New York, Year by Year: A Chronology of the Great Metropolis

by Jeffrey A. Kroessler

Overview

Winner, The New York Public Library, Best of Reference Award, 2002

A year by year reference work painting the colorful history of New York City

If any city deserves a complete chronology, it is surely New York. New York, Year by Year is a cornucopia of the familiar and the forgotten, the historic and the ephemeral, the heroic and the banal. In this handy reference work, Jeffrey A. Kroessler takes us from Verrazano's arrival in 1524 into the new millennium, highlighting the strikes and strikeouts, tunnels and towers, personalities and parades which not only made history in New York, but also proved to be defining moments for the nation.

New York, Year by Year features events such as Mark Twain's first lecture at Cooper Union, and the letter he later wrote when the Brooklyn Public Library tried to restrict access to Huckleberry Finn. In contrast, we are reminded of the publication in the 1950s of Eloise, A Book for Precocious Grown-Ups, Kay Thompson's fanciful tale of a little girl's adventures in the Plaza Hotel, the appearance of the Beat Generation, and the flight (literally) of the Dodgers and Giants to California. New York, Year by Year chronicles the opening of Shea Stadium in April 1964 and the performance by the Beatles there that August. The Sixties also saw the opening of The Fantastiks, which is still running on Sullivan Street, and the closing of Steeplechase, the last of the great amusement parks at Coney Island. And this chronology makes sure we don't forget when Kitty Genovese was murdered in Kew Gardens and her cries for help were left unanswered because her neighbors "didn't want to get involved." Kroessler leads us on a tour of the city from its first settlers until the November 2001 election of a new mayor for the new millennium.

From the colonial era and the Revolution through the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties, Kroessler has compiled a record of cultural, economic, political, and social events. Some are of transient importance, others of lasting significance, but all illuminate the city's fascinating history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814747506
Publisher:	New York University Press
Publication date:	08/01/2002
Pages:	367
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Kroessler is a contributor to The Encyclopedia of New York City, and the author of Lighting the Way: The Queens Borough Public Library, 1896-1996. He received his Ph.D. from the CUNY Graduate is currently the historian at the Archives and Special Collections in the Library of the College of Staten Island.

Table of Contents

1524–1649
1650–1699
1700–1749
1750–1799
1800–1849
1850–1899
1900–1949
1950–1999
2000–

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“A fresh, endlessly fascinating perspective on the history of New York. The scholarship is serious, but the chronology is as fun as it is informative. Covering all boroughs, entries enrich the experience of the city for all who will explore its pages. One can thumb it forever.”

-Thomas Bender,Director, International Center for Advanced Studies, New York University

“For those who care about New York City and its history—and who doesn't these days?—New York, Year by Year is a rare treat. . . . a richly detailed, scrupulously researched reference book that is accessible, informative, accurate, and a great deal of fun.”

-David Nasaw,author of The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst

"Here is a fascinating chronological history of New York City from 1524-2001, looking at the people, building, institutions, political events, music and businesses that helped shape the city."

-Booklist,

"The entries are well written and cover a broad range of topics, including political, social, and cultural, and the reader often cannot help but utter, 'I didn't know that.'"

-ARBA online,

"[Kroessler] does a fine job of chronicling the city's past, incorporating both little-known, flash-in-the-pan nuggest as well as far-reaching, recurring themes."

-Queens Chronicle

Editorial Reviews

"A fresh, endlessly fascinating perspective on the history of New York. The scholarship is serious, but the chronology is as fun as it is informative. Covering all boroughs, entries enrich the experience of the city for all who will explore its pages. One can thumb it forever."

Thomas Bender

"For those who care about New York City and its historyand who doesn't these days? New York, Year by Year is a rare treat. . . . a richly detailed, scrupulously researched reference book that is accessible, informative, accurate, and a great deal of fun."

David Nasaw

"The entries are well written and cover a broad range of topics, including political, social, and cultural, and the reader often cannot help but utter, 'I didn't know that.'"

ARBA online

"[Kroessler] does a fine job of chronicling the city's past, incorporating both little-known, flash-in-the-pan nuggest as well as far-reaching, recurring themes."

Queens Chronicle

"Here is a fascinating chronological history of New York City from 1524-2001, looking at the people, building, institutions, political events, music and businesses that helped shape the city."

Booklist

A fresh, endlessly fascinating perspective on the history of New York. The scholarship is serious, but the chronology is as fun as it is informative. Covering all boroughs, entries enrich the experience of the city for all who will explore its pages. One can thumb it forever.”

-Thomas Bender,Director, International Center for Advanced Studies, New York University

“For those who care about New York City and its history—and who doesn't these days?—New York, Year by Year is a rare treat. . . . a richly detailed, scrupulously researched reference book that is accessible, informative, accurate, and a great deal of fun.”

-David Nasaw,author of The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst

From the Publisher

DeCaro’s challenging book depicts [John Brown] as a man ahead of his time…From its title (a line from Ezekiel) to its last line, “Fire From the Midst of You” brings to life an austere time when America saw itself as a Christian nation and fire-and-brimstone gospel shaped the populace.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Here is a fascinating chronological history of New York City from 1524 to 2001, looking at the people, buildings, institution, political events, music, and businesses that helped shape the city.

Booklist