained abandon for years. The city was about to demolish the line, when some locals formed a community group to save it. The community group wanted to make an elevated park out of it. And so they did. In this park there are numerous spies of plants that bloom in all the seasons except winter. It is a relaxing place to get away from the craziness below. As we walked along you can see people planting flowers and turning over the beds. The IAC building with its beehive look and the Jean Vouvel blue condo complex, which some say was inspired by the eye of an insect, which I don't see, clear stuck out while walking along boardwalk of the park. As we continued to walk. right in front of you is the Standard High Line. It was built on piers. It looks like an office building. Because of its location and visibility it has been known to have many exhibitionist visit and show off their stuff in the windows for every one to see. At some points I almost forgot I was in the city at all, but then I could hear the traffic below. All in all I thought it was a nice place to visit. I would go back there. As we exit down the stairs from the park we went from the beautiful flower to the sound and smell of construction on the street. We had to work our way around it. So back to the nitty, gritty of the city.
Pictured below "The High Line" (Scymcyk, 2014)
As Chelsea had many factories to transport the goods around the city they built freight train line that ran straight throw town. People would gave to jump out of the way of the trains, some people were killed or seriously injured. To solve this problem in the 1930s New York Central Railroad decided to elevate the Freight train 30 feet above the streets. But in the 1980s there was no longer a need for the lines and so it remained abandon for years. The city was about to demolish the line, when some locals formed a community group to save it. The community group wanted to make an elevated park out of it. And so they did. In this park there are numerous spies of plants that bloom in all the seasons except winter. It is a relaxing place to get away from the craziness below. As we walked along you can see people planting flowers and turning over the beds. The IAC building with its beehive look and the Jean Vouvel blue condo complex, which some say was inspired by the eye of an insect, which I don't see, clear stuck out while walking along boardwalk of the park. As we continued to walk. right in front of you is the Standard High Line. It was built on piers. It looks like an office building. Because of its location and visibility it has been known to have many exhibitionist visit and show off their stuff in the windows for every one to see. At some points I almost forgot I was in the city at all, but then I could hear the traffic below. All in all I thought it was a nice place to visit. I would go back there. As we exit down the stairs from the park we went from the beautiful flower to the sound and smell of construction on the street. We had to work our way around it. So back to the nitty, gritty of the city.
Pictured below "The High Line" (Scymcyk, 2014)
We are now on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District. ( I noticed when looking at New York City everything is broken down in to districts, I guess this was an easy way to break down the city). From the 1850s to the 1930s the area had many slaughter houses and meatpacking plants, and hence the name. In the 1970s to 1980s it had a high concentration of transvestite prostitutes wondering the streets. When Mayor Rudolph Giuliani came into office he cleaned up the area by cracking down on crime. Today it is host to some of the most famous fashion designers. It has popular bars, restaurants and clubs.
From the Meat Packing District we made a right on to 13th Street pass Jackson Square, one of the oldest parks in New York City. We strolled right into Greenwich Village. Greenwich Village has some of the most peaceful streets, lined with trees and row houses. It can feel the calmness. Originally this was marshland converted to farmland by the Dutch, the taken over by the English and turned into a rural suburb of the city. When an outbreak of cholera and yellow fever occurred in lower Manhattan many of the wealthier residents move north in to this area. The Village grew very quickly with new row houses being built and businesses popping up all over the place. It was the place to be if you were wealthy. Although in the late 19th century things began to change. The Irish and Italian immigrants came into town to find work. And the area began to change for the worse. The wealthy began to flee more north to uptown. As a result there were more factories built along the waterfront. This is when tenements started to spring up. With the low cost of rent it attracted many artists and writers. They came here to be inspired and supported by others like themselves. In the 1980s because of its popularity the rents wen up and many of the artists left to go to other parts of the city.
From there we headed into the West Village with such popular streets as Waverly Pace and Bleecker Street. This area became a haven for the gay and Lesbian population. Today it has the largest Population of gays and lesbians in the United States.
We then went to West 10th and Greenwich Street to see the Jefferson market Garden, It sits on 0>36 acres. At one time this was a food market and the it became women's prison. This is where the film start may west spent time because of her obscenities. She was famous for her many quotes , like my favorite " When I'm good I'm very good. But when I'm bad I'm better and " I used to be Snow White but I drifted". I just love it. The prison was destroyed in 1974. Behind that is one of the oldest High Victorian Gothic style buildings, the redbrick Jefferson Market Library. The building was originally a court house. The court house in 1906 was know for the high profile case of Harry K. Thaw for the murder of architect Stanford White. Thaw killed White for have an affair with his finance 16 year old model Evelyn Nesbit. It was filled with a lot of drama and people loved to read about it.
Continuing on to the corner of Waverly Place, Christopher Street, and Grove Street there is a unique triangle building, The Federal-style Northern Dispensary which was built to provide care to the poor. The poet Edgar Allen Poe was said to be treated there. He is one of my favorites.
Then we walked to Washington Square, which is surrounded by New York University. From there we walked through Washington Square Park. I noticed some shade characters there. Just kept walking. This park was known to be a burial place for the unknown and public executions by hanging from a 300 year old elm tree that is still there today. It most likely is the oldest tree in the city. It was nice to see the Washington Arch at the other end of the park. We walked down to the narrow Washington Mews. This was one time used as carriage stables. The door ways and buildings were quit quaint. Head left onto fifth Avenue and you see was is known as "The Row" . These were the houses of rich businessmen, bankers, their families. They are now owned by NYU. We pass by Cooper Union, the first free college, until recently. The new Cooper Union College is made of glass so as to connect whats going on on the outside with whats going on inside. It is a communal hive made fro the most sustainable material We continue left to Mac Dougal and Bleecker Street this at one time was know as the red light district. We stood in from of Cafe' Wha? at 115 Mc Dougal Street where Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin performed in the 1960s. Many years ago there were stream along Mac Dougal where the Indians would fish. There are many small shops to go in and cafes to eat in.
Then we walked to Washington Square, which is surrounded by New York University. From there we walked through Washington Square Park. I noticed some shade characters there. Just kept walking. This park was known to be a burial place for the unknown and public executions by hanging from a 300 year old elm tree that is still there today. It most likely is the oldest tree in the city. It was nice to see the Washington Arch at the other end of the park. We walked down to the narrow Washington Mews. This was one time used as carriage stables. The door ways and buildings were quit quaint. Head left onto fifth Avenue and you see was is known as "The Row" . These were the houses of rich businessmen, bankers, their families. They are now owned by NYU. We pass by Cooper Union, the first free college, until recently. The new Cooper Union College is made of glass so as to connect whats going on on the outside with whats going on inside. It is a communal hive made fro the most sustainable material We continue left to Mac Dougal and Bleecker Street this at one time was know as the red light district. We stood in from of Cafe' Wha? at 115 Mc Dougal Street where Jimmy Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin performed in the 1960s. Many years ago there were stream along Mac Dougal where the Indians would fish. There are many small shops to go in and cafes to eat in.
Our first guided tour was at the Merchant's Museum at 29 East Forty Street. The house was owned by Samuel Seabury Tredwell, and upper middle class businessman. The apartment was built in 1832 by Joseph Brewster. The house was a retirement house for Tredwell. it was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Tredwell and their eight children and four servants. It is one of the best preserved landmarks in New York today. It became a museum in 1936 by a cousin of the Tredwells, George Chapman, who stayed at the house many a time. Today it is surrounded by apartments and commercial buildings. It captures the early Federal style, but the interior is of the Greek-revival architecture. In still has some of the original furnishings and clothing from the Tredwell family. Life in the house for the Tredwells was very elegant. They had nice carpets throughout the house, fancy chandlers hanging from the ceilings. They had gas pipe lines that were light fixtures, fireplaces and of course servants. The servants , which were mostly Irish, Catholics had to get up one to two hours before the family to prepare breakfast and get things ready for the day. They would have to carry heavy buckets of coal up the steep stairs every day, heat up the water for bathes. On the top floor, that looked like an attic was their bedrooms. They would have metal beds, so bugs would not burrow into them. The servants would stay up late at night to mend clothes , curtain, and the bedding. The only advantage of being a servant is you had a place to sleep, eat and you had off on Sundays.
We entered into the East Village know for its radical ways. When the area was worn down, squatters would come and more into the apartments and make it their own. They would fix them up. As the area became more popular the owners of buildings would want them back, but their were laws against that. Some of the landlords and squatters made deals and and the squatters could buy the apartments for a dollar.
Chelsea and The Village are fascinating to me because it is like mixing the old with the new. Keeping the past alive, but still living in the new. I look forward to see what the future has in store for this area of New York.
Chelsea and The Village are fascinating to me because it is like mixing the old with the new. Keeping the past alive, but still living in the new. I look forward to see what the future has in store for this area of New York.