New York
Journal
Stories behind the collection, checked against official records. Each one ends with a map, a song and the design it became.
The Crown The Chrysler Building Crown: Seven Arches and a Spire Raised in 90 Minutes The Chrysler Building's crown is seven stainless-steel arches under a spire that was assembled in secret and raised in about 90 minutes in 1929. Read → -
The Water Tower Why New York Buildings Have Wooden Water Tanks on the Roof -
The Promenade The Brooklyn Bridge Promenade and the Cables Above It -
The Cast-Iron Front SoHo's Cast-Iron Buildings: What They Are and How They Were Made -
The Fire Escape Why New York Buildings Have Fire Escapes -
The Hydrant New York City Fire Hydrants: Who Makes Them and Who Keeps Them Working -
The Bodega Cat Bodega Cats: Why New York Corner Stores Keep Cats, and What the Law Says -
The Stoop The Stoop: Why New York Row Houses Have High Front Steps -
Temporary Why New York Has So Many Sidewalk Sheds -
The Platform Edge Why Subway Platforms Have a Bumpy Yellow Edge -
The Tiles Why the New York Subway Is Lined With Tile -
The Handrail New York Subway Handrails: From Leather Straps to Poles and Bars -
The Roof Light What the Light on Top of a New York City Taxi Means -
The Steam Stack Why Steam Comes Out of New York City Streets -
The Mosaic The Subway's Mosaic Station Names: How New York Put Its Stops in Tile -
The Black and White The Black-and-White Cookie: A New York Cake That Calls Itself a Cookie -
Phrase · Baconeggandcheese Bacon, Egg and Cheese, Salt, Pepper, Ketchup: A New York Order -
Phrase · Regular Coffee Regular Coffee: The New York Order That Isn't Black -
Phrase · On Line Waiting On Line: New York's Way of Saying In Line -
Phrase · It’s Brick It's Brick: The New York Word for Freezing Cold -
Phrase · Aight, So Boom What 'Aight, so boom' means, word by word -
Phrase · Schmear Schmear: The Yiddish Word for Cream Cheese on a Bagel -
Phrase · Fourth Floor Fourth Floor: William Labov's New York Department Store Study