Walking Tour to Bowling Green New York City

Walking Tour to Bowling Green New York City - Bowling Green was officially established as New York City’s first park in 1733, however, this space was a center of significant activity long before that. Its earliest origins date back to a period between 1638 and 1647 when it was used as a cattle market. In 1733 the land was leased by the city to three prominent landowners for the price of one peppercorn per year. The only stipulations attached to the city’s leasing were that the newly created park must add to the “beauty and ornament” of the city and include for “the delight of the Inhabitants of the city” a bowling green to allow Colonists to play a popular game at the time referred to as 9 pins.

In 1770 a statue of King George III was erected in the center of the green in honor of his decision to repeal the Stamp Act. The statue showed George in elegant Roman style robes in the vein of Marcus Aurelius astride his horse complete with laurel wreath atop his head. Further British symbolism was added to this park space in 1771 when it was bordered by a black cast iron fence with decorative crowns atop it.

These symbols honoring the British monarchy, however, were not to be tolerated as tensions arose surrounding the Revolutionary War. On July 9, 1766 following a reading of the recently signed Declaration of Independence near City Hall, the Sons of Liberty led a group of Colonists to the park to topple and destroy the statue of King George. Ropes were said to be attached to the statue to pull it to the ground whereby it was then literally hacked into pieces. The head of the statue was even reportedly attached to horse back and paraded through the city. The pieces of the statue were subsequently provided to the wife of the governor of Connecticut who proceeded to melt the statue into ammunition. Someone even had the presence to count the number of musket balls made from this statue which apparently numbered 42,088. Six pieces of the statue were preserved and may be viewed at the New York Historical Society.

The King George statue was not the only victim this day as Colonists further proceeded to hack off the tops of fence posts with the royal crowns atop them. Unfortunately, no one has a clear picture of what these finials looked like, but if you carefully inspect any one of the posts of the fence you can clearly see where the tops were removed.

Following the Revolution, there were numerous town houses build around the outskirts of Bowling Green. It remained largely residential until approximately 1850 when many of the residences began to be converted into commercial structures. In 1914 the landscape of the Green was significantly altered with the addition of a subway station. It was during this time that the bowling greens for which this space was initially designed were moved to Central Park. These greens are now located just north the Sheep Meadow near the West 69th entrance to the park.
The city finally removed the subway entrance from this site in 1978 and began a renovation of the space. This renovation included the addition of the fountain in the center, which was dedicated by philanthropist George Delacorte.

• Website: http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M007/
• Address: Bowling Green, New York City, NY
• Cost: Free

Free Walking Tours NYC : William Tecumseh Sherman Statue

Free Walking Tours NYC : William Tecumseh Sherman Statue -  GrandArmyPlaza in New York City’s Central Park received its most iconic marker, the Sherman equestrian statue, on Memorial Day 1903. The sculpture features Sherman astride his horse with its right hoof slightly raised. The horse’s rear hoofs are orchestrated atop a series of Georgian pine, a subtle reference to the Sherman’s famed March to the Sea. Leading Sherman is a winged figure with a large palm frond in her left hand while her right arm is extended as if pointing the way to “Victory” for the General. The statue has been ornately covered in a gold leaf that adds to the sculpture’s brilliance. When the sculpture was being constructed, its designer Augustus Saint-Gaudens mandated that the work be covered in two layers of gold to ensure the statue maintained its skin and did not take on a “smoke stack” appearance.

Saint-Gaudens was commissioned to create the sculpture of Sherman in 1892 shortly after the General’s death the year prior. Already a noted artist for his creations of the Diana statue that formerly resided atop Madison Square Garden and the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial within the Boston Common, he was known for both his elegance and perfectionism that led to the works being unveiled a bit less timely than most artists. For instance, Saint-Gaudens spent fourteen years working on the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial before he deemed it complete. Fortunately park officials only had to wait eleven years for the unveiling of the Sherman statue.

To create a likeness of Sherman, Saint-Gaudens leveraged a prior bust he had created by the General in 1888. While sculpting the bust, Sherman posed for eighteen two-hour sessions for the artist to ensure he accurately captured the man’s image. During one, especially lengthy session, it was reported that Saint-Gaudens instructed Sherman to re-button his shirt collar which had become disheveled. Sherman retorted back to the artist that, “The General of the Army of the United States will wear his coat any damn way he pleases.”

Saint-Gaudens used another model as his inspiration for the image of the winged “Victory”. Harriette (“Hettie”) Eugenia Anderson was an African-American model whose image Saint-Gaudens also captured in his design of the Indian Head eagle coin that was minted between 1907 and 1916.

During his eleven years of laboring over the sculpture, Saint-Gaudens became ill and his presence at the unveiling was documented as being quite frail. Unfortunately the Sherman Memorial would be Saint-Gaudens’ last significant work as he passed away four years later in 1907.

Thanks in part to Saint-Gaudens’ obsessive request to ensure two layers of gold leaf on the Sherman Memorial, it maintained its glamour longer than many sculptures. By 1989, however, the statue had started to show signs of wear and tear and the monument was restored.

As to the man himself, Sherman was born William Tecumseh Sherman on February 8, 1820. His unique middle name has long been a source of speculation as to its derivation. Various accounts have been reported over the years. Sherman himself claimed his father suggested the name in honor of the great Shawnee leader who had attempted to unite the tribes in the Ohio Valley versus Americans encroaching on their lands. Other accounts, such as the one published in a 1932 biography, claim that Tecumseh was not even Sherman’s middle name but his first. The biography states that “William” was first given to him as a good Christian name later in life at the age of nine or ten by his then foster mother, Maria Ewing.

At the age of sixteen Sherman enrolled in the United States Military Academy at West Point. Although he would later be declared the first “modern” general and become recognized for his efforts in ending the Civil War, Sherman was not always considered prime cadet material. Sherman recalled, “At the Academy (West Point) I was not considered a good soldier, for at no time was I selected for any office, but remained a private throughout the whole four years.”

William Tecumseh Sherman Statue

Sherman proved his worth over the course of the Civil War, though in key battles such as Bull Run and Shiloh. His tenacity made him a natural leader that led others to follow. His resolve was demonstrated for instance, in the Battle of Shiloh where, despite having three horses shot out from under him and being wounded on two separate occasions (in the hand and shoulder), he continued his pursuit of the enemy. Sherman’s success would lead him to being promoted to major general in 1862.

Perhaps Sherman’s most noted encounter during the Civil War was his infamous March to the Sea in November 1864. After capturing the city of Atlanta for the Union army his troops set fire to the city. Sherman later stated that he never intended for the complete destruction of Atlanta as occurred, since he only instructed his troops to burn munitions factories and other resources of the Confederate army. By the time all was said and done, though, Sherman and his troops had left a trail of destruction that measured sixty miles between Atlanta and Savannah. Although criticized as being inhumane by some, the tactics used had the effect of requiring Confederate troops to scatter and led to their surrender shortly thereafter.

Upon conclusion of the war, Sherman retired to a townhouse on West 71st Street in New York City. He would often spend his time in retirement riding his horse in Central Park. When not riding, Sherman also began work on his personal Memoirs which were published in 1875. These Memoirs are considered one of the best historical accounts of the Civil War. Accepting an invite to share his personal accounts to the graduate class of the Michigan Military Academy in 1879, Sherman explained to students that “War is hell.” His usage of the phrase is the first documented account of an expression that would grace many a politician and soldier’s lips in the years to come. Sherman remained in New York City for the remainder of his days. The general passed away at the age of seventy-one in 1891.

• Website: http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/things-to-see/south-end/william-tecumseh-sherman-grand-army-plaza.html
• Address: Central Park, New York City, NY (Grand Army Plaza, Intersection of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue)
• Cost: Free

Boston Walking Tours : Samuel Appleton Building

Boston Walking Tours : Samuel Appleton Building  at 1 Liberty Square is a 1926 Classical Revival Building. It is thirteen stories in height and the most dominant feature is the rounded front façade, again, indicative of the Classical Revival style.

Samuel Appleton Building

Atop the front door are a series of bronze and stone friezes worthy of further inspection. Immediately over the door are twenty-one bronze figures in a 3×7 pattern over the words, “The Employers’ Liability Assurance Corporation Limited.” Each of the workers depicted within the individual friezes are performing a series of manual labors such as sawing, hammering or carving. Situated over the bronze friezes are granite symbols signifying various trades such as shipping and manufacturing for which the former insurance firm undoubtedly covered.

Finally, a larger robed figure holding a sword and shield oversees it all as she stands stoically overseeing this all. Seemingly this figure is meant to represent Employers’ Liability’s capabilities in overseeing (and providing insurance coverage?) over all of the trades and industries depicted on its front façade.

Samuel Appleton was a prominent figure in the insurance industry in Boston for years and the building is named after his former offices. Those former offices have since been taken over by a series of legal and financial advisory firms.

• Website: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM78X6_One_Liberty_Square_Frieze__Boston_MA
• Address: 1 Liberty Square, Boston, MA
• Cost: Free

Boston Walking Tour Sacred Heart Church Tampa

Boston Walking Tour Sacred Heart Church Tampa - Situated within Boston’s Little Italy (the North End) and just a short distance from the Paul Revere House is the historic Sacred Heart Church.

Sacred Heart actually began as The Seamen’s Bethel in 1833. A bethel, for those unaware, is a chapel for seafarers. In 1876, a faction of individuals from nearby St. Leonard’s Church broke off to formulate Sacred Heart, the second Italian church is the area. As the 1st Italian church, St. Leonards had brought together Italians from many various regions. With so many regions (and religious views) represented in a single congregation, a small faction eventually separated to create an alternative place of worship for the Italian community.

Sacred Heart Church Tampa

The congregation which moved here was said to have been home to one of the most famous orators and preachers of its day. People from all around would come to hear the speeches of “Father” Taylor, who was a former sailor himself. Among those whom traveled to hear the wisdoms of “Father” Taylor included Walt Whitman and Charles Dickens. Herman Melville even based his character Father Mapple in the novel Moby Dick, based upon Father Taylor.

• Website: http://www.catholic-church.org/stleonard/churchwebsite/index.html
• Address: 14 North Square, Boston, MA
• Cost: Free

Boston Walking Tours : Paul Revere House

Boston Walking Tours Paul Revere House - Located within the heart of Boston’s North End (the Little Italy neighborhood) is Paul Revere’s former home at 19 North Square. The home, mind you, to which he could not even return to for a full year after his famous midnight ride for fear of his life.

This brown clapboard with high pitched roof is actually the oldest home in downtown Boston, having been built in 1680. Revere purchased this house in 1770. To help pay for his home Paul had to undertake numerous jobs. Occupations which Revere held included gold and silver smithing (a trade he learned from his father), political cartoonist (including his famous depiction of the Boston Massacre), copper plate engraver, book plate manufacturer (a small label on the inside cover of a book which would signify the owner of the book), and business card designer.

Boston Walking Tours Paul Revere House 

When Paul moved in with his exceptionally large family of 16 children (8 of which he had with his first wife and 8 with his second), the space was said to be so limited that even the British stayed away. British troops, of course, had their right to the quarter in the homes of families. The Reveres, however, qualified for an exemption due to their limited living space. Paul did find space enough though to, on occasion, host exhibits for friends at his home. During one of these exhibits in 1771 he showed oil paintings which he had drawn of the Boston Massacre and which were illuminated by candlelight (in diorama-like fashion). It is said this showing was just one of several instances which helped plant the early seeds of the Revolution.

Paul eventually sold this home in 1800 and the home took on a series of different lives afterwards, including: a tenement, bank, grocery store, candy store and cigar factory. The home was slated for demolition in the early 20th century before being acquired by a group which included Revere’s great-grandson—John P. Reynolds Jr. Who transformed it into this historical museum.

The museum officially opened in 1908 and provides spectacular insight into 18th century living. 90% of the structure is, per its original design. There is a nominal fee for touring it & this is the most popular attraction along the Freedom Trail. If you do decide to enter the museum and visit, do not miss out on the 900 pound bell cast by Paul Revere located in the courtyard.

**Special thanks to the Paul Revere House for their insight in preparing this entry.

• Website: http://www.paulreverehouse.org
• Address: 19 North Square, Boston, MA
• Cost: Adults $3.50; Seniors and College Students $3; Children (Ages 5-17) $1

Walking Tours NYC : Museum Of Arts And Design

Walking Tours NYC - The Museum of Arts and Design moved to this location in 2008. It was begun in 1956 by Aileen Osborn Webb and since then has undergone a series of name changes including the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the American Crafts Museum before settling on its most recent selection. The Museum hosts four floors of exhibits across 54,000 square feet and is open Tuesday through Sunday 11am-6pm and Thursdays 11am-9pm. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.

Now the Museum of Arts and Design is a nice little museum, but what I really wanted to explore on this site is the history of the buildings which previously and currently reside here. The earliest structure was actually a brownstone with mansard roof hotel called the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel which made its home here from 1874-1960. It was the hotel’s replacement where our interest lies.

Museum Of Arts And Design

In 1964 “The Lollipop Building” was erected in its place—a name given via a scathing review of its architectural styles. This modernist structure was built to house the art collection for Huntington Hartford, the heir to the A&P Supermarkets, who decorated the auditorium in the colors of his supermarkets (red and orange) which they still remain to this day. The building was most recognized for its 12-story white marble façade with round holes perforating its south side. It was designed by Edward Durell Stone, who also was responsible for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.

What was interesting about this building was the love-hate relationship the city had with it. Despite its continued mocking in the press, a significant preservation effort was started up when rumors of alterations to the structure began in 2003. The New York City Landmarks Commission, however, refused to provide a public hearing on behalf of the building and in 2008 alterations to the exterior began. The result is the current 22,000 glazed tile structure.
A lot was made about why a hearing never occurred, but to understand the decision you really need go no further than the numbers. The Landmarks Commission reportedly receives approximately 8000 applications a year for review and this number continues to grow every year.



These applications may range from the most minor of modifications such as a door or window to complete renovations or replacements. So, on one hand you have a significant workload which is not equally balanced by their budget, which is said to be the smallest of any agency. So, with that background, it hopefully provides a bit of perspective when you hear about any sort of call to action by local preservationists.

• Website: http://www.madmuseum.org/
• Address: 2 Columbus Circle, New York City, NY
• Cost: Adults $15; Senior and Student $12
• Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm; Thursday 11am-9pm

Walking Tours NYC : Discovery Of Manhattan

Walking Tours NYC : Discovery Of Manhattan - The first individual known to sail into New York Harbor and set foot on these lands was Giovanni DA Verrazano in 1524. He landed near an area off of Staten Island, where a bridge bearing his name now stands, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. In his journals, he described his encounters with the Lenape Indians who resided there. “The people are almost like unto the others, and clad with feathers of fowls of diverse colors. They came towards us very cheerfully, making great shouts of admiration, showing us where we might come to land most safely with our boat.”

Walking Tours NYC Discovery Of Manhattan

Unfortunately for Verrazano, a secondary tribe, he met in 1528 whilst exploring an area near the Bahamas was not so friendly. After landing his ship and going ashore to greet the apparently friendly tribesmen here he promptly discovered they were in fact cannibals who murdered and ate him.

Now, while Verrazano may have been the first to sail New York Harbor, a Dutch explorer named Henry Hudson is generally more recognized for his explorations. This may be due to the fact that subsequent to Hudson’s voyages the Dutch actually began to establish settlements within this area. Hudson’s journey into the harbor actually occurred on September 11 on 1609.

• Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan
• Address: New York City, NY
• Cost: Free