This December 26, 1907 cover of Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly magazine shows what the scene would be like on New Year’s Eve 1908.
How “the merry crowds in New York welcome the new year” has not changed all that much in 114 years.
I love when you can focus on the musicianship of a song you know very well by hearing it in a completely new way.
The following audio isolates The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek’s playing on Love Her Madly from the 1971 album L.A. Woman.
Hidden by the final mix are Manzarek’s deft touches which can be fully appreciated when heard like this.
One surprise that I had never previously picked up was discovered at the 2:03 mark. Continue reading
Philip Ippolito airplane being Inspected on George Washington Bridge December 26, 1965 Photo; AP Wirephoto
From SNCA reader Jason Smith comes word that Philip Ippolito who on December 26, 1965 at age 19, made an emergency landing on the George Washington Bridge, died on December 19, 2021, at age 75.
Ippolito died of a heart attack in his home in Suffolk County, NY. He lived with a long time girlfriend and had no children. Survivors include his older sister Rose and a younger sister, Janice. A brother Robbie died in 2019.
Ippolito and Brennan in hospital photo Jim Hughes for NY Daily News
In 1965 Ippolito was a flying novice, having logged only 85 hours of flight time. With his plane in distress, Ippolito made the risky decision to land on the bridge. Along with his passenger Joseph Brennan, the two suffered only minor injuries. Ippolito decided against touching down in the Hudson River because Brennan could not swim. The FAA later tried unsuccessfully to revoke Ippolito’s pilots license.
You can read the amazing full story which we covered in 2015 by clicking here. Continue reading
Fireworks Williamsburg Bridge 12/19/1903 photo: Library of Congress
On December 19, 1903 the second bridge to join Manhattan and Brooklyn opened.
Since May 24, 1883, for over 20 years, the Brooklyn Bridge, provided the only means of crossing between the two boroughs besides boat. Continue reading
Ferdinand Cheval photo via Bonkersclutterbucks.com
As a postal carrier in southern France, Joseph Ferdinand Cheval could only dream of owning a mansion. Cheval would spend his free time looking at pictures and reading books about palaces and castles.
In his postal duties Cheval would pass by a magnificent castle-like home, admiring it every day. But what sparked his imagination and lead to taking action was an accident. Continue reading
In this snapshot bereft of vehicles and full of people, Nassau Street is seen from Maiden Lane at ground level.
A boy runs towards the cameraman and pedestrians go about their business on a typical day in lower Manhattan.
In 1915 Nassau Street was lined with restaurants, drug stores, bars and merchants like an umbrella repair shop with its sign seen directly behind the man standing on the corner with the straw hat. Also behind the umbrella sign is 61 Nassau Street.
This area is in the environs of the financial district. Quite a few of the downtown workers could afford to spend their money on luxuries and hobbies. Maiden Lane was once known for its cluster of jewelry manufacturers and shops. Continue reading
The Fulton Fish Market turned 200 years old in 2021. According to Richard C. McKay author of South Street A Mariritme History of New York (Putnam) 1934, after a fire in January 1821 destroyed a large number of wooden buildings around South Street, a fish market building was erected in the area and was open for business in November of that year.
Our photograph was taken by Percy Loomis Sperr in 1923 and shows the loading of fish into barrels. Continue reading
The Seymour families in the 1960s photo via theoldcuriousityshop.net
Cape Cod 60 years ago. Fewer people. No cell phones to tether your life to work. And fewer distractions when on vacation. It was a time to spend with your family. It was a simpler way of life.
For brothers Mike and Thaddeus Seymour and their families, the early 1960s was apparently an idyllic time. From 1959 – 2003 the families annually spent two weeks together on the Cape in Chatham and later Orleans.
The family have put a few of these home movie memories up on YouTube. Continue reading
An out of work man, a beautiful woman, gangsters, an about to retire visually impaired cop, an escaped lion and a robbery at The Central Park Casino make up the plot of Warner Bros. 1932 drama Central Park. Continue reading
Photograph shows where New York City’s Equitable Building was struck by an anti-aircraft shell. March 13, 1942 Photo: AP
The old Equitable Building at 120 Broadway was destroyed by fire January 9, 1912.
A different sort of accident occurred thirty years later to the new Equitable Building.
On Friday, March 13, 1942 during World War II, eight anti-aircraft shells were mistakenly launched by the army from the East River. The Equitable Building was hit by one of the 37 millimeter shells. Continue reading