There are plenty of celebrities in lower Manhattan… and foul creatures abound in the Financial District. But one famous, fowl lady has become a beloved institution: Zelda, the wild turkey known as “The Queen of Battery Park.” Zelda has ruled the roost in Battery Park (which just happens to be the site of the city’s […]
Tag Archives | famous locals
Edgar Allan Poe, Master of Macabre…and New Yorker
Edgar Allan Poe wasn’t just a poet and writer of macabre masterpieces: He also was a New Yorker! Known as America’s first great lyric poet, Poe is often associated with Richmond, Virginia and Baltimore. But he moved to New York City at 22, eager to make his fortune. And the city became the home of […]
Harlem, New York: A Walking Tour
Harlem isn’t just one of the most historic neighborhoods in New York City. It’s also one of the liveliest. The word “Harlem” alone evokes images of legendary nightspots like the Cotton Club, where great musicians filled the night with hot jazz. For others, it brings thoughts of the notorious ghetto: decrepit, dirty, and crime-ridden. While both are part of […]
Father Duffy, Fearless New Yorker
Who is Father Duffy? Well, he’s important enough to have a statue on New York’s Times Square! A venerated Catholic priest and Army chaplain—for whom the pedestrian island between West 46th and 47th Street is named—Father Duffy is one of New York’s most fascinating residents. Francis Patrick Duffy was born in Ontario, Canada in 1871. […]
Annie Moore, the First Ellis Island Immigrant
On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore stepped onto Ellis Island… and into history. She was the first of 12 million immigrants to arrive on the island, and instantly became a symbol of those coming to America in search of a better life. Since becoming the first immigrant to Ellis Island, Annie’s story has been celebrated in art, story, […]
Who Is Shirley Chisholm?
Who is Shirley Chisholm? Well, she’s a woman you should know about! “Just wait, there may be some fireworks,” she predicted… when she was elected the first black woman to serve in the United States Congress. Shirley Chisholm broke barriers of race and gender—all while being driven, seemingly fearless, and outspoken (with a sly sense of […]
Mr. Lincoln Goes to NYC
“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere…” True, Abraham Lincoln never belted this chorus doing “jazz hands,” but his 1860 speech at NYC’s Cooper Union put him on the national political map. In 1859, Lincoln was invited to lecture by Plymouth Church, the progressive Brooklyn congregation where Henry Ward Beecher railed against […]