Postcards from Manhattan Sights and Sentiments from the Last Century George J. Lankevich

Though known for its enduring landmarks, New York City has experienced sweeping changes over the years. It has seen buildings rise and fall; fashions come and go; and neighborhoods flourish, fade, and reinvent themselves.

Through authentic postcard images and messages, Postcards from Manhattan takes you on a guided tour of New York old and new. Arranged by region, 120 beautiful postcards show the evolution of seven distinct areas of the city: the tip of Manhattan, lower Manhattan, midtown Manhattan, upper Manhattan, Central Park, the East Side, and the West Side. You'll visit lost New York, where magnificent hotels like the Astor pampered the rich and famous. You'll see the changing face of landmarks like Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden. And you'll view sights that continue to attract visitors today--the towering Empire State building, legendary Tavern on the Green, and beautiful Central Park.

Postcards From Manhattan offers a unique view of a city that has changed with the times, while retaining its distinctive style and spirit. Throughout, you'll learn how the city that never sleeps has attracted, captivated, and mesmerized New Yorkers and visitors alike--year after year, decade after decade.

George J. Lankevich received his PhD in American History from Columbia University. He taught for over thirty years in the City University of New York, and is now a professor emeritus. Dr. Lankevich is the author of over twenty volumes of history, including American Metropolis: A History of New York City.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One: The Tip of the City
The Statue of Liberty ¥ City of Immigrants ¥ Castle Clinton ¥ Walking on Wall Street ¥ The Curb Exchange ¥ George Washington and Federal Hall ¥ Tribute to the Twin Towers

Chapter Two: Lower Manhattan
Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge ¥ Tammany Hall and the Tweed Courthouse ¥ Life in Greenwich Village ¥ Washington Square ¥ Villages in the City ¥ South Street Seaport

Chapter Three: Midtown Manhattan
Shopping in Manhattan ¥ The Flatiron Building ¥ Garden on the Move ¥ Giants in the Metropolis ¥ Rockefeller Center ¥ Transit Central

Chapter Four: The East Side
Mansions and Museums ¥ The Metropolitan Museum of Art ¥ The Guggenheim Museum,

Chapter Five: The West Side
From Columbus Circle to Columbus Center ¥ Lincoln Center ¥ The Ansonia Apartment-Hotel ¥ Twin Towers of the West Side ¥ The American Museum of Natural History

Chapter Six: A Walk in Central Park
Creators of the Park ¥ Cleopatra's Needle ¥ Shakespeare in the Park

Chapter Seven: Manhattan Above the Park
The Apollo Theater ¥ The Second Harlem Renaissance ¥ Horses and the Speedway ¥ Grant's Tomb ¥ The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine ¥ The Cloisters

Conclusion

The Messages in Print

Index

Reviews

"This postcard-shaped book gives readers a walking tour of Manhattan, from Battery Park to the top of the island via a terrific set of vintage and contemporary postcards. The images are from all eras and generally document one or another landmark building or site straightforwardly--with the rare fanciful or moody shot

. Combine that with vintage drawings and photographs of places like the Empire State Building, Riverside Drive mansions, a teeming Hester Street, and cheesy productions incorporating all of the most famous at once--and the result is an unusual perspective on a much-vaunted metropolis."

Publishers Weekly, February 2003

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