Iwalked New York City’S Central Park – Balto Statue

Iwalkedaudiotours.com - Will Smith summarized it best in the 1993 movie “Six Degrees of Separation” when he commented that he was wondering, “Why was there a statue of a dog who saved lives in the Yukon in the middle of Central Park?” A question many have asked when passing the bronze sculpture of a sled dog named Balto.

Balto Statue

Balto’s story begins in 1925 in the remote Alaskan town of Nome, located on the Seward Peninsula. Nome was a former gold mining town that had seen better days and who’s population had dwindled to approximately 1,400 people. On January 21, 1925, doctors within the town began to notice an outbreak of a potentially deadly diphtheria epidemic. Diphtheria operates as bacteria that cause swelling within a person’s nose and throat thereby restricting breathing. The disease further releases a toxin that can cause heart failure or paralysis. In short, if not treated timely via an antitoxin, the epidemic could spread quickly with a predicted high rate of fatality. For instance, a similar influenza epidemic that had hit the Seward Peninsula in 1919 had killed approximately fifty percent of the area’s population.

An antitoxin was needed to save the small town of Nome and it would be needed quickly. The challenge lied in the fact in Nome’s relative isolation and lack of accessibility. The only three airplanes in the state of Alaska at the time had all been stripped down for the winter and were inoperable. Meanwhile, the nearest railroad station in Nenana was over six hundred fifty miles away. The only option was for the serum to be delivered via rail from Anchorage to Nenana and then carried by sled dog the remainder of the six hundred seventy four miles to Nome.
A team of twenty mushers and one hundred fifty sled dogs were assembled and the team departed on January 27, 1925. Amongst the team members were a sled dog named Balto and a Norwegian-born musher named Gunnar Kaasen who would each play key roles in the journey. Balto, a Siberian husky, was named for a Norwegian explorer named Samuel Balto. It was Balto who would guide the team through the final twenty-hour and fifty-three mile leg of their journey in near whiteout conditions.

Kaasen’s contribution, although less publicized, is perhaps more remarkable when one considers the feat he achieved. In addition to enduring temperatures that dipped to -40 degrees Fahrenheit, he saved the journey when just twenty-one miles out from their destination he noted that the lead musher had fallen asleep. When a gust of wind surprised the team, it toppled the sled and the serum was thrown into the surrounding banks of snow. Fearing the worst, Kaasen frantically clawed through the snow with his bare hands and despite near blizzard conditions was able to find the serum. After this, he reloaded the sled and led his team the final stretch of the journey. The team arrived in Nome on February 2 at 5:30 a.m. The first thing Kaasen did to celebrate his journey was pull the ice splinters embedded within the sled dog’s feet.

The historic five and a half day journey from Nenana to Nome has become known as the “Great Race of Mercy.” Each year a race known as the Iditarod Trail Dog Race is held along this path to commemorate the occasion. The serum provided did halt the diphtheria outbreak and the epidemic was limited to only claiming five lives when the alternative could have been much worse.

For his part in the rescue, Balto became a mini-celebrity for a short period of time. His fame was short lived however, and he and his team of sled dog companions were sold to a vaudeville show owner in California. While visiting California, a Cleveland businessman and former prize fighter named George Kimble visited the dogs and was horrified to find they had been severely mistreated. He assisted in raising the $2,000 necessary to reacquire six of the dogs and they were moved to the Cleveland Zoo where they spent their remaining days. Balto would pass away at the age of fourteen in 1933.

Lost but not forgotten, the city of Cleveland ensured that families would always have the opportunity to visit Balto. A taxidermist mounted the sled dog for display where he would be placed within the Cleveland Museum of Natural History where he remains to this day. Balto did make one final trek back to Alaska in 1998. During this time the state passed a formal resolution titled HJR 62 – ‘Bring Back Balto.’ The resolution called for Balto to be permanently returned to the home where Balto became famous, however, a compromise was eventually made where his remains were loaned to the Anchorage Museum of History and Art for five months before returning to Cleveland.
As to Balto’s Central Park tribute, it began via a collection of private contributions in 1925 by folks that were infatuated with his highly publicized tale. Although he had no association to New York City, the necessary funds were raised and a statue erected on December 17, 1925. The bronze sculpture which sits atop a rocky ledge features an enthusiastic canine with ears perked up to attention. Amongst the attendees at the statue’s unveiling included both Balto and musher Gunnar Kaasen. Balto’s attendance at an unveiling of his own statue marked only the second time this had occurred since 1871 when Samuel Morse similarly attended his own dedication.

The popular Balto sculpture was created by a Brooklyn-based artist named Frederick George Roth. Roth was already well known for his animal sculptures at the time of the Balto commission. His works were further well recognized throughout Central Park, with Roth having served as the head sculptor for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for a period of time.

Balto’s tale has most recently been retold via the 1995 animated film affectionately titled, Balto. The animated feature, featuring Kevin Bacon as the voice of Balto, was successful enough to lead to two sequels that were subsequently released in 2002 and 2004.

The Balto sculpture is located within New York City’s Central Park approximately one block inward from the East 67th Street park entrance.

• Website: http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/balto.html


• Address: Central Park, New York City, NY (East Drive at 67th Street)


• Cost: Free

Iwalked New York Citys Soho History

Iwalked New York Citys Soho History - SoHo is an acronym for South of Houston Street. The acronym which loosely describes the neighborhood’s locale within the busy New York landscape was also a brief nod to London’s similarly named district. SoHo was the first acronym applied to a New York City neighborhood and derived from a study titled the “South Houston Industrial Area” in an official document known as the “Rapkin Report” released in 1962. The report was issued by Chester Rapkin, a New York City Commissioner of Planning.

New York Citys Soho History

The area has seen numerous transformations from residential to commercial (and since returning to residential), but originally began as the first settlement for freed African Americans. Larger influxes of residents would not occur until the early 19th century after the stench and disease emanating from nearby Collect Pond was cleaned up and the pond filled in with land.

Diseases and stench would reappear, albeit in a different front, when SoHo made its name as the city’s red right district in the mid-nineteenth century. This reputational decline commingled with a more general migration of families further north in the city led to much of the area becoming abandoned by the late nineteenth century. Industry took advantage of building vacancies and the area took on a large textile presence. Once again the area faced a large exodus when the textile industry left after World War II.

This latest abandonment left the city seeking options for dealing with the countless empty warehouses in the area. One option that received a good deal of consideration in the 1960s was a proposed expressway that would link the East River bridges to the Holland Tunnel. This “urban renewal project” proposed by famed urban planner Robert Moses would require razing a good portion of the neighborhood. Residents vehemently fought the proposal and it was eventually squashed. Meanwhile, SoHo was slowly starting to fill its empty halls, or lofts, with a new series of tenants.

Led by the attraction of low rents and large loft spaces, SoHo slowly began to become an artist haven. Lofts were ideally suited for an artist’s needs to serve as both a living space and studio. The term loft actually developed in the nineteenth century to describe empty spaces on upper stories of building where sail making was performed. Usage of the term took on a more general use to eventually describe the upper stories of warehouses, factories, and other buildings which often resided on the ground floors. Today, lofts are common living space for many New Yorkers.

When artists first began to move into the area they did not always do so under proper legal terms. In some instances, artists would just “squat” in abandoned warehouses and in other instances landlords allowed them to live in substandard buildings in exchange for low rents. The city, concerned over tenants living in potentially hazardous buildings, attempted to make the residency illegal however this proved unsuccessful. In 1961, Mayor Wagner agreed to allow two artists to live in a single building, but only if the property was properly labeled as “Artists in Residence”. This signage also required the floor numbers on which the artists lived in the event that the structure in which they resided should catch on fire.

As more and more artists started to move to SoHo, new legislation to manage residency was required. The first such act came in 1971 when certain housing was set aside just for artists and was managed via the Artist Certification Committee. Approximately ten years later the 1982 Loft Law ensured that escalating rents would not become a deterrent. Rent stabilization was enacted on many lofts and this preserved the integrity and feel of the neighborhood for many years. Beginning within the last twenty years, as rent stabilization has slowly begun to be phased out in some areas, SoHo has started to become one of the pricier neighborhoods in which to live.

One attraction that has long brought with it the desire to live in the area is its beautiful cast iron architecture. Cast iron was first developed in the twelfth century for usage of tools but not integrated into architecture until the 1770s when it was unveiled in Paris, France and Liverpool, England. Its popularity grew after the display of the Crystal Palace with its ornate iron façade (1850-51, Joseph Paxton) during the London Great Exhibition of 1851. Suddenly more and more buildings began to be developed with cast iron in London and Paris. A large portion of the attraction transcended from both the ease of construction (buildings were being erected in four months or less) and the ability of developers to ornately mold the material into intricate designs. And if a piece broke off during its shaping? Well, just melt it down and start over. One perceived benefit that did not prove advantageous was the belief that cast-iron was fireproof. Unfortunately, later circumstances would show (in examples such as the Great Chicago Fire in 1871) that while the material would not catch fire, it did melt.

Two men who helped shape and develop the cast iron landscape of SoHo were James Bogardus and Daniel D. Badger. James Bogardus was an American architect whose styles were so unique with his cast iron craftsmanship that he actually patented his own style in 1850. His interest in cast iron began during a visit to Europe in 1836. Four years later upon settling in New York City he developed a five-story factory where he began manufacturing cast iron for construction. His first cast iron work within the city at 183 Broadway was built in 1848. Unfortunately that building has since been destroyed. He would also begin to design buildings across Baltimore, Chicago, Havana, Santa Domingo, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

As building records around this period are scarce only three existing New York City buildings have been successful attributed to Bogardus (85 Leonard Street, 254 Canal Street, and 63 Nassau Street) but his influence is seen throughout SoHo. Bogardus, in addition to being a successful architect, was quite the prolific inventor as well. His was officially awarded thirteen US patents in his lifetime which included clocks, a grinding machine, gas meters, a postage stamp maker and a refillable lead pencil.

The other leading force in SoHo’s cast iron development was Daniel D. Badger who got his start in the iron industry via a foundry in Boston. He moved to New York City in 1846 and opened his own foundry located at 42 Duane Street. The company, the Architectural Iron Works, became renowned for its iron shutters and cast iron facades. Badger’s works are seen through both the SoHo and Tribeca area. Within the Tribeca East Historic District alone there are fourteen buildings which have been attributed to the Architectural Iron Works. iwalkedaudiotours.com

Iwalked New York Citys Morgan Court aka Sliver Building

Morgan Court aka Sliver Building - Movie fans, or perhaps more specifically Sharon Stone stalking fans, will no doubt recall the red brick tower located at 211 Madison Avenue. This 32-story apartment that was erected in 1984 by Liebman, Liebman & Associates, while recognized to most New Yorkers as Morgan Court, is known by many as the “Sliver” building. Although the 1993 movie portrayed the home of Sharon Stone’s character (Carly Norris) as residing at 113 East 38th Street (just two block south and one block west of here), it was this building which actually served as the exterior shown in the movie.

Morgan Court aka Sliver Building

Ironically other “Sliver” buildings such as this were not uncommon in Manhattan in the late 1980s as over-eager developers tried to fit tall, narrow high-rises into whatever plots of land they could. Here at 211 Madison Avenue, for instance, Morgan Court measures only thirty-three feet wide by one hundred feet long. The sliver buildings that were successful in being built were highly unpopular for obvious reasons.

Shortly after Morgan Court was constructed activists were successful in preventing the further spread of these rather uninviting structures when they convinced the city of New York to develop new zoning restrictions which prohibited any additional “Slivers” from getting under people’s skin.

Iwalked Washington D C's Andrew W Mellon Memorial Fountain aka ZodiacFountain

Iwalkedaudiotours.com - Located just outside of the front entrance to the National Gallery of Art is a fountain which was installed here in 1952. The Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain is named after the former Secretary of the Treasury (from 1921 to 1932) and was a gift from friends of Mr. Mellon who donated $300,000 for a memorial in his honor. The fountain consists of three tiers of bronze basins that flow into a granite base. Carved within the base are a series of zodiac symbols said to be arranged so that on the vernal equinox (March 21) the sign of Aries aligns with the sun’s light. These symbols have led to the fountain’s nickname as the “Zodiac Fountain.”

ZodiacFountain

• Website: http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000330.htm
• Address: Intersection of 4th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
• Cost: Free

Iwalked Washington D.C.’s White House (Haunted Tales)

Iwalked Washington D.C.’s White House (Haunted Tales) - In our official White House blog tour we discussed some of the most important tenants of the White House including past Presidents and their spouses, but some of these “past” occupants are still rumored to be “current” tenants. Ironically despite having a reputation as being one of the most haunted locales within all of Washington, only two past Presidents have actually died within the building. The first was William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States, who holds the distinction of both having delivered the longest inaugural speech ever (whilst in the freezing rain mind you), and also maintaining the shortest presidential term at only thirty days. Ironically the two records are related as he died after contracting pneumonia while delivering his prolonged speech. The other president to pass away in the White House was Zachary Taylor, the twelfth President of the United States, who also died under somewhat odd circumstances. Taylor it seems caught stomach flu after eating an abundance of cherries and cold milk. He became ill from his over-indulgence and passed away five days later.

Perhaps the most commonly cited haunted incidents regarding the White House revolve around the ghost of former President Abraham Lincoln. One famous story regarding Lincoln’s ghost involved a visit to the White House by the former Queen of the Netherlands, Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria. During her stay she heard a knock at her door and when she went to answer it, she found none other than the former President standing outside. Completely taken off guard, she ended up passing out from the incident. Ironically, it was Lincoln himself who foresaw his own death. He recalled to reporters on one occasion how he dreamed walking through the White House during what appeared to be a somber occasion. He found the source of despair when he noted a coffin lying in state.

White House (Haunted Tales)

He asked someone who was lying in the coffin and they informed him that it was the President. When Lincoln approached the coffin he was surprised to see his own face looking back up at him within. One President publicly declared a desire to see Mr. Lincoln but professed he has not. Ronald Reagan was commented on the topic as saying, “I don’t have any fear at all. I think it would be wonderful to have a little meeting with him and very probably helpful.”

Two other famous ghosts said to roam the halls of the White House include two noted First Ladies. The first is the former wife of second President John Adams, Abigail, who is said to continue about her chores in the East Room. While the White House was still under construction during her husband’s term of office she often hung her laundry in this room and is said to be seen to continue to do so on occasion. The second ghostly guest apparently splits time with her former home (the Cutts-Madison House) where she is also claimed to haunt. It is rumored that Dolley Madison’s apparition has made an appearance on occasions when her former rose garden is unkempt.

• Website: http://www.history.com/topics/ghosts-in-the-white-house
• Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
• Cost: Free

Iwalked New York City’s University Club

Iwalked New York City’s University Club - The University Club, at 1 West 54th Street, is a private social club that was established in 1865. The club was started by a group of Yale alumni who held their initial meetings at Columbia University Law School. Despite its Yale origins, the club does not have any formal ties to this university or any others for that matter. Formal ties, though, are a must in order to get in the door to this club. Men must wear jackets and ties at all times and women are expected to wear similar formal attire in the form of suits or dresses.

University Club

One other restriction on which the University Club is adamant about is the non-usage of cell phones throughout the club except in designated spaces. In a well-publicized story in 1997, Hillary Clinton was visiting with New York Post celebrity gossip columnist, Cindy Adams, when Adams received a phone call in one of the “non-approved” spaces. With complete disregard for who they were dealing with, the club escorted the then First Lady and her guest out the doors.

As it is likely that most of us will never see the insides of the University Club let me share what I have been able to learn of its interiors from my research. The highlight of the building is the library on the second floor which you can sometimes get a glimpse into from street level. The library is said to contain vast vault ceilings with murals painted atop its ceiling by Henry Siddons Mowbray that emulate the Vatican Apartments. Also amongst the interior is an extensive art collection, including a series of portraits by Gilbert Stuart, and a series of swimming pools allowable for usage with either swimming or birthday suits (at least in the male-only pool).

Speaking of male-only, the University Club underwent an overhaul of its membership policy in 1997 due to the passage of the New York City Public Law 63. Public Law 63 required all fee-collecting clubs with members greater than 400 (of which the University Club has over 4,000 members) to begin allowing the membership of women, or else the club would be forced to alter its charter.

The University Club has been located within this nine-story Italian High Renaissance Revival building since 1899. The Club which took on a series of temporary homes since its founding acquired a lot that was formerly owned by St. Luke’s Hospital to build on this site. They then hired the famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White to construct themselves new quarters for the sum of $1 million. McKim, Mead & White’s unique design integrates pink Milford granite on its exterior, along with a series of twenty-five feet columns that grace each side of the front entrance. Also integrated above each of the building’s windows are crests that are representative of various prominent universities. Perhaps the most intriguing element, however, is the deceptive appearance of the building’s exterior. By glancing at the outside of the building it seems apparent that there are no more than three levels, when in actuality the interior maintains nine.

For those curious on membership dues, the current fee structure is not published and has not been in quite some time. The last published fee dates back to 1903 when annual dues were $60 with additional new member fees of approximately $200.

Iwalked New York City’s Jefferson Market Library

Iwalked New York City’s Jefferson Market Library - The Jefferson Market Library, with its Victorian Gothic style 172-foot pyramidal turret, was voted as one of the five most beautiful buildings in America in 1885. The largest tower features a four-sided clock and stained glass windows throughout. The building is largely reminiscent of the 19th century Neuschwanstein castle in Germany that was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria. It is constructed primarily of red brick from Philadelphia and a lighter-colored stone quarried from Ohio.

Jefferson Market Library

The site of the Jefferson Market Library began as a marketplace in 1833 that was named for the third President of the United States. Alongside this marketplace was a wooden fire lookout tower, also constructed in 1833. From here sentinels would signal to the masses below a fire’s locale based upon the number times a bell atop the tower was rung.

This tower was replaced by the construction of the Third Judicial District Courthouse which was built based upon designs of Frederick Clarke Withers and Calvert Vaux. A majority of the oversight fell upon Wither’s shoulders though as Vaux was in the final stages of work on a handful of other significant projects including Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History. The courthouse was constructed over a period of 1874-1877 at a cost of $360,000.

The Third District Courthouse, formally known as the Jefferson Market Courthouse, was the site of a series of famous trials over the years. In 1906, millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw was tried here for the murder of famed architect Stanford White (best known for his designs of the second Madison Square Garden and Washington Square Arch). White was allegedly having an affair with Thaw’s wife and was ironically murdered within White’s Madison Square Garden during a chorus song of “I Could Love a Million Girls” from the musical Mam’zelle Champagne.
In 1927, actress Mae West was arrested and arraigned here on obscenity charges for her role in the Broadway play Sex. West was sentenced to a fine of $500, one day in women’s detention, and nine days of labor on Roosevelt Island. Her sentence would, however, be reduced to eight days for “good behavior.”


The Women’s House of Detention where Mae West would serve time was known as being a bit of a thuggish facility that contained windows opening along 6th Avenue. It was not uncommon for pedestrians walking by this facility to be harassed by occasional curses and obscene gestures.

In 1945 the Jefferson Market Courthouse officially closed its doors and the building remained vacant for a number of years. The building near faced demolition in the 1950s before a group of activists including E.E. Cummings fought to preserve the historic structure. In 1967 the Jefferson Market Courthouse was officially unveiled as the new Jefferson Market Library. Today visitors can envision the existing Reference Room as a former holding area for prisoners, or imagine how the Children’s Room may have looked in its days as the police court.

• Website: http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/39/about
• Address: 425 6th Avenue, New York City, NY
• Cost: Free

Iwalked New York City Sparks Steak House Big Paulie Castellano MurderSite

Iwalked New York City's Sparks Steak House Big Paulie Castellano Murder Site - Sparks Steak House is one of the most popular steak joints in all of New York City. It was started in 1966 as Sparks Pub by two brothers, Pat and Mike Cetta. Based upon the success of their venture they decide to move it from its original home on East 18th Street up to Midtown where they have now been located since 1977. Sparks is continually rated as one of New York City’s finest steakhouses and is also well known for its lamb and veal chops.

Our interest here, however, does not lie in prime rib or extravagant wines, but an incident which went down here on December 16, 1985. It was here outside of Sparks at approximately 5pm that the head of the Gambino crime family, Big Paul Costellano was murdered in broad daylight as per a hit put out by John Gotti. This incident instantly elevated Gotti to the ranks of mafia chieftain.

Paulie Castellano MurderSite

To explain how this incident went down let’s begin by exploring the characters involved in our tale. First there is the former head of the Gambino family, Paul Castellano. Castellano lived his life by a series of contradictions. He attempted to legitimize many of the mobs activities and expressly forbid activities such as selling drugs. Those caught doing such activities were executed; however Castellano was known to have sold on occasion himself. Castellano also did not believe in the world of “excess” and often dressed down in public to emphasize this fact. In turn, he built a 3.5 acre, 17-room estate on Staten Island that he had constructed to mimic the White House. Lastly, Castalleno was a dedicated family man but he was openly having an affair with his maid, Gloria Olarte.

Gloria was an immigrant who most described as rather ordinary looking and whom spoke almost no English. Castellano was so infatuated with Gloria though that he often brought her with on family vacations and he even bought her a brand new sports car, despite the fact that she didn’t drive or have a valid license. It was also suspected by members of Castellano’s crew that he had secretly had a penile implant to help consummate his affair and to remedy impotence brought on by his diabetes. Ironically it was Gloria who attempted to frame him in 1983 and allowed the FBI to tap phones within his version of the White House. From these taps officials were able to gather sufficient evidence to charge Castellano with 24 counts of murder in 1984. These charges were still outstanding and pending upon his assassination the following year.

Last in our tale is the conspirator of the whole incident, Mr. John Joseph Gotti, Jr. Gotti in many ways was the antithesis of Castellano. Whereas Castallano outright forbid the selling of drugs. Gotti was prone to either turn the other cheek if not engage in the activity on occasion himself. Also, Gotti was a man who liked to flaunt the extravagances to which he was privy. Despite only living on a reported annual salary of $100,000 as a salesman of plumbing supplies, Gotti was often seen sporting new $1,000 suits and wearing monogrammed socks. In truth it was estimated that Gotti brought in approximately $10-$12 million of cash annually. He took his arrogance even further when he would catch police officers watching him while on stakeouts. He would be so bold as to walk directly up to the vehicles and tell the officers, “Naughty, naughty.”

It was probably in part due to Gotti’s arrogance that led him to plot the murder of the head of the Gambino family. Gotti, along with other members of Castellano’s family, had become increasingly upset with him over numerous affairs including the contradictions to which Castellano had long been running the Gambino family. Gotti, in fact largely expected that Castellano was planning action versus him for selling drugs. Thus Gotti concocted a plan to take matters into his own hands.

On the afternoon of December 16, 1985, four men all dressed in trench coats and hats approached a vehicle which was unloading passengers outside the front entrance of Sparks Steak House. All men appeared identical (a detail not lost in Gotti’s plans) and even simultaneously drew their hidden weapons to open fire on the unsuspecting mobster boss along with his number two man, Tommy Bilotti. Both men were killed instantly and the gunmen casually away from the incident towards Second Avenue. One of the men was seen speaking into a walkie-talkie just prior to being picked up by their getaway vehicle (which had been parked one block over on 47th Street) and driving off.

While police largely suspected Gotti for this crime they were never able to pin the charges upon him. They did bring federal charges versus him for violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for which he went to trial in August 1986. The jury ultimately ended up finding him non-guilty though, although it was later discovered that Gotti had actually bribed the jury foreman (who was later convicted himself on bribery charges).

Needing a new plan, federal agents began to track Gotti’s whereabouts to the Ravenite Social Club where he often frequented. Through the usage of bug devices planted in the apartment above the Ravenite, the Feds gathered audio evidence which implicated Gotti on thirteen charges, including five murders. He was arrested within the Ravenite Club in December 1990 and found guilty on all accounts on April 2, 1992. For his crimes, Gotti was sentenced to life in prison. He served his time in a federal prison in Springfield, MO where he would pass away at the age of 61 in 2002. - iwalkedaudiotours -

Iwalked Washington D.C.’s National Museum Of Natural History

Iwalked Washington D.C.’s National Museum Of Natural History - I’d like to declare the first stop along our National Mall audio tour as being “unique” or some “hidden treasure” but, alas, this site is a locale that 7.4 million other people visit annually—the National Museum of Natural History. The Natural History museum is the most popular of all of the Smithsonian museums and also one of the oldest on the north side of the Mall. This building was the first to be constructed on the northern edge of the Mall on June 20, 1911. The museum originated as the United States National Museum and was originally housed within the Arts and Industries Building. It began via a desire to extend the 100th anniversary of America showcase from the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Upon moving all of the exhibits to Washington, however, it quickly began apparent that sufficient space was severely lacking. In response, Congress appropriated a sum of $3.5 million for construction of a new building for which ground was broken on June 14, 1904.

National Museum Of Natural History

The current home of the National Museum of Natural History was designed by the firm of Hornblower & Marshall in the traditional Neoclassical styling of Washington D.C. The building is faced with pink granite from Massachusetts on the ground floor, Vermont granite on the 1st and 2nd floors, and North Carolina granite on the 3rd story. Corinthian columns grace the entrance and a central rotunda resides atop the structure.
Despite the fact that the museum was not officially completed until 1911, it actually opened on March 17, 1910. The interior contains some 1.5 million square feet of exhibits said to contain on the upwards of 126 million items. Being a Smithsonian building, admission is free and hours typically range from 10 am – 5:30 pm every day less Christmas.

If you wish to take some time to explore the National Museum of Natural History, let us give you an overview of “must see” exhibits. Immediately upon entering you will be welcomed by a large African Elephant that stands some fourteen feet tall and is said to weigh eight tons. A couple of popular destinations for children on the first floor are the IMAX theater and the Discovery Room that provides a number of “hands-on” and interactive learning displays. The Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals contains a mass of mounted animals, some of which are attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt. By far the most noteworthy destination though is the Dinosaur Hall complete with Tyrannosaurus Rex dueling a 65-million-year-old Triceratops nicknamed “Hatcher” (in honor of the paleontologist who discovered his fossils in 1891).

As you make your way up to the second floor you may enjoy the Egyptian exhibits, Easter Island Stone Head, Insect zoo, and Gem/Mineral collection. Outside of the approximate 35,000 meteorites housed within the gem and mineral collection, the most popular specimen is the 45.52 carat Hope Diamond. The Hope Diamond is estimated to be more than one billion years old and is the largest blue diamond in the world. Its history has long been tied to a series of tragedies for each of its prior owners. One of the diamond’s first owners, Marie Antoinette (queen to King Louis XVI of France) was executed via guillotine in 1793 in response to the French Revolution.

A prominent Washingtonian heiress, Evalyn Walsh McLean soon lost her two-year old son, her mother-in-law (possibly debatable as to whether a tragedy), and saw her husband lose his fortune all subsequent to her acquiring the Hope Diamond. Today the diamond is owned by a New York jeweler named Harry Winston who first donated it to the Smithsonian for display in 1958.

Before leaving the museum, make sure you take notice of a work of public art near the Constitution Avenue entrance. This work by Ignacio Perez Solano is titled Colossal Head and was added to this location on October 19, 2001.

• Website: http://www.mnh.si.edu/
• Address: Intersection of 10th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
• Cost: Free

Iwalked New York City’s Friars Club

Iwalked New York City’s Friars Club - This English Renaissance townhouse at 57 East 55th Street was originally constructed in 1909 as the private residence of Martin Erdmann. Mr. Erdmann, an investment banker, built what he called the “most fireproof residence in Manhattan” to house his private art collection. Mr. Erdman maintained his residency here until 1937 before the building took on a number of various tenants. Each of these tenants, as part of their acquisition, inherited a lengthy deed from the original construction which restricted the building’s usage from any noisy or smelly activities such as stables, tanneries, blacksmith shops, or glue factories.

Friars Club

In 1956 the building was acquired by a private club for members of theater, the Friars, who opened their doors in November 1957. The Friars began in 1904 when a series of eleven press agents began to get together at a local restaurant known as Browne’s Chophouse. Back in those days it was not uncommon for people to pretend to maintain press credentials to mingle with celebrities or members of theater (a trait which many may argue still exists today). To differentiate amongst the legitimate versus imposters, an informal social club began to form where true industry folk began to gather and hang out together. This group eventually formalized and dubbed themselves the Friars (from the Latin term “frater” which translates into “brother”).

Since their formation the Friars has played host to a multitude of celebrities and in 1949 they began a tradition of honoring some of their member’s grand achievements by holding a dinner, or a “roast.” The first honoree of these roasts was Maurice Chevalier. Since then those who have been “roasted” include: Sammy Davis, Jr., George Burns, Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, Don Rickles, Barbra Streisand, George Steinbrenner, Hugh Hefner, Bruce Willis,Chevy Chase, Billy Crystal, Donald Trump, Don King and Quentin Tarantino. Comedy Central used to air these between 1998 and 2002. After this time, the network began their own roasts which are not be confused with those hosted by the Friars Club.

When the Friars Club first opened it was created as a males-only member club. It wasn’t until 1988 that females were allowed. Liza Minnelli was the first female member of the organization and today women represent nearly one-fourth of the membership. In 1983, prior to the allowance of women, Phyllis Diller actually donned the costume of a man and successfully snuck in during the roast of Sid Caesar. When asked about the incident, Ms. Diller commented, “It was the funniest and dirtiest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Although the club has long maintained a level of exclusivity of theater professionals, in recent years membership may be as associated with the almighty dollar as it may be with professional entertainers. Current bylaws now allow for up to thirty percent of club members to not be associated with the theater. New members are required though to pay approximately $10,500 to join the club ($7500 for initiation and $3000 for annual dues).

Although price discounts do exist for “younger” members, fees are still sufficiently high enough to maintain a high level of clientele. And for those who are able to swing the fees and are interested in getting in? Well, the Club does still require all potential members to undergo an interview process and you must be personally recommended by two existing members.