New+York

=WELCOME TO NEW YORK=

Lena Kepple (1870-1886) ** Biata Boguslawski (1872-1885) Oliver Meade (1902-1918) Pietro Vincenzo (1870- 1893) Stanley Jacobs (1874-1918; with brief interruptions) Masika Bakshara (1877-1893) (1897-1910; while traveling) Amalie Bratberg (1905) Gus Johnson (1984-1908)
 * Visitors:

Interested in cool photos of the below topics? Check out the Gallery! New York City Photo Gallery

New York was a magical city for whoever visited or chose to live there. It has been a so called "city of the immigrants", being a sea bearing city welcoming to all Europeans who ventured into America. The modern city of New York, including Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, was consolidated in the year of 1898. New York bursted in culture and opinions, housing not only the rich elites in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, but also the poor and destitute who called the slums home. With such iconic districts as the "Greenwich Village", a hot spot for progressive movements whether political, artistic or cultural, it is no wonder New York was visited by such a varied array of people. Entertainment was also essential to New York, which also included the important Broadway Theater which produced the most amazing theatrical performances. Beauty and Fantastics were only gilded on this city, however. New York was also the cite of the infamous Tammany Hall Society, one most corrupt Democratic Political Machines - lead by William M. "Boss" Tweed in the mid-1800s. Communists in 1932 also called New York home, illustrating banners outside of their headquarters. The Silent Protest Parade on New York's 5th Avenue in protest to the East St. Louis Riot of 1917, where several black labor protestors were killed in labor strikes, further shows New York's incredible diversity. In conclusion, it is easy to say that New York was the exemplification of the American melting pot. It is to say, a progressive, a mobster, or an aesthetic visionary could easily assimilate in the mixed culture of NYC! **
 * Quick Overview of New York History:
 * New York City - A Topic by Topic Discussion of the Happenings in the City

__Entrance and Immigration__ [|Castle Clinton], or Fort Clinton, was the first immigration station, predating Ellis Island. It was built in 1808-1811 on a small artificial island just off shore of New York. Its purpose was meant to defend New York City from the British forces during the War of 1812, but was later changed in 1855 as an immigrant reception station. In 1890, when the federal government took charge of the immigration process, Fort Clinton was replaced by Ellis Island. The architects of the [|Ellis Island Immigrant Station] received a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition for the building's design. Ellis Island was closed in 1954. Those with visible health problems or diseases were sent home or held in the island's hospital facilities. About 2% of immigrants were sent back to their home land for reasons of disease, criminal background, political reasons (communists/anarchists), or insanity.

****__Factories and Business__**


 * __Politics and the Economy__**

In the 1860s William M. Tweed personified political corruption. His headquarters, located on East 14th Street, was known as Tammany Hall. From there he was able to orchestrate elections, control the city mayor, and reward his political supporters. His primary source of funds came from bribes that he demanded in exchange for city contracts. In many ways "[|Boss Tweed] " was in control of the Democratic Party political machine. Tweed, along with his political cronies, defrauded the taxpayers of millions of dollars. The biggest example of his political corruption was the Construction of the New York County Courthouse which began in 1861. The city wound up spending nearly $13 million on a building that should have cost several less (Twice the Cost of the Alaska Purchase of 1867). The courthouse was not completed until 1880. In 1871 Tweed was arrested and held on $8 million bail. He was convicted in 1873, but then escaped and fled to Spain, where the American government found him and placed him back in prison. Tweed died in the Ludlow Street Jail in 1878. Tweed's political scandals were popularized to the common people by //Harper's Weekly// artist [|Thomas Nast], who drew several cartoons depicting Tweed's corruptions. Despite having stolen millions from the public treasury, Tweed made many improvements to the city of New York. He widened Broadway between 34th street and 59th street, as well as stimulated construction in Manhattan. He also fought for the New York State Legislature to donate to private charities, subsidize schools, orphanages, and hospitals. He also fought for the increase in teacher's salaries. **
 * City Bosses - The Tweed Ring


 * __Culture: Dress, Customs, and People__**


 * __Technology and Entertainment__**

The Academy of Music was opened in 1854, and was the operatic cultural center of New York. The elite attended Operas in the Academy no to enjoy the music being played, but to be observed by those of high importance. These elites tended to sit in places of importance, such as the box seats (called "loges" back in the day). Having only 18 of these loges, the Academy left very little room for rising millionaires, or new money, to gain seats in the coveted loges. William Henry Vanderbilt, when denied a sit in the Opera Boxes, went on to fund the building of the Metropolitan Opera House, alongside Jay Gould, and Henry Clews among others. The architect of the Met. Opera House was J. Cleveland Cady, who, though being one of the most prominent architects in the area, had no experience building a theatre. The Theatre was opened in 1883, after only three years of construction, and nearly doubled the size and quantity of loges. The opening date was the same as that of the Academy of Music, but more attended the Met.'s performance, causing a shift between old aristocracy and the new. [Information from "The Epic of New York City", written by Edward Robb Ellis]
 * The Fight of the Opera Houses**

[|The Statue of Liberty], formerly known as "Liberty Enlightening the World",was dedicated in 1886 in celebration of the centennial signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was a gift from the people of France in order to celebrate the bond they made during the Revolutionary War. She stands on Liberty Island in New York harbor. French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi was commissioned to make the piece. He was first inspired to make a statue as a means for a lighthouse for the Suez Canal, a canal bought by the French and made in Egypt. The Statue was to be modeled after the Roman Goddess Libertas, but clothed in Egyptian peasant robes. The project was dropped when funding could not be reached. The model for the female statue was kept and brought in as the Statue of Liberty. Americans were to build the base and the French were to be in charge of the sculpture. Assistants to Bartholdi include Gustave Eiffel, who built the Eiffel Tower. On July 4, 1876 the right arm and torch were completed and were showcased at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.
 * The Statue of Liberty

****Broadway** Theater in Broadway dates back to 1810, but it had at this point fused with European style of entertainment. Most music, plays and even actors at this time were "imported" from Europe. By the late 1800s, theater became Americanized. Many of the play rights and actors where now American or had grown up in America. The Theater District was one of the first American Areas to get electric light, and it is for this reason that Broadway is often nicknamed the "Great White Way". In 1891 the first Electrical Marquis was lit on Broadway, the Theater was on Madison Square at the intersection of Broadway and 5th Avenue. Prior to the Golden Age of Musical Theater, many shows began to define the theatrical art form we know today. Ziegfeld's //[|Follies 1907]// became one of the first lavish American productions. //Showboat// opened in 1927 and was the first dramatic musical with a completely integrated book and score. The roaring twenties highly influenced Broadway, with the first Theater Guild organization. The lighthearted and frivolous feel of the twenties also enhanced the number of people to come and witness the shows. In 1943, the Golden Age of Broadway began, when Rodgers and [|Hammerstein] began writing musicals. Their first show //Oklahoma// was produced in that year, and shows the growing nationalism that has permeated theater.

http://www.livingcityarchive.org/htm/home.htm
 * The website has a time line from the 1860's to 1920's and it's slightly confusing, but I thought it was pretty interesting.

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