New York City is the most famous metropolis in the world. However, the city that never sleeps is hiding many fascinating secrets in plain sight. For instance, the streets below Wall Street hold more gold than Fort Knox. Furthermore, the Brooklyn Bridge once hosted a parade of elephants to prove it was safe. Consequently, learning these details will change how you view the concrete jungle. Therefore, step into the subway and explore the hidden history of the Empire State.
New York
New York City was originally called New Amsterdam. Specifically, Dutch settlers founded the colony in 1624 before the British renamed it later.
The Statue of Liberty arrived in 350 separate pieces. In fact, this massive gift from France took four months to assemble on Ellis Island.
The Empire State Building has its own zip code. Because the building is so large and houses so many businesses, it uses the exclusive code 10118.
Central Park hides a lost village. Tragically, the city used eminent domain to destroy Seneca Village, a thriving African American community, to build the park.
A secret train platform sits under the Waldorf Astoria. Presidents used Track 61 to enter the hotel secretly. However, it is no longer in use today.
The Federal Reserve holds a massive gold vault. Located 80 feet below Manhattan, it contains roughly 25% of the world’s gold bullion.
“The Big Apple” comes from horse racing. Originally, the term referred to the big cash prizes awarded at New York race tracks in the 1920s.
Pinball was illegal for over thirty years. Surprisingly, the city banned the game until 1976 because officials believed it was a form of gambling.
Oysters once paved the streets. In the 19th century, people ate so many local oysters that they used the crushed shells to pave Pearl Street.
The Brooklyn Bridge had an elephant parade. To prove the bridge was stable in 1884, P.T. Barnum marched twenty-one elephants across it.
Wall Street is named after an actual wall. The Dutch originally built a wooden wall there to protect the colony from British attacks and pirates.
New York is the most linguistically diverse city. Consequently, residents speak over 800 different languages throughout the five boroughs.
Grand Central Terminal has a “whispering gallery.” Uniquely, if you whisper into one corner, a person standing in the opposite corner can hear you perfectly.
The price of pizza predicts subway fares. For decades, the “Pizza Principle” states that a slice of cheese pizza costs the same as a subway ride.
Finally, moving day used to be May 1st. Until the mid-20th century, nearly all leases expired simultaneously, causing total chaos on the streets.
