New York City traces its origin to its 1624 founding in Lower Manhattan as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626.The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the country's largest city since 1790. The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a symbol of the United States and its democracy. In the 21st century, New York has emerged as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship, social tolerance, and environmental sustainability.
The Brooklyn Bridge
Fascinating Stories From The History Of The Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of New York City’s most iconic structures, right up there with the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Spanning 483 meters (1,595 ft) across the East River and 1,814 meters (5,989 ft) in total, the Brooklyn Bridge is a testament to 19th-century engineering.Even today, those gigantic pillars, 84 meters (276 ft) tall above the water, are an impressive sight. And if those arches don’t knock your socks off, check out that 26-meter (85 ft) deck suspended by a latticework of crisscrossed steel wires, all hanging from four cables about 38 centimeters (15 in) thick, each made up of 5,434 individual wires. It’s a bridge strong enough to hold 145,000 vehicles each day.But the Brooklyn Bridge is more than just an amazing architectural achievement. It’s a piece of US history. Once the longest suspension bridge in this world, and repeatedly sold by con men to the gullible, this American monument is full of stories, some inspiring, some tragic, and some downright insane.
Story#1
The Brooklyn Bridge Love Locks
Plenty of people associate the Big Apple with romance, and the Brooklyn Bridge is a rather dreamy destination for young couples. Quite a few twitterpated partners have hung padlocks onto the bridge to represent their eternal love.The locks come in all shapes and sizes, but they all share one similarity. Every padlock bears the name of the couple who locked it onto the bridge. Some lovers write their name with plain old Sharpies while others go to the trouble of blasting their names on with a laser. After the lock snaps shut, the lovers toss the key into the East River, symbolizing their timeless romance. Well, “timeless” until a city employee comes along and hacks the lock off with a pair of bolt cutters. City officials aren’t keen on the concept. The bridge is a national landmark, so people aren’t allowed to alter it in any way. Plus, the locks could damage the bridge, as it did the similarly decorated Pont de Arts Bridge in Paris. So, two or three times each month, crews haul off buckets of locks. As of March 2014, they’d cleared away nearly 5,600 of them in less than a year. Let’s hope all those lovers are nevertheless still together.
More stories to come…
Or read more now, here,
http://listverse.com/2014/08/01/10-fascinating-stories-from-the-history-of-the-brooklyn-bridge/
The Manhattan Bridge
Secrets of NYC’s Manhattan Bridge
The Manhattan Bridge may not be New York’s most beloved or attractive bridge but it still has a deep history full of unknown secrets. After a decade of planning, three different architects, and many political changes this bridge tells a fascinating story about turn-of-the-20th-century Manhattan architecture and its life moving forward. Completed in 1909 under the supervision of chief engineer Leon Moisseiff, the country’s first modern suspension bridge spans from Canal Street in Chinatown to Flatbush in Brooklyn.
Story#1
The Manhattan Bridge, known for its signature blue color, was originally gray
Some may question the decision to paint the Manhattan Bridge the deepish blue that it is – but it is actually the official color of the borough. The bridge was originally painted gray but in the 1970s it was repainted to as an homage to the Dutch tiles – best seen in the 17th and 18th century white-and-blue Dutch pottery you can find at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Moreover, according to bridge expert Dave Frieder, “Manhattan Bridge Blue” is the official color of the borough. He says the original paint can still be found in the columns and around the main colors.
More stories to come…
Or read more now, here,
East River
The East River is a salt water tidal estuary in New York City. The waterway, which is actually not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates the borough of Queens on Long Island from the Bronx on the North American mainland, and also divides Manhattan from Queens and Brooklyn, which is also on Long Island. Because of its connection to Long Island Sound, it was once also known as the Sound River. The tidal strait changes its direction of flow frequently, and is subject to strong fluctuations in its current, which are accentuated by its narrowness and variety of depths. The waterway is navigable for its entire length of 16 miles (26 km), and was historically the center of maritime activities in the city, although that is no longer the case.
10 Parks and Playgrounds to Discover Along NYC’s East River Drive
One of the best places to hop on your bike or go for a long walk or jog is along New York City’s East River Drive, which has a 9.44-mile pedestrian route running parallel to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Drive. Its pristine views of the city make it ideal for uninterrupted biking, jogging and walkin
With the exception of the section between 34th and 83rd streets, the East River Drive stretches from The Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan and ends all the way in East Harlem at 125th street. Along the way are small parks that are worth strolling around or taking a break in. Starting from uptown going south, here is a guide to ten parks and playgrounds to check out along your route.
Read more here,
http://untappedcities.com/2015/10/23/10-parks-and-playgrounds-to-discover-along-nycs-east-river-drive/