Why Have Whales Come to New York City?
What brought whales to the city? It’s a tale of water quality, plankton, and an unassuming but vital fish called the menhaden.
Why Stonewall?
The Stonewall riot in June, 1969 is generally remembered as be the beginning of the gay liberation movement. But there was precedent for the event.
“Give Us Bread!”
In 1917, a food riot erupted in Brooklyn over the prices of staples. These forms of protest, sadly, are not quite yet ready for the dustbin of history.
Race and Labor in the 1863 New York City Draft Riots
In July 1863, over a thousand Irish dockworkers rioted against the Civil War draft in New York City in a four-day upheaval, targeting black workers and citizens.
Frederick Law Olmsted: The Complicated Man Behind Central Park & The Nation
Struck by something naturally beautiful in an American city? Odds are that you have stumbled across the work of Frederick Law Olmsted.
The Pneumatic Subway That Almost Was
New York almost had a pneumatic subway system, but political, legal, and financial reasons kept the system from expanding.
Refugees Have Always Made Americans Nervous
What happens when a big stream of refugees enters an American community, bringing their foreign customs and values and taking scarce jobs?
What Did Manhattan Look Like in 1609?
The Welikia Project recreates a lost vision of Manhattan, one composed of marshes and forest surrounded by wide, meandering rivers.
The Evolution of the New York Restaurant Scene
In colonial America, restaurants as we know them today were virtually unheard of.
Is There Really a Link between Mental Illness and Homelessness?
"Housing first” programs are helping cut homelessness in big ways. How significant is the link between mental illness and homelessness?