New York City

New York, New York: With over eight million people living within the city, New York City is the most populous city in the United States as well as a world leader in commerce, finance, media, fashion and much more. Millions more visit the city annually to take it its history and rich culture that can not be found anywhere else but in the Big Apple.

Founded in 1614 by the Dutch, the new colony became known as New Amsterdam. The island was purchased from the Lenape Indians by Peter Minuit for the sum of 60 guilders or roughly $1,000 today It was a trading post for the Dutch fur trade for almost fifty years.

The island was then overtaken in 1664 by an English and renamed New York in honor of the Duke of York. Many advancements occurred in the city under British rule including the founding of Columbia University in 1754.

Civil unrest began to become prevalent in the late 1700’s. The Sons of Liberty clashed with British troops within the city as a precursor to the Revolutionary War. The New York campaign of the war featured some of the key battles of the war including the Battle of Fort Washington.

Following the independence for Great Britain, New York became the country’s first capital. President Washington, United States Congress and the Supreme Court were housed in Federal Hall on Wall Street. The nation’s government would be run from New York until 1790 when it was relocated back to Philadelphia.

The city continued to grow thanks in part to immigration from European countries. Many of the immigrants will enter the country through Ellis Island in the New York harbor. They will set up shops in the city, leading to the variety of cultures that exist today in the city. By the late 1860’s over one in four New Yorkers were immigrants with most of them coming from Ireland.

As the city boomed, so did its politics and scandals. During this time, the city was being run by Tammany Hall. Tammany Hall was a political powerhouse that ran all aspects of the city through forceful measures. The most notorious of the leaders was William “Boss” Tweed. Their corrupt government ruled the city for over eighty years.

By the early 1900’s, New York took its place on the world’s stage by becoming the most urbanized area in the world. The skyline was rising as many of the cities largest building were being built, including the race for the tallest between the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. By 1930, the regions population exceeded 10 million making it the first mega city.

The city began to suffer from economic fall out in the 1960’s. Lack of jobs from the financial sector led to record high crime rates. But the resurgence of the financial industry and introduction of tech jobs combined with an aggressive crime enforcement led by mayor Rudy Giuliani and the New York City Police Department, the crime rates began to drop drastically.

New York City was also ground zero to the darkest day in American history. Terrorists crashed two hijacked airliners into the twin tower of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan. The attacks killed 2,753 in New York City. Work has begun on the construction of a new tower and memorial for those killed in the attack.

The city is separated into five boroughs; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. It is separated from New Jersey by the Hudson River. The city can be reached by car via a system of bridges and tunnels that are overseen by the New York-New Jersey Port Authority. Bus traffic and train traffic enter the city via Grand Central Station and the Bus Depot at 42nd Street. There are two major airports within the city, John F Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airports. Newark International Airport lies just outside the city in nearby New Jersey. Although the high population, transportation within the city is quite convenient thanks to the large subway system and plenty of taxis.

New York is home to many tourist attractions. A few of the sights that attract tourists are:
• Empire State Building
• Central Park
• Times Square
• Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
• Broadway
• Bronx Zoo
• Coney Island
• Guggenheim Museum
• New York Botanical Gardens
• South Street Sea Port
• And much more

In addition to the attractions, the city also hosts many special events that draw large crowds. Times Square New Years Eve Party, Tribeca Film Festival and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are just a few of the major events.

The city is also home to a few professional sports teams and their world class venues. The New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Rangers, New York Knicks, New York Liberty as well as minor league and collegiate teams call the city home. These teams play in world class facilities such as Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden and Citi Field. It is also home to the US Tennis Open and the New York City Marathon.

Add all these venues plus the world class shopping and dining, there is something to do for the entire family. Its easy to see how New York has become the City that Never Sleeps.

For pictures of the city, visit my New York City photo page.