"No person who is not a great sculptor or painter
can be an architect. If he is not a sculptor or
painter, he can only be a builder." John Ruskin
1819-1900
The photographs and paintings that are presented
here are from a wide variety of artists exhibited on
various websites. This treasure trove of collected
prints, rich with sentimental or narrative
association reflect urban life in vintage NYC. It is
evident that the works of these photographers or
painters inspired by different motivations and
purposes, are dedicated to educate the citizens
in its complex city history. Let us all be grateful
for their wonderful contribution.
This material is part of the private
collection of Miriam Medina, used as the basis for
many of the articles posted throughout The History
Box Website. Further publication information for any
source listed is readily available through all major
search engines. Any reproduction of contents
appearing on other websites is purely coincidental,
unless otherwise indicated.
Brief biographical summaries of notable men and
women who have contributed to our culture in many
different ways. They are religious and literary
scholars, writers, artistic achievers, civil rights
crusaders, educators and many others of the
professional world.
"Once famous for it's aristocratic residences, then
retail Trades, and then for Theaters. Today the word
"Broadway" connotes the "jazz" side of the great
city's life, though those noisy activities occupy
only a few blocks north of Forty-second Street, the
so-called "roaring forties" around Times Square.
The act of imparting, transmitting, exchanging
ideas, information between places or persons.
Newspapers, radio, television, telephones, sign
language and especially photography are many forms
of communication. Professor Norman Thorpe, curator
makes a statement regarding photography: "The photos
show us things we would otherwise have to imagine
from verbal descriptions." "That's why photos are so
important they tell us so much more than any text
does."
"Cholera : Little was known of this pestilence,
except its awful fatality, but the tales of
travelers had endowed it with powers as supernatural
as they were malignant. It was said to be clothed
with the intelligence of direction; to travel as
unswervingly as a bird's flight, and at the daily
rate of a man's walk. " NYC's early immigrants lived
in tenement housing amid the crime, filth and
disease.
Statistics say that approximately 100,000 New
Yorkers experience street homelessness each year and
that the City shelter system accommodates at least
38,000 of these homeless individuals on a daily
basis, among which are included 16,000 children .
This section also contains a narration written by
Miriam Medina on New York City's Homeless, past and
present by the title of : "Once Upon A Time, Home
Sweet Home."
"Is not a dead mass of accumulation but self
development, Power to work with the brain, To use
the hand in cunning & curious industries, To use the
tongue in attractive & effective speech, To use the
pen in wise, witty or weighty paragraphs." Author
Unknown
Leaving their homeland behind, with only the clothes
on their back and valuable things in their hearts
and minds, such as (family memories, songs, culture,
skills, stories from their home land, traditions
and foods) they went to America, the gateway to the
realization of their hopes and dreams of a new and
better life.
"The Elite Street of the Victorian Era" The most
prominent and richest names of New York Society
lived on Fifth Avenue during the Gilded Era. Fifth
Avenue was lined with spacious and elegant
homes. Special eclectic qualities of class and
fashion were attached to its name. "
The five boroughs that comprise New York City, have
their own splendid landmarks, treasured historical
sites and rich history, as well as their share of
occurrences of major disasters and catastrophes
resulting from natural causes and acts of man. The
history of a city that deserves to be studied or
known for its continual struggle to survive
economically, to make the streets safe from violent
crimes, as well as to accommodate the masses of
impoverished immigrants and migrants.
Broadway and 42d Street is the greatest amusement
area in the world. The time to see it, for its
lights and its crowds, is at night, between 8 and
12. The annual New Year's Eve is celebrated here.
Formerly Longacre Square, Times Square entered the
nation's consciousness in 1904, when it was renamed
after the New York Times building that became the
cornerstone of the new district.
Help in finding the elusive ancestors.
Genealogy: "An account of one's descent from an
ancestor who did not particularly care to trace his
own" Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary,
1906
Read neighborhood stories, know the people of
Harlem, their traditions, culture, and contributions
to the history of New York City. Visit the famous
nightclubs and theaters, where the best of
entertainment was enjoyed, as well as the Italian
Feasts of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
"Courts of Justice cautiously abstain from deciding
more than what the immediate point submitted to
their consideration requires." Mr. Justice
Nicholl, deceased 1822
The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in
reading, in order to write; a man will turn over
half a library to make one book. Samuel Johnson
1775. The articles which I have transcribed to this
website are from newspapers and books, ensuring that
they are from reliable, credible sources, as I
scrutinize them for historical accuracy. This
section is a source of quality information for
researchers, historians, literary scholars, writers,
historical societies and academic institutions.
Lots of Interesting information on the history of
Long Island. Groups of wealthy individuals developed
fine oceanfront hotels in Rockaway, Long Beach and
other areas in Long Island. During the summer
months, the wealthy members of society would go to
their favorite hotels and private residences.
Millions enjoyed the long days they spent with
family and friends at the beach, followed by a trip
to Playland.
The Congress shall have power to provide for
organizing, arming and disciplining the militia, and
for governing such part of them as may be employed
in the service of the United States, reserving to
the states respectively the appointment of the
officers, and the authority of training the militia
according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.
Constitution of The United States Art. I, 1789
"Labor preserves us from three great evils:
weariness, vice, and want" Francois M. A. Voltaire
. Domestic servants were employed by the
upper-class families. The police of New York
have never failed in their duty in any emergency,
and instances of individual courage and heroism are
of daily occurrence. Instances are not rare in which
a whole family, from the oldest to the youngest, is
equally deep in crime.
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night
stays these couriers from the swift accomplishment
of their appointed routes." Herodotus: Histories,
vi, c. 430 B.C. ref to Persian post-riders
Architectural and historical background on Buildings
of New York City. Also land grants and deeds of the
1600s.One of the oldest of New York's churches is
St. Paul's Chapel, at Broadway and Vesey streets, in
which George Washington had a pew. Philip Hooker was
the early architect of Union College building and
Albany Academy.
"No man can be a good teacher unless he has feelings
of warm affection toward his pupils and a genuine
desire to impart to them what he himself believes to
be of value" Bertrand Russell
This section is dedicated to articles of
historical facts, poetry, self-improvement, human
interest stories etc. written in Spanish. I have
also included you-tubes of latino performers and their
music.
"Growth, development, posture, like health,
depends to a large extent on the freedom for the
individual to join in any play, game or sport, to
exert himself according to his powers, and to know
when he has had enough." H.A. Harris 1939
"Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors
and into dark places, and does not cure it or even
diminish it." S. L. Clemens (Mark Twain) May 28,
1867
The evolution of how people got around in NYS and NYC.
Also included in this section is an essay written by
Miriam Medina "Yikes! What A Way To Go...NYC's
Travel Experience" which discusses the modern day
traffic and fuel situation, with a chronology of
NYC's Travel Experience dating from 1642 to 2000.
"The financial center of New York City". Messrs.
Howard, Keeler, Scofield & Co., provided offices for
numerous lawyers, brokers, and commission merchants.
Its number, now 90 Broadway, was then 88. No. 15 was
for several years the residence of George Griswold,
of the celebrated firm of shipping merchants, N. L.
& G. Griswold,—known, in the slang of the day, as
"No Loss & Great Gain."
"Freedom of every person to worship God in his own
way, everywhere in the world." excerpt from one of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four essential
human freedoms.
Some families had made great fortunes and they had
the money and leisure to indulge in conspicuous
consumption and indulgence in Society manners. Some
families who were once nobodies and upstarts managed
to become accepted in society."
Costly, rare perfumes,
lavish costumes from France, blinding jewels
that dazzled even the most distinguished guests,
were part of the existence of the Society World.
"
