Fraunces Tavern Welcomes The Magna Carta

This blog entry features information from an article by Annaline Dinkelmann in Guidelines, the Guides' Association of New York City newsletter, Matthew Baker - editor. For more info on GANYC, visit ganyc.org.

Fraunces Tavern has earned its title as a New York City landmark considered to be Manhattan's oldest surviving building. It was also the site where General George Washington bade farewell to his officers at the end of the Revolution before returning to his home in Virginia. This historic bar will again go down in the history books this Fall when it hosts the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was drawn up in 1215 to limit the powers of King John of England, which also served as a catalyst for the pursuit of liberty. It played a critical role in history of democracy and still has a huge impact on human rights. The document will be on display in an exhibit from September 15th - December 15th, 2009, which will reveal how the roots of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights all trace back to the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta has voyaged overseas from its home at Lincoln Cathedral in England to New York just twice, making this a truly rare event.

Tickets available NOW
Order tickets online: www.TicketWeb.com

Order tickets by phone: 1-866-468-7619

Exhibit Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 12 Noon - 6:00 PM
Closed Monday

School group tours:
10:30 AM - 12 Noon
Call 212-425-1778

After-hour group tours can be arranged.
Contact Visitor Services at 212-425-1776, ext. 18
Or 212-425-1778

Admission:
Adults ................................ $10.00
Seniors [65 and over] ............ $5.00
Children [6 to 18] ................. $5.00
Children [5 and under] .......... FREE
Your admission to the exhibit will also gain you entrance to our Dunsmore Gallery with its magnificent paintings depicting Revolutionary War scenes, the historic Long Room where George Washington bade farewell to his officers, and the elegant Clinton Dining Room. The exhibit will be an experience rich with stories of American patriotism and the history of liberty itself. You don't want to miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity!

For additional information on this exhibit click here.

To learn more about the history of Fraunces Tavern as well as other NYC landmarks in the area, be sure to book your spot on the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour.

Neighborhood Focus: Garment District

Despite being only one square mile in area, the Garment District of Manhattan still has a significant impact on the fashion industry and global business. The neighborhood is marked by the Javits Convention Center at the extreme west, the New York General Post Office, Penn Station, and Madison Square Garden in the center, and the Empire State Building in the east. With over $14 Billion in annual sales, New York is the fashion capital of the United States with 1/3 of clothing manufactured in the U.S. being designed and produced in this neighborhood alone. Conferences, expositions, Fashion Week, and tourism all contribute to this outrageous statistic.

The growth of the Garment Industry dates back to the 1800's where there was a transition of people making their own clothes to having them tailor-made. Factors that contributed to this transition include the efficiency of having clothes produced for slaves instead of by them, the invention of the sewing machine, the need for uniforms during the Civil War, and the arrival of immigrants with relevant business experience and skills. By 1880 New York produced more garments than its four closest urban competitors combined and in 1910, 70% of the nation's Women's clothing and 40% of the Men's was produced in the City.
By the 1920's the United Hebrew Trades union hired Jewish and Italian Gangsters such as Lepke Buchalter as union enforcers, but got more than they bargained for. They used unions to demand payments from factory owners and threatened strikes while dipping into union bank accounts. This control transformed into a protection racket, expanding into such areas as bakery trucking. Shortly after Lepke Buchalter's death by the electric chair, Carlo Gambino turned the mob-influenced industry into an all out organized crime cartel. Life for the mob trucker couldn't get better through the early 90's, but everyone else was suffering.

From the mid-1950s until 1992, the garment business shrank 75 percent, and cost New York 225,000 jobs. Manufacturing has declined tremendously in New York City over the past two decades because of numerous factors such as lower outsourcing costs and excessive rents. Many of the showrooms and factories are being transformed into retail stores and condo apartments as we speak. Some of the industry's most famous designers, promising entrepreneurs, and fashion makers reside their business here including Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Liz Clairborne, and Nicole Miller. The Garment industry still remains the fashion capital for designers, couture houses and showrooms despite the decline of manufacturing.

To preserve the rich history of the Garment district, a Fashion Walk of Fame on 7th Avenue has been set up and a sculpture of a sewing worker has been installed on the corner of 39th Street and 7th Avenue. Some think this is not enough and have joined the Save the Garment Center campaign. To learn more check out the official site here.
Getter a better glimpse of the Garment district and learn more information about this neighborhood by taking the New York Up, Down, and Sideways tour offered Friday and Center.

Majestic Theatre on Broadway

The Majestic Theatre is one one of the largest Broadway theatres in New York City, with 1607 seats at its 245 West 44th Street location. Herbert J. Krapp designed the theatre in 1927 for Irwin Chanin, but was soon taken over by the present owners, the Shuberts, during the Great Depression. The interior of the theatre is a beautiful neo-classical design and has remained one of Broadway's premier musical houses. The most notorious shows that have premiered at the Majestic include

• Carousel (1945),
• South Pacific (1949),
  
• The Music Man (1957),
• Camelot (1960),
  
• A Little Night Music (1973),
• The Wiz (1975).

It was also the second home of 42nd Street and the third home of 1776. The theatre has shown The Phantom of the Opera since it opened on January 26,1988, the longest-running production in Broadway history with more than 8,000 performances! In 1987, both the interior and exterior of the theatre were designated as New York City Landmarks and people from all over the world stop by to take in how "majestic" this theatre really is.

Learn more about the Majestic Theatre by checking out an in depth timeline from the official site here.

You can experience this Theatre along with several other historic ones when you take the George M. Cohan Theatre District Tour...Book Now!

Neighborhood Focus: Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village Through the Centuries

16th Century: The site of Greenwich Village was inhabited by Native Americans during this time. The Village was merely a marshland named Sapokanican, used for camping and fishing.

17th and 18th Century: By the early 1600's, Dutch settlers had cleared pastures and planted crops in this area, which they called Noortwyck. After the English conquest of New Amsterdam in 1664, the settlement became a country hamlet, first referred to Grin’wich in 1713 Common Council records. Greenwich Village survived the American Revolution as a pastoral suburb and in the 1780s the city bought a parcel of eight acres for use as a potter’s field and public gallows, at what is now Washington Square Park.

19th Century: Outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera caused flocks of people to flee north which contributed to a time of seclusion of the area. From 1820 a more affluent residential development emerged to the east near Broadway and Washington Square Park, at the foot of Fifth Avenue. Religious denominations commissioned buildings with elaborate decorative schemes, New York University grew on the east side of Washington Square beginning in 1836, and the neighborhood soon became the site of art clubs, , literary salons, fine hotels, and theaters. The character of the neighborhood changed markedly at the close of the century when German, Irish, and Italian immigrants found work in industries in the area.

20th Century: By the start of World War I it was widely known as a bohemian enclave with secluded side streets, low rents, and a tolerance for radicalism and nonconformity. Artists and writers received more attention for their innovative work and decrepit row houses were remodeled into “artistic flats.” The Village had become a center for the “beat movement” by the 1950s, with galleries, coffee houses, and street front theaters. During the 1960s a homosexual community formed around Christopher Street and was the site of the Stonewall Rebellion, regarded as the beginning of the movement for gay and lesbian rights. In the 1940s, urban renewal efforts on Washington Square South had altered the physical character of the neighborhood by demolishing many 19th century structures, but local resentment inspired a preservation movement.

Recent Years: The extension of the Greenwich Village Historic District and the creation of the Weehawken Street Historic District in 2006 were the results of the goal to preserve the waterfront. These recent landmarking victories were successful because of the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation. The Society continues to work in close connection with the community to uphold the goals and protect the undesignated neighborhoods. Tourists and locals flock to the Village to live the history of the neighborhood and enjoy the artsy feel. Coffee shops, restaurants, and bars are always packed in this area mostly by a younger, hip crowd. Below is a video made a couple years ago that highlights some of Greenwich Village, in particular Washington Square Park.

To read more about the history of Greenwich Village check out The Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation.

Now YOU can experience what Greenwich Village is all about by taking the Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour.

Neighborhood Focus: Madison Square Park

Madison Square Park has been recognized as a public park since 1847, but has existed as a public space since 1686. The park is named after the fourth President of the United States, James Madison and has hosted historic events and seen plenty changes over the years. Baseball, America's pastime, is said to have began in this park after Alexander Cartwright formed the first baseball club in 1845. The park has also hosted the first two Madison Square Gardens, the arm and torch of the Statue of Liberty, as well as temporary arches commemorating George Washington's first integration all at the end of the 19th Century. This was a time where Madison Square was the focal point one of Manhattan's most elite neighborhoods.

The park was the site of the tallest building in the world in 1909, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Building pictured on the left, and also featured America's first community Christmas tree in 1912. Despite its huge impact in history, the park was in disrepair in the 1990's with lack of maintenance and increase in crime. The City Parks Foundation would not let this historic park just deteriorate however, and raised 6 million dollars during a capital restoration project completed in 2001. Now the park is popular as ever with a recently added playground, kept lawns and gardens, and even cultural programs.



To read a more in depth history about Madison Square Park be sure to check out the park's official site here.

Also, don't miss this historic attraction and plenty others on our Abraham Lincoln Union Square and Gramercy tour this Independence Day! Reserve here now!

NY SKYRIDE - "Feel the Sights"

Travmedia.com just posted a cool article on our tours with NY SKYRIDE so make sure you check it our here.

The NY SKYRIDE, which offers virtual New York sightseeing tours from the comfort of an Empire State Building theater, is a great way to see the attractions of the city and has been a hit for years. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that Uncle Sam's New York has teamed up with the company to create an even better for our guests. Visitors can enjoy the heights and sights with the “New York From Up Down and Sideways” tour, ideal for families. This tour runs Fridays & Sundays at 2pm and offers a comprehensive intro to New York City including the virtual tour of NY SKYRIDE, views from the cloud level observation deck of the Empire State Building and plenty escorted attractions of the city. For more information on this tour click here.

Uncle Sam's New York also offers the "Empire State Pub Crawl" 5:30pm every Saturday, where tourists are taken back in time to the1930s to explore the majestic art deco Empire State Building. The Pub Crawl includes the NY SKYRIDE and FAST TRACK express passage to the observation deck and guides of three historical bars where guests receive free drinks. For the full scoop click here.

With the NY SKYRIDE you don't just see the sights of New York City you "Feel them" so don't miss out!

Greenwich Village Travel Tips – 2009 is a must experience year!

By Jared the tour guide Goldstein, Exclusively for Uncle Sam’s New York

2009 is an exciting year for Washington Square Park and its Greenwich Village neighborhood. The main part of Washington Square Park re-opened in late May after being closed for a couple of years for the park’s first renovation in decades. The 40^th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising this June 2009. The 400^th Anniversary of Hudson exploring New Netherlands Dutch Party in September 2009. The 36^th Annual Halloween Parade.

After community oversight, some lawsuits, some lost trees, the newly re-opened and redesigned Washington Square Park enjoys increased access to the lovely grass, and pedestrian flow and seating abound in the new plan, which is sort of neo-proto-Vaux. The fountain has been centered behind the Washington Arch. Flowers in beds were abundant and lovely. The old seedy weed dealers were nowhere in sight, but there were plenty takers for chess playing partners just like in "Searching for Bobby Fischer".

The Stonewall Uprising of June 28, 1969 is the touchstone for the Gay Civil Rights movement. The Heritage of Pride Parade will start in Bryant Park at 2 PM on June 20, 2009 and end on Christopher and Greenwich Streets at 6 PM, followed on June 28, by a huge party on Pier 54, the pier which never saw the return of the Titanic. To learn more visit http://www.nycpride.org

NYC 400 Week is coming September 8–13, and the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion, a gift from the Netherlands designed by Ben van Berkel, will be unveiled in Battery Park in late 2009. For more information, visit http://www.nycgo.com and search “NYC 400.” To experience Battery Park and environs, take the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour.The 36^th Village Halloween Parade is a must-experience for all adults, and anyone can march! This Halloween Year will be a haunted Saturday Night!! Don’t come to NYC without a costume, or expect huge lines with picked over selections and put-upon sales clerks who were raised as Marilyn Manson’s kids. Read more about the parade on our older blog post here! To join the parade or the party visit http://www.halloween-nyc.com. Make your Greenwich Village 2009 plans ASAP, and book the Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour now. Get the lay of the land with an expert Uncle Sam’s NY Guide.

Spooky Washington Square, Plan Now for the Village Halloween Festivities!

By Jared the tour-guide Goldstein, exclusively for Uncle Sam’s New York.

Washington Square Park, the Heart of Greenwich Village, was a long-time burial ground. The American Natives, who farmed at the local Minetta Stream, buried their loved ones a bit north-east, here.

Then this land was used for mass burials in the wake of yellow fever and typhus epidemics (due to New York City’s poor water and sewage services, or lack of them).

It became a Potter’s Field where the penniless or forgotten were buried in simple graves. In all, some 20,000 souls might be attempting to rest here.

The northwestern tree in the park is reputed to have been a hanging tree where patriots, slaves, and the wrongly accused were hung.

When the lovely early Greek-revival row houses were constructed by the beginning of Fifth Avenue on Washington Square North in the early 1830s, Washington Square was converted to a military training ground. During parades, the heavy artillery would crack open the shallow pine coffins, breaking the bones inside, making Washington Square Park the most haunted place in America.

Since 1973 this park has been graced by the Annual Village Halloween Parade.

Since the late 1950s this park has been where folk musicians have played and jugglers juggled.

To learn more about Washington Square Park take the Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour. Click here now to reserve your tour. Halloween in Greenwich Village is coming sooner than you think!

The Battery: Where New York City Begins

By Jared "the tour guide" Goldstein, exclusively for Uncle Sam’s New York

New York City started on Manhattan Island in today’s Downtown, Lower Manhattan Financial District below Wall Street. It began at the Battery on the bottom of the island.

The "Battery" refers to the fort, Castle Clinton, which protected New York City from the mighty British Navy with its battery of cannons. In the 19th Century, Castle Clinton served as P.T. Barnum’s Castle Clinton Gardens, where Jenny Lind, ‘the Swedish Nightingale,’ entertained thousands for her American debut. It also served as an immigration point of entry for eight million immigrants before Ellis Island opened for immigration in 1892. It later became the New York Aquarium, the largest in the world. After World War II the Aquarium moved to Coney Island and the Fort was restored and reopened as a National Monument.

Alexander Hamilton came to Boston as a 16 year-old immigrant from the Caribbean, but came to this area shortly after.


Experience the Battery on the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour.

Click here to reserve your tour now!