I love maps. My father thought I would be a cartographer. Maybe I learned to love them because he explained history to me on maps. Or maybe because there were various merit badges in boy scouts that required their understanding, and I learned to appreciate the meaning to be gleaned from them.
They can represent three dimensional space in two dimensions.
They can be highly detailed
They can be accurate
Manhattan Satellite image map
And they can be very beautiful.
In college, when I began driving cross-country and doing outdoor adventures, I collected all kinds of maps: state and city road maps, national park maps, small-town tourist maps, USGS topographic maps, and sailing charts. As I could afford it I collected atlases: road atlas, world geographic atlas, world history atlas, atlas of revolutions, atlas of astronomy, atlas of the oceans, and on and on. And still do, recently acquiring aviation charts and the New York Historical atlas.
The pleasure and benefit of a long stay in a location is having time and purpose to review available local maps to develop an understanding of how things are and why they are. That understanding adds meaning to a place. I've tried to include them on most of the blogs posts to provide visual context.
Although we'd been coming to New York for decades, three-day business trips provide only a vague understanding of the city's character, "The Bronx is up and the Battery's down.....". Previously I thought "oh, some time I want to eat in Little Italy" having only a general idea of where it was, and nothing about what it was (don't eat there - very touristy). Another time a client took my partner and me to a restaurant in TriBeCa and I thought "this is a cool neighborhood", but since we went by taxi I only had a slight idea of how to get to there from Times Square, or how it related to WTC or SoHo (it's between them).
But since we've lived here we discovered these relationships, and asked new questions. Why does the subway rise out of the ground almost a hundred feet for only one station at 125th St. (Harlem) and then descend underground again.
After looking at maps of Manahatta's Natural History I realized that the subway didn't really "rise" out of the ground, rather the topography fell away into a deep valley. The subway was just exposed while running fairly level. Morningside Heights (to left of large circle and valley) is where Washington fought the British in the Battle for New York and is now Columbia University. On the hill to the right of the valley is where Alexander Hamilton retired before his famous duel with Burr across the river in NJ and is now part of Harlem.
On an earlier blog about Manhattan's street grid I said I'd explain why the northern most street of 225th, is actually no longer on the island. Originally, the Harlem River was only a shallow estuary before merging with the Hudson. When dredging it to be suitable for navigation they decided a straighter alignment to the Hudson made more sense, so they dug the river bed further south and filled in the previous channel. Thus, 225th St and the community of Marble Hill, ended up on the mainland in the Bronx. The community lobbied to remain part of Manhattan; this was before all the boroughs were consolidated into New York. So even though the boundary between the two boroughs is the Harlem river, Marble Hill, located off the island between the old and new channel, is politically part of the borough of Manhattan Island, including its zip code.
At the other end of the island near the Brooklyn Bridge terminus there was a large spring fed pond called the Collect (not because it collected water, but from an anglicized dutch word). The pond, just outside the dutch settlement (see small red circle in illustration above), provided drinking water to the community. But as the island population grew around it, it became a dump filled with garbage and dead animals.... and a breeding ground for Cholera (see earlier post about evacuating to Greenwich). Eventually, they drained the pond and its source down an open ditch to the Hudson River. Later, needing to remove the ditch as an obstacle, the canal was covered and paved; it became - Canal Street. Badda Bing Badda Boom
After the pond was filled-in wood framed structures were built on and around it. However, it was still soggy and insect infested so only low-income Irish workers from nearby East River docks and other immigrants became the inhabitants. Eventually, it evolved into the notorious Five Points. This was around the time of the Civil War, Tammany Hall, and boss Tweed politicians. The area was occupied by whorehouses, breweries, tenements, and all sorts of ruffian gangs including the Irish Dead Rabbits and the nativist Bowery Boys; as animated in the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.
In an early attempt at Urban Renewal the structures were eventually demolished at the turn of the century. Streets were realigned to create a Civic Plaza surrounded by state and federal courthouses. Today there is a park with a small pool to commemorate the original Collect pond.
In Midtown, halfway between Harlem and the Civic Plaza, The New York Public Library and Bryant Park were built on the site of the former The Croton Water Reservoir, constructed in the mid 1800s.
Croton Reservoir at 42nd and Fifth Ave
One can read the modern city of New York like a map of the original island with multiple layers of trace paper drawn on top over the decades. Glimpses of the ancient island and past development can be identified through the layers. For example, Broadway and the Bowery were originally indian trails. These historic footpaths run diagonally across the island and have had a profound impact on the city today. Not only are they reflected in the large thoroughfares running over them from the southern tip to the Bronx, but they created odd parcels at intersections with the orthogonal street grid. Many of these small parcels have been developed into triangular city parks.
And a few provided the physical conditions to create the cities most iconic landmarks: eg. Columbus Circle, Flatiron Building, and Union Square (not so named for the Civil War victor, but because it resolved the union of Bowery, Broadway, and the grid intersection).
At the end of our stay here we can say "we've lived in New York". The Starbucks staff know us by name and order (essential for Robin). We have a place to cut our hair, know our favorite cleaners, and hardly need to look at the NYC Subway app get to around the fastest way (express or local). When we first arrived I thought it indulgent to have groceries delivered so we bought a granny wire cart to haul our goods back from TJs or WholeFoods. We did that once. Now we shop and arrange for delivery like a true New Yorker. I brought a lot of our kitchen supplies thinking I'd cook here as much as at home. However, with the access to great neighborhood restaurants we explored those more like a SoHo resident. We have a much better appreciation of the character and diversity of the New Yorker (I really like them). And through mapping their history, a better understanding of them, our country and ourselves.
As we prepare to leave we take with us our many mental maps of New York. It adds meaning for our memories and many hopeful returns.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing. Stick with it to the end as there are a couple more maps and some recommendations to share for your next trip to New York.
References for, and Recommendations from, our Stay.
* Insider recommendations beyond the tour books (not that the other aren't good)
EXCURSION MUSEUMS/TOURS
Philip Johnson Glass House tour, New Canaan, CT
* FDR House and Library Tour, Hyde Park, NY
Vanderbilt House tour, Hyde Park, NY
Ford's Theatre and Museum
National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C.
* Newseum
National Archives, Washington D.C.National Art Gallery, Washington D.C.
Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C.
The Washington Mall, Washington D.C.
* The Elms Mansion tour, Newport, RI
The Marble House Mansion tour, Newport, RI
The Breakers Mansion tour, Newport, RI
Rosecliff Mansion tour, Newport, RI
Maritime Museum, Bath, ME
PARADES
Greenwich Halloween
Little Italy
Thanksgiving Day (don't go - we didn't)
RESTAURANTS
They can represent three dimensional space in two dimensions.
USGS Topo of Mt. Rainier
Aviation Chart for Seattle's Class B Airspace
or very general
Seattle Street Map
They can be accurate
Manhattan Satellite image map
or topological.
Stylized New York Subway Map
And they can be very beautiful.
Nineteenth Century Bird's Eye Map of New York
I never became a cartographer, but on reflection those characteristics share much with architecture and may have contributed to my career choice.
The pleasure and benefit of a long stay in a location is having time and purpose to review available local maps to develop an understanding of how things are and why they are. That understanding adds meaning to a place. I've tried to include them on most of the blogs posts to provide visual context.
Although we'd been coming to New York for decades, three-day business trips provide only a vague understanding of the city's character, "The Bronx is up and the Battery's down.....". Previously I thought "oh, some time I want to eat in Little Italy" having only a general idea of where it was, and nothing about what it was (don't eat there - very touristy). Another time a client took my partner and me to a restaurant in TriBeCa and I thought "this is a cool neighborhood", but since we went by taxi I only had a slight idea of how to get to there from Times Square, or how it related to WTC or SoHo (it's between them).
But since we've lived here we discovered these relationships, and asked new questions. Why does the subway rise out of the ground almost a hundred feet for only one station at 125th St. (Harlem) and then descend underground again.
After looking at maps of Manahatta's Natural History I realized that the subway didn't really "rise" out of the ground, rather the topography fell away into a deep valley. The subway was just exposed while running fairly level. Morningside Heights (to left of large circle and valley) is where Washington fought the British in the Battle for New York and is now Columbia University. On the hill to the right of the valley is where Alexander Hamilton retired before his famous duel with Burr across the river in NJ and is now part of Harlem.
Illustrative Map of Manahatta's Topography and Vegetation
Elevated Station at 125th St.
(Note: track is level and grade rises in distance)
On an earlier blog about Manhattan's street grid I said I'd explain why the northern most street of 225th, is actually no longer on the island. Originally, the Harlem River was only a shallow estuary before merging with the Hudson. When dredging it to be suitable for navigation they decided a straighter alignment to the Hudson made more sense, so they dug the river bed further south and filled in the previous channel. Thus, 225th St and the community of Marble Hill, ended up on the mainland in the Bronx. The community lobbied to remain part of Manhattan; this was before all the boroughs were consolidated into New York. So even though the boundary between the two boroughs is the Harlem river, Marble Hill, located off the island between the old and new channel, is politically part of the borough of Manhattan Island, including its zip code.
Original Harlem River alignment in Blue
Looking Southeast from Marble Hill along new Harlem River
Lower Manhattan grid overlays Original Shoreline and Collect Pond
Collect Pond draining to Canal St.
After the pond was filled-in wood framed structures were built on and around it. However, it was still soggy and insect infested so only low-income Irish workers from nearby East River docks and other immigrants became the inhabitants. Eventually, it evolved into the notorious Five Points. This was around the time of the Civil War, Tammany Hall, and boss Tweed politicians. The area was occupied by whorehouses, breweries, tenements, and all sorts of ruffian gangs including the Irish Dead Rabbits and the nativist Bowery Boys; as animated in the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.
Five Points from Book Illustration
Photograph of Five Points Tenements
In an early attempt at Urban Renewal the structures were eventually demolished at the turn of the century. Streets were realigned to create a Civic Plaza surrounded by state and federal courthouses. Today there is a park with a small pool to commemorate the original Collect pond.
Collect Pond Park Today (note commemorative pool in center)
In Midtown, halfway between Harlem and the Civic Plaza, The New York Public Library and Bryant Park were built on the site of the former The Croton Water Reservoir, constructed in the mid 1800s.
Croton Reservoir at 42nd and Fifth Ave
New York Public Library and Bryant Park East along 42nd St.
Antique Map in NY Pubic Library Map Room
Original Croton Reservoir foundation and new Public Library above
The City's first park, Bowling Green, formed by Broadway and Whitehall
And a few provided the physical conditions to create the cities most iconic landmarks: eg. Columbus Circle, Flatiron Building, and Union Square (not so named for the Civil War victor, but because it resolved the union of Bowery, Broadway, and the grid intersection).
Columbus Circle view East at Broadway, 59th, and 8th Ave
(Central Park is dark to the left with path lights)
Flatiron Building at Broadway and 5th Ave
View North over Union Square
(Broadway heading diagonal toward Empire State Building)
As we prepare to leave we take with us our many mental maps of New York. It adds meaning for our memories and many hopeful returns.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing. Stick with it to the end as there are a couple more maps and some recommendations to share for your next trip to New York.
References for, and Recommendations from, our Stay.
* Insider recommendations beyond the tour books (not that the other aren't good)
BOROUGH WALKED
Manhattan
* Brooklyn (Check out Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, and Prospect Park)
Queens
Bronx
Staten Island
BRIDGES WALKED
Brooklyn
* Manhattan (Go from East to West - Look back at City and Brooklyn Br)
Williamsburg
Queens Borough
Randle Island Pedestrian
Triborough over Harlem
Triborough over Hell Gate
(* Anything at the Public Theater - It's out of Time Square in cool old building)
Beautiful – Stephen Sondheim Theater
Christians – Horizon on 42nd
Imbible – SoHo Playhouse
Bar-b-que – Public Theater
First Daughters – Public Theatre
Incident at Vichy – Signature on 42nd
Eclipsed – Public Theater
Sleep no more – McKittrick Hotel
Fiddler on the Roof – Broadway Theater
La Bohem – The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center
Therese Raquin – Studio 54, Round about Theatre
The NY Pops – Carnegie Hall
On Your Feet – Marquis Theater
The Rockettes Christmas Show – Radio City Music Hall
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – Ethel Barrymore Theater
LECTURES
(* 92Y on UES)
Jacque Pepin with Anthony Bordain, 92Y
Commissioner Kelly,
Gloria and Emilio Estefan with Rita Moreno,
Aziz Ansari with Jon Hamm,
Shields and Brooks with Jeff Greenfield,
Poetry Reading – KGB Bar
NYC MUSEUMS/TOURS
The Met (The Metropolitan Museum)
American Museum of Natural History
* New York Historical Society
* Tenement Museum
Intrepid Aircraft and Space Shuttle Museum
Whitney Museum
New York Public Library Tour
Circle Line Tour
Statue of Liberty
Elis Island Tour
United Nations Tour
Woolworth tour
One World Tower Observation Deck
9/11 Museum/Memorial
Guggenheim Museum
FDNY Fire Museum
Sex Museum
Hamilton Grange tour
Onderdonk House, Richmond, Brooklyn
New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn
The Cloisters
Harlem neighborhood tour
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Frick Museum
Manhattan
* Brooklyn (Check out Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, and Prospect Park)
Queens
Bronx
Staten Island
BRIDGES WALKED
Brooklyn
* Manhattan (Go from East to West - Look back at City and Brooklyn Br)
Williamsburg
Queens Borough
Randle Island Pedestrian
Triborough over Harlem
Triborough over Hell Gate
Boroughs, Bridges and Cross Island Walks
(Island is 13 miles long and ~ 3 miles wide at widest)
All Manhattan Walks
PERFORMANCES (* Anything at the Public Theater - It's out of Time Square in cool old building)
Beautiful – Stephen Sondheim Theater
Christians – Horizon on 42nd
Imbible – SoHo Playhouse
Bar-b-que – Public Theater
First Daughters – Public Theatre
Incident at Vichy – Signature on 42nd
Eclipsed – Public Theater
Sleep no more – McKittrick Hotel
Fiddler on the Roof – Broadway Theater
La Bohem – The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center
Therese Raquin – Studio 54, Round about Theatre
The NY Pops – Carnegie Hall
On Your Feet – Marquis Theater
The Rockettes Christmas Show – Radio City Music Hall
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time – Ethel Barrymore Theater
LECTURES
(* 92Y on UES)
Jacque Pepin with Anthony Bordain, 92Y
Commissioner Kelly,
Gloria and Emilio Estefan with Rita Moreno,
Aziz Ansari with Jon Hamm,
Shields and Brooks with Jeff Greenfield,
Poetry Reading – KGB Bar
NYC MUSEUMS/TOURS
The Met (The Metropolitan Museum)
American Museum of Natural History
* New York Historical Society
* Tenement Museum
Intrepid Aircraft and Space Shuttle Museum
Whitney Museum
New York Public Library Tour
Circle Line Tour
Statue of Liberty
Elis Island Tour
United Nations Tour
Woolworth tour
One World Tower Observation Deck
9/11 Museum/Memorial
Guggenheim Museum
FDNY Fire Museum
Sex Museum
Hamilton Grange tour
Onderdonk House, Richmond, Brooklyn
New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn
The Cloisters
Harlem neighborhood tour
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Frick Museum
EXCURSION MUSEUMS/TOURS
Philip Johnson Glass House tour, New Canaan, CT
* FDR House and Library Tour, Hyde Park, NY
Vanderbilt House tour, Hyde Park, NY
Ford's Theatre and Museum
National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C.
* Newseum
National Archives, Washington D.C.National Art Gallery, Washington D.C.
Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C.
The Washington Mall, Washington D.C.
* The Elms Mansion tour, Newport, RI
The Marble House Mansion tour, Newport, RI
The Breakers Mansion tour, Newport, RI
Rosecliff Mansion tour, Newport, RI
Maritime Museum, Bath, ME
PARADES
Greenwich Halloween
Little Italy
Thanksgiving Day (don't go - we didn't)
RESTAURANTS
| Anejo | Tribeca |
| * Antique Garage | SoHo - Turkish and plays jazz every night. Small |
| Aqua Grill | SoHo |
| Armandos | Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn |
| B Squared | Mid-town |
| * Balthazar | SoHo - French |
| * Bar Bolonat | West Village, Israeli |
| Bea | Hell's Kitchen |
| Beauty & Essex | Lower East Side |
| Bistro Les Amis | SoHo |
| Boqueria | SoHo |
| Buddhakan | Chelsea |
| Café Buon Gusto | Brooklyn Heights/Montaque St., Brooklyn |
| Casa Enrique | Long Island City, Queens - Mexican, If your there - |
| Central Bar | East Village |
| Deli on 7th Ave with Bill and Lin | Hell's Kitchen |
| Dos Caminos | Meatpacking |
| Dumplings in China Town | China Town |
| Empellon Taqueria | Greenwich |
| Enzo's on Arthur | Bronx's Little Italy |
| Fanelli's Café | SoHo |
| Felix | Soho/West Broadway |
| Fig & Olive | Meatpacking |
| * Five Leaves | Williamsburg, Brooklyn - American, funky, small, but great food |
| Fonda | Chelsea |
| Fraunces Tavern | FiDi |
| Galli | SoHo |
| Gallito's Kitchen/Take Out Chinese Food | Brooklyn Heights/Montaque St., Brooklyn |
| Hundred Acres | SoHo |
| JoJo's (ABC Chef) | Upper East Side |
| * Katz's Deli | Lower East Side - Jewish Deli, over 100 years and set for "when Harry met Sally" |
| Kenn's Broome St. Bar | SoHo- West Broadway |
| Korchma Taras Bulba | SoHo |
| * LaConde Verde | Tribeca, French. Go for brunch |
| LaDuree | SoHo |
| Le Monde | Broadway |
| Le Pain Quotidien | SoHo |
| Local Café | SoHo |
| Lombardi's Pizza | Little Italy |
| Lunella Ristorante | Little Italy/Mulberry |
| Lupa | Soho/Thompson St |
| Maialina | Gramercy |
| Mermaid Oyster Bar | SoHo/MacDougal |
| Minettas | Greenwich/Macdougal St. |
| Mole | West Village |
| Oro | Lower East Side |
| Osteria Morini | SoHo/Lafayette |
| Pera SoHo | Soho |
| Peri Ela | Upper East Side/Lexington |
| Piccola Cucina Osteria | Soho/Spring St. |
| Pret Manger | Bryant Park |
| Raouls | SoHo |
| Riviera | West Village |
| * Rosemary's | West Village, Italian, in the Village! |
| Russian Tea Room | Mid Town by Carnegie Hall |
| Sanctuary T | SoHo |
| Santina/The Nave (Drinks) | Meatpacking |
| Sarafina | Upper East Side |
| Sarafina | West Village |
| Savore | Soho |
| Seamore's | Little Italy |
| Spice Market | Meatpacking |
| Standard Grill | Meatpacking |
| Sylvias | Harlem soul food |
| The Corner (La Esquina) | NoLIta |
| The Cupping Room | SoHo |
| The Infirmary | Upper East Side |
| The James Rooftop Bar | SoHo |
| The Penrose | Upper East Side |
| The Smith | East Village |
| TriBeCa Grille | TriBeCa |
| Via Carota | West Village |
BIBLIOGRAPHY
* The First Tycoon: the Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, by T. J. Stiles
The Great Bridge - Building the Brooklyn Bridge, by David McCullough
The Historical Atlas of New York City, by Eric Hamburger
Humans of New York Stories, by Brandon Stanton
* Island in the Center of the World, by Russel Shorto
Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York, by Eric Sanderson
Naming New York, by Feirstein
New York: A Novel, by Edward Rutherford
The Tycoons, by Charles R. Morris
Fodor’s New York City 2015
Lonely Planet Top Ten New York
Falcon Guide to Hiking the Hudson River Valley
Adirondack Mountain Club: Hiking the High Peaks
* The First Tycoon: the Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, by T. J. Stiles
The Great Bridge - Building the Brooklyn Bridge, by David McCullough
The Historical Atlas of New York City, by Eric Hamburger
Humans of New York Stories, by Brandon Stanton
* Island in the Center of the World, by Russel Shorto
Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York, by Eric Sanderson
Naming New York, by Feirstein
New York: A Novel, by Edward Rutherford
The Tycoons, by Charles R. Morris
Fodor’s New York City 2015
Lonely Planet Top Ten New York
Falcon Guide to Hiking the Hudson River Valley
Adirondack Mountain Club: Hiking the High Peaks
