Today we celebrate “President’s Day” but until quite recently it was really the official celebration of George Washington’s birthday on February 22. It is fitting that New York celebrates President’s Day since so many of our most important presidents have ties to our city. The first for obvious reasons is George himself. He was … More The Presidents of New York
Matthew Brady Today is Abraham Lincoln’s 208th birthday. Most Americans when they think of places important to Lincoln focus on Illinois or Kentucky or maybe even Washington, D.C. Not many would think of New York City. But New York was crucial to Lincoln’s presidency. It was here on February 25, 1860 that he gave a … More Happy Birthday, Mr.Lincoln!
This weekend, in 2017, much of the country was quite chilly with many areas experiencing significant snowfalls. The winter of 1887 brought cold winds off the Hudson to New York and severe cold and hardship to much of the Great Plains as well. January of 1887 saw record temperatures of 60 below zero across the … More A Cold January 1887
This is another book that has been on my reading pile. Washington’s Circle by David S. Heilder and Jeanne T. Heilder traverse territory that is not new to anyone who has studied George Washington. However, they give a new twist to the creation of the presidency by examining the people who surrounded Washington as … More Washington’s Circle
Who was the last President of the United States inaugurated in New York City? Theodore Roosevelt? No, Chester A. Arthur. Who? That is how the conversation usually goes when I bring up President Arthur. This weekend marks the anniversary of his inauguration at 123 Lexington Avenue. Arthur, like fellow New Yorker Theodore Roosevelt, became president … More A President Surprises
Bowery & Canal 