Wall Street Walks Offering FREE TOURS for Night at the Museums on June 24th

Wall Street Walks will offer free tours of Lower Manhattan on June 24th as a part of the River to River Festival's Night at the Museums.

Tours will leave every 30 minutes, on the hour and half hour, from 4PM to 7:30PM, starting on the sidewalk outside 57 Wall Street. Each tour is limited to 60 people per time slot. 

You may reserve a free advance ticket here. 

Space will also be reserved for walk-ups.

What is the River to River Festival?

Spend the evening visiting the 13 museums and historic sites in Lower Manhattan for free. One of the most concentrated and diverse group of museums in the world, the museums of Lower Manhattan are a genuine American treasure. Museum content and exhibits range from fascinating multimedia shows to intimate galleries of moving personal artifacts to dramatic historical landmarks.And, the sites are within comfortable walking distance of each other. Lower Manhattan is where New York's history and culture begin - start your own journey here.

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For more information about Wall Street and New York's Financial District, join a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour!

Great American Fortunes - August Belmont: The Grand Sachem of New York City

PHOTO by Kurz & Allison circa 1871

In 1877, Charles Dana’s New York Sun reported: “He taught New Yorkers how to eat, how to drink, how to dress, how to drive four-in-hands, how to furnish their houses, how to live generally according to the rules of the possibly somewhat effete, but unquestionably refined, society of the Old World.”

August Belmont, the subject of Dana’s story, was a man who ended up in the U. S. by accident, not by design, fell in love with the country, amassed a great fortune, and changed New York forever.

 Born in Germany, Belmont attended a Jewish school, where he was considered untidy, ungovernable, rowdy, and as bullheaded as he was bright. When his father stopped paying for his tuition, Belmont landed a job with the Rothschilds, sweeping floors and polishing furniture. At night he studied French, English, and honed his writing and math skills. Ultimately Belmont became Amschel von Rothschild’s private secretary.

The Rothschilds had major interests in Cuba and sent Belmont to Havana in 1837 to analyze the impact of the Spanish civil war on the island’s economy and on their investments. En route, Belmont stopped in New York City which was in the grip of the Panic of 1837. Belmont decided to visit Rothschilds’ American agents, but discovered they had ceased to exist.

Without consulting the Rothschilds, Belmont remained in New York and took over their American interests. He began to acquire banks and bank notes at depressed prices and made a fortune for the Rothschilds. They rewarded him with a bonus, a $10,000-a-year salary, and a permanent position in the U.S.

Hot tempered, aloof, and at times disdainful, Belmont fought a duel over an insult, the bullet shattering his hip bone. The newspapers accused him of being a roué, but since duels were only fought by gentlemen, Belmont became a “gentleman” in the eyes of Knickerbocker society. The bluebloods began to crave invitations to his extravagant soirées.

 In 1844 he became a naturalized American citizen and five years later married Commodore Matthew Perry’s daughter. Having accumulated a fortune, he turned to politics, working for James K. Polk’s presidential campaign and developing strong ties with the Democratic Party. Subsequently he ran Buchanan’s campaign in New York for the Democratic presidential nomination, but supported Franklin Pierce after he won the nomination. A grateful President Pierce reciprocated by naming Belmont chargé d’affaires at The Hague.

Belmont’s rapid rise to power—by 1860 he was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee—brought about insulting attacks from the Republican press, especially Horace Greeley’s Tribune. Carl Sandburg applauded Belmont’s “anger and courage” in the face of such caustic assaults.

During the Civil War Belmont raised millions for the Union and became an adviser to President Lincoln.

Belmont sponsored a new horse race, the Belmont Stakes. The first running took place in 1867, making it the oldest of the three Triple Crown events. Belmont Park is named after him and his imprint is intertwined with the history of the Kentucky Derby. Belmont died in 1890, leaving a fortune in excess of $50 million.

 © 2008 by Daniel Alef, syndicated columnist and award-winning author of “Pale Truth,” an American historical novel. Mr. Alef can be reached at dalef@titansoffortune.com.

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For more information about Wall Street and New York's Financial District, join a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour!

Nelson Mandela Death is Mourned in New York City

The ticker tape parade honoring Nelson Mandela is memorialized on Broadway near Park Place.

With the death of Nelson Mandela, today is a day of mourning and remembrance worldwide. Here in New York City, we've honored Mandela with a ticker tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes- that was in 1990. Like all ticker tape parades before and since, a plaque marking the occasion was embedded on Broadway.

Click here to view our map to locate the marker for the Nelson Mandela ticker tape parade.

You can find the Nelson Mandela ticker tape parade marker on Broadway. Click the link above.

Nelson Mandela death mourned by South Africans, including Wall Street Walks owner Annaline Dinkelmann

The South African flag flies at half-mast at the New York Stock Exchange following the death of Nelson Mandela.

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For more information about Wall Street and New York's Financial District, join a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour!

New York City Police Museum Reopens TODAY at 45 Wall Street

We are pleased to announce that the New York City Police Museum, whose original location was severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy, has reopened today (temporarily) in a storefront at 45 Wall Street! Come visit the fine folks at the Police Museum and check out their fascinating displays of historical NYPD artifacts. We just stopped in and we were greeted with warm smiles as we checked out the exhibits: uniforms, gear, weapons, photographs, medals, anecdotes, 9/11 artifacts and even a real NYPD Harley Davidson motorcycle! A great Museum in an absolutely stellar location, right on Wall Street.

Our Wall Street Walks walking tours begin on the next block so the Police Museum is a great place to visit before or after one of our tours. Admission is $5 per person, or FREE with the NY Pass. The Police Museum even has a sweet gift shop where you can get all your REAL, officially-licensed NYPD apparel like sweatshirts and hats.

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For more information about Wall Street and New York's Financial District, join a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour!

What is Federal Hall?

Federal Hall

What is Federal Hall?
Federal Hall history is fascinating and goes back to the very inception of America. Sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the modern skyscrapers around it, the Federal Hall architecture is the first indication that this is one of the oldest and most important buildings in downtown New York City. To learn more Federal Hall facts, watch our video below:

Summer on Stone Street Takes You Back in Time

Summer time is a great time to sit outdoors and enjoy a beer or another beverage on Stone Street.

Stone Street was originally known as "Brouwer Straet" (Brewers Street). In 1632 the West India Company, under leadership of Governor Van Twiller, built a brewery there. During most of the 1700s, the street was called Duke Street. It was later renamed Stone Street because of its cobblestone paving.

The buildings on Stone Street were once stores and lofts built for dry-goods merchants and importers. Construction took place shortly after the Great Fire of 1835. At the time of construction there was neither electricity nor the skyscraper technology. What you see on Stone Street is the scale of the city during the early part of the 1800s- walking down Stone Street gives you a good feel for what New York felt like 200 years ago.

- by Annaline Dinkelmann 

Farmer's Markets in Lower Manhattan

The farmer's market at Bowling Green

Check the farmers markets. There are several in Lower Manhattan.

Fresh produce is arriving. Going to the market really connects you with the changing seasons and the freshest produce. Going to the market is wonderful as you can talk to the farmer and learn more about their produce. When I learned about a hail storm during April, I bought the fruit with the small marks. I understood where they came from- the marks were a result of the hailstones.

Green markets were founded in 1976 providing small family farms the opportunity to sell their locally grown products directly to consumers and to promote regional agriculture. Since then,  many green markets have sprung up around the city. The largest and most well known is probably in Union Square. 

Lower Manhattan has several green markets – at the Staten Island Ferry, at Bowling Green, at the Andaz hotel (on Saturdays), in Zuccotti Park, at the World Financial Centre. Check out their schedules here.

- by Annaline Dinkelmann 

The New York Chamber of Commerce

New York’s Chamber of Commerce was the first mercantile association in America. It was founded 1768 by twenty merchants in the Fraunces Tavern. It promoted commerce, mediated trade disputes, and lobbied for laws that would facilitate trade and industry. The Chamber of Commerce was one of the main sponsors of the construction of the Eerie Canal. During the 1980s it merged with the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Their former building is a spectacular Beaux Arts building located at 65 Liberty Street, almost right next to the Federal Reserve Bank.

- by Annaline Dinkelmann 

It's Officially Summer in New York City

After Memorial Day it’s “officially summer” in New York. Many offices start to allow their employees to dress down. You are no longer required to wear a tie or suit. Now it's smart casual – polo shirt and dress pants. Some offices do dress down all week and others do it on Fridays only.

Many people start going to their beach houses for the weekend.

Summer programs start – be on the lookout for the free concerts in the parks in NYC. In Lower Manhattan we have the River to River Festival.

There are many free concerts and events. Take the ferry to Governors Island and spend the afternoon gazing at the Lower Manhattan skyline.

- by Annaline Dinkelmann 

Top 3 Memorials to Visit in NYC on Memorial Day Weekend

photo from nycgovparks.org

Today marks the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. Downtown is home to several memorials. Our war memorials provide places of solace and contemplation. Many of them are in public parks and serve as permanent reminders of the high price the USA and other nations had paid for the preservation of freedom and security. Many memorials are paid for by private funding efforts and not federally funded. My three favorite memorials are:

Korean War Memorial aka The Universal Soldier 
One of the most striking memorials in New York. The 15-foot-tall black granite monument is in the shape of a Korean War soldier. The center is cut out. You can see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island by looking through the silhouette. Every July 27 at 10 a.m., the anniversary of the exact moment in New York when hostilities ceased in Korea, the sun shines through the soldier’s head and illuminates the commemorative plaque installed in the ground at the foot of the statue.

American Merchant Mariners’ Memorial 
It is on a breakwater close to where you line up to board the Statue of Liberty ferry in Battery Park. The monument is a bronze group of men clinging to their sinking boat. During World War II their boat (a merchant marine vessel) was struck by a Nazi U-Boat. They were photographed by the Germans while their boat sank.

Vietnam War Memorial
Located at 55 Water Street (which was the largest office building east of the Mississippi River during the 1970s when it was built). The Vietnam Memorial was flooded during hurricane Sandy and some repairs in the area are still underway. The Vietnam Veterans Plaza honors the 1741 New Yorkers who died during the Vietnam war (1964-1975) In total 250,000 New Yorkers served in the United States armed forces. The Vietnam War tried to curb the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

- by Annaline Dinkelmann 

“LITTLE SYRIA” - NYC's Forgotten Neighborhood

Friday, May 3, 2013 - Monday, May 27, 2013
3LD Art & Technology Center
80 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10006

“LITTLE SYRIA" NEW YORK CITY

by Wall Street Walks Tour Guide Marie Beirne

In the 1980’s, when I worked at NASDAQ on the 98^th Floor of Two World Trade Center, every evening I waited for the x90 express bus to Yorkville, in front of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church which once stood across Liberty Street from the South Tower.

I have very fond memories of that divine and beloved little church, surrounded on three sides by the parking lot…looking a little lonely and frail, all by itself, especially at nightfall.

Tonight, at a lecture,  I found out that after 9/11, when workers got to the foundation of the destroyed St. Nicholas’,  buried in the rubble, they found artifacts of an old church, the cornerstone of St. Joseph's from “Little Syria”, New York City. The cornerstone now resides in Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral in Brooklyn Heights.

It is rare for New Yorkers to be surprised with news of an old neighborhood you never heard of before…what a delight the discovery of “Little Syria” was for the audience.

On April 30 at the 9/11 Tribute Center, Linda Jacobs, author, archaeologist, and an expert on the Syrian immigrant community in New York City, and Todd Fine, co-founder of the “Save Washington Street,” preservation campaign presented “Little Syria’: Lower Manhattan Before the World Trade Center,” a discussion on the history of the neighborhood in the southwestern corner of Lower Manhattan.

Beginning in the late 1800’s, the neighborhood developed a flavor of the Arab world from which many of the immigrants originated.  Their entrepreneurial spirit transformed the neighborhood, which came to be known as “Little Syria”, into a thriving community lined with shops and coffeehouses. Many of these immigrants owned small restaurants and grocery stores and had easy access to the docks where produce was brought in on boats from New Jersey.  Each furnished with signs written in their native Arabic.  Here bilingual Arab-Americans raised their families, educated their children, formed religious and community organizations and gradually became part of the life of the city of New York.

Eventually the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and the World Trade Center displaced the folks in this neighborhood who moved to Atlantic Avenue and other neighborhoods of Brooklyn. 

Most New Yorkers, and even many Lebanese-Americans and Arab-Americans, are unaware that Lower Manhattan — along Washington Street from Battery Park through the 9/11 Memorial to Chambers Street — was once the center of Arab-American life in the United States, from the 1870s to the 1940s called “Little Syria” or the “Mother Colony.”

Today, only three buildings from that era remain and are physically connected: 103 Washington Street, an Arab church that served as a Irish bar for many years.   The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building a New York City landmark on July 14, 2009. 

Two other remaining buildings: 105-107 Washington Street, a community house inaugurated by the governor of New York Al Smith to serve the “Little Syria” neighborhood; and 109 Washington Street, a tenement building still containing apartments are now part of an active campaign by Save Washington Street [http://savewashingtonstreet.org/history/] a national coalition of organizations and individuals advocating for the preservation of the last two sites.

While the coalition’s first objective is to achieve the landmark designation of the community center at 105-107 Washington Street, already advocated by Community Board 1 of New York City, the long-term goal of the coalition is to improve education about this diverse neighborhood, and about Arab-American history .

Be sure to discover “Little Syria” for yourself, starting on May 3, and continuing through May 27, the Arab American National Museum (based in Dearborn, Michigan) will present at the 3LD Art & Technology Center (80 Greenwich Street) an exhibition documenting the neighborhood's history.

Join Wall Street Walks on one of our guided walking tours to uncover more of the many, many secrets of NYC. We offer an exciting peek at the New York no one else knows! 

NYC Decks Out in Its Trashiest Haute Couture for the 2013 Met Gala

Every heavily kohl-lined eye in the world will be turned to NYC tonight as fashion’s best and brightest don their haute couture shredded leather for this year’s Met Gala. This year’s theme “Punk: Chaos to Couture” is sure to channel the raucous, devil-may-care heyday of the likes of the New York Dolls, Suicide, The Ramones, Blondie, Patti Smith, Sex Pistols, and Talking Heads. The Costume Institute Gala (commonly referred to as the “Met Ball” by all those in the know) is a celebration of the annual opening of the Metropolitan Museum's fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute. The preceding red carpet is THE place to see celebrities dressed to the nines in the year’s edgiest avant garde looks. In Gala’s past, photos from the event were posted online, but this unprecedented carpet will feature a live streaming feed, beginning at 7 p.m. EST via the fashion site www.modaoperandi.com in coordination with Conde Nast, Samsung, and Vogue magazine. Though the Met Museum may be a far cry from the seedy interior of CBGB, this year’s gala promises to capture the spirit of the trends of yesteryear – be it from a precariously perched Devo cone hat to a strategically placed tattoo a la Richard Hell. This modern interpretation of the counter culture in the mid-seventies heralds back to the music scene of New York circa ‘74–’76 and will most certainly pay homage to classic punk details like studs, spikes, safety pins, distressed denims, and, of course, lots and lots of leather. Sure to be decked out in their best trash bag chic are co-chairs Rooney Mara (popular for her portrayal of punk princess Lisbeth Salander in Hollywood’s “Girl Who…”series), co-founder of Moda Operandi / Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo, and famed Italian fashion designer Riccardo Tisci. The fashion world is sure to hold its breath for a singular shot of Anna Wintour in plaid bondage pants.

Get all of the hottest updates in NYC – from Downtown and beyond – with Wall Street Walks.

Copyright: W Magazine

      

The Picture That Launched the Presidency

Of all the Presidents who have had strong ties to New York City, Abraham Lincoln might not jump into the forefront of consciousness. In fact, by most accounts, Honest Abe only graced the Big Apple with his presence a grand total of six times (and one of them was in a casket). Yet, his influence on NYC is undeniable if not particularly direct. Perhaps his most triumphant and well-known visit was for his career-making address at the Cooper Institute in February of 1860. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the would-be President as he was effectively launching his platform to the public. The age old adage rang just as true in Lincoln’s day – “if he could make it there…” and he was well-aware that New York was a critical and decisive audience. Though he had given speeches in Congress ten years earlier, he was regarded as an "entire stranger" to the East and considered rough around the edges in more ways than one to the de rigueur populous of NYC. Lincoln was armed and ready with an arsenal of arguments compiled after months of pouring over volumes in the Springfield State Capitol library. A lawyer by trade, he decided his best strategy was to base his speech on facts garnered from first-hand interviews of all the signers of the Declaration, and the document itself, as well as the entire history of the slave trade. Though he was intellectually prepared, the fact remained that Lincoln appeared as though he had only just crawled out from his log cabin in the rural West. In an attempt to urbanize his look, Lincoln’s wild hair was tamed and trimmed and his photograph was taken by then-shutterbug of the stars: Mathew Brady. By cleverly employing symbolic props worthy of the Da Vinci Code, Brady was able to clearly convey Lincoln’s intellectuality, selflessness, and strength and as well as highlight his most flattering physical features. Though the Cooper Union address was hailed by the New York Tribune as "one of the happiest and most convincing political arguments ever made in this city," many still argue that it was a haircut and a picture that ultimately won Abraham Lincoln the Presidency. 

 

                                  From frumpy...                                        to FABULOUS!