New York History Article Directory

Welcome to the complete directory of every article we have published on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com. This site has been a labor of love for years, and it has grown to cover just about every corner of New York life, past and present. There are stories here about the great department stores that once ruled Manhattan, the Broadway theaters that still shine brightly, the bridges, the ballparks, the pizza, and the neighborhoods that shaped generations of New Yorkers.

My name is Brian Kachejian, and I am the founder of ClassicNewYorkHistory.com. I was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx, and also lived on Long Island. I went to college in upstate New York and currently work in all five boroughs of New York City, Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island, and the wide swaths of upstate New York.

We built this page so you can browse everything in one place. The articles are organized by topic, and the entire list is numbered so you can see just how deep the collection runs. Whether you are researching a piece of New York history, reminiscing about a store or a stadium that is long gone, or just looking for a good story, start scrolling. Something below is going to bring back a memory.

New articles are added all the time, so bookmark this page and check back often.

Iconic Buildings and Landmarks

1. History of the Empire State Building
2. History of New York City’s Chrysler Building
3. History of New York’s Fascination with the Flatiron Building
4. New York’s Woolworth Building, The Original Cathedral of Commerce
5. History of the Helmsley Building, Original New York Central Building
6. History of New York’s MetLife Building
7. History of NYC’s IBM Building
8. IAC Building New York City History
9. The Dakota Building, New York’s Most Exclusive Address
10. History of New York’s City Hall
11. A Look at New York’s Gracie Mansion
12. History of the United Nations Headquarters in New York
13. History of New York’s Winter Garden and Brookfield Place
14. A Look at NY’s Pershing Square in All Its Old School New York Glory
15. History of New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
16. History of Times Square in New York City
17. New York State Plans to Reopen the Statue of Liberty
18. Statue of Liberty Closed
19. History of Ellis Island
20. History of the New York Stock Exchange
21. History of Christie’s Auction House in New York
22. History of Chelsea Piers
23. NYC’s Shops at Columbus Circle Is a Spectacular Star Holiday Attraction
24. The Attraction and History of the New York Public Library
25. New York Public Library Lions, Patience and Fortitude
26. History of New York’s Spite Houses and Tiny Homes
27. Midtown Magic at the Lexington Hotel

Rockefeller Center

28. History of Rockefeller Center
29. History and Attractions of Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock
30. History of the Rink at Rockefeller Center
31. History of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
32. History of New York’s Rainbow Room
33. History of NBC Studios at Rockefeller Plaza

Museums of New York

34. History of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
35. History and Attractions of Met Cloisters Museum in NYC
36. Guggenheim Museum History and Tour of NY’s Guggenheim Museum
37. History of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
38. History of New York’s American Museum of Natural History
39. History of New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art
40. History of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York
41. History of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
42. A Spectacular Visit to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York
43. History of Madame Tussauds Museum in New York
44. All About the New York Hall of Science
45. When in Jamestown, Don’t Miss the Lucille Ball Museum
46. History of the New York Yippie Museum Movement

Bridges of New York

47. History of the Brooklyn Bridge
48. History of the George Washington Bridge
49. History of the Manhattan Bridge
50. History of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge
51. History of the Bayonne Bridge
52. History of the Hell Gate Bridge
53. New York’s 59th Street Bridge Traffic Romance
54. History of Staten Island’s Outerbridge Crossing and Goethals Bridges

Airports, Trains, and Transportation

55. The History of New York’s LaGuardia Airport
56. History of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport
57. Grand Central Terminal, A Postmodern Cathedral
58. History of New York’s Pennsylvania Station (Penn Station)
59. History of New York’s Oculus Transportation Hub at the WTC
60. History of the Second Avenue Subway Project
61. Union Square Station, Crossroads of NYC’s Subways
62. New York’s 168th Street Subway Station Is Elevator Only to the Street
63. St. James Train Station, 19th Century Building Still Stands
64. History of New York’s Empire State Express Train
65. History of the Erie Canal
66. History of New York’s Yellow Taxi Cab
67. Are New York City’s Citi Bikes Safer Than Personal Bicycles?
68. The Story of E-ZPass in New York and How to Sign Up
69. Visiting the Just Opened New York State Thruway Rest Stops
70. My Experience Taking a Greyhound from NYC to Plattsburgh
71. The Nightmare of the Long Island to New York City LIE Commute
72. Life on the Long Island Expressway

Parks, Gardens, Zoos, and Public Spaces

73. History of New York’s Central Park
74. History of Strawberry Fields in New York’s Central Park
75. History of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park
76. History of New York’s Battery Park
77. History of Manhattan’s Bryant Park
78. History of Washington Square Park
79. History of Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan
80. A Fascinating Look at New York’s Exclusive Gramercy Park
81. History of the Bronx New York Botanical Garden
82. History of the Bronx Zoo
83. A Day at the Bronx Zoo
84. The Enduring History of the NY Aquarium
85. History of Old Westbury Gardens
86. History and Tales of the Williamsbridge Bronx Oval Park
87. Smith Point County Park, Suffolk County’s Grandest Oceanfront Park

Broadway Theaters

88. List of Broadway Theaters in NYC with Information Guide
89. History of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway
90. History of the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway
91. History of the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway
92. History of the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway
93. History of the Barrymore Theatre on Broadway
94. History of the Belasco Theatre on Broadway
95. History of the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway
96. History of the Booth Theatre on Broadway
97. History of the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway
98. History of the Broadway Theater on Broadway
99. History of the Circle in the Square Theatre
100. History of the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on Broadway
101. History of the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway
102. History of the Gershwin Theatre, Biggest Theater in New York
103. History of the Golden Theatre on Broadway
104. History of the Hayes Theater on Broadway
105. History of the Hudson Theater on Broadway
106. History of the Imperial Theatre on Broadway
107. History of the James Earl Jones Theatre on Broadway
108. History of the Lena Horne Theatre on Broadway
109. History of the Longacre Theatre on Broadway
110. History of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway
111. History of the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway
112. History of the Lyric Theatre on Broadway
113. History of the Majestic Theatre on Broadway
114. History of the Marquis Theatre on Broadway
115. History of the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway
116. History of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway
117. History of the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway
118. History of the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway
119. History of the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway
120. History of the Palace Theatre on Broadway
121. History of the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway
122. History of the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on Broadway
123. History of New York’s Shubert Theater on Broadway
124. History of Broadway’s St. James Theatre
125. History of the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Broadway
126. History of the Studio 54 Theater on Broadway
127. History of the Vivian Beaumont Theater on Broadway
128. History of the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway
129. History of New York’s Winter Garden Theatre
130. History of the Shubert Brothers and Shubert Organization
131. History of Times Square TKTS Ticket Booth and Bleachers

Music Halls, Theaters, and Entertainment Venues

132. The Wonder and History of Radio City Music Hall
133. History of New York’s Carnegie Hall
134. History of New York’s Beacon Theater
135. History of New York’s Apollo Theater
136. History of Staten Island’s St. George Theatre
137. History of the Ed Sullivan Theater
138. History of New York’s Iridium Theater
139. History of New York City’s Famed Cafe Wha?
140. Lincoln Center, The Cultural Jewel in New York City’s Crown
141. History of the Hippo Ballerina in Front of NYC’s Lincoln Center
142. History of the New York City Ballet
143. History of Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York

Department Stores and Retail History

144. Macy’s Department Store History and Info
145. History of New York’s Bloomingdale’s Department Store
146. History of New York’s Gimbels Department Store
147. History of New York’s Lord & Taylor Department Store
148. History of B. Altman and Company Department Stores (Altman’s)
149. History of New York’s Bonwit Teller Department Stores
150. History of New York’s Henri Bendel Department Stores
151. History of New York’s Abraham & Straus Department Stores
152. History and Tales of Alexander’s Department Stores
153. History of New York’s Korvettes Department Stores
154. History of Stern’s Department Stores
155. History of New York’s Ohrbach’s Department Stores
156. History of Loehmann’s Department Stores
157. History of New York’s John’s Bargain Stores
158. History of TSS Stores, Times Square Stores in NY
159. History of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
160. The History of Woolworth’s
161. A&P Supermarket History and Memories
162. History and Memories of Bohack’s Grocery Stores
163. St. James General Store Is the Oldest General Store Still Open in the U.S.
164. Bobb Howard’s General Store, New Hyde Park
165. NY’s Convenience Store Battle, 7-Eleven or Stewart’s Shops
166. Can New York’s Dead Malls Be Saved?

Food, Restaurants, and Drink

167. History of New York Pizza
168. History of New York Cheesecake
169. History of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs at Coney Island
170. History of New York’s Hebrew National Hotdogs
171. History of Horn & Hardart Automats
172. Why New York’s Katz’s Delicatessen Serves the Best Pastrami Sandwich
173. Enjoying an Old School NYC Egg Cream in 1963 and 2023
174. Famous Original Ray’s Pizza Review, Times Square
175. New York’s Eataly Is Little Italy Under a Roof
176. Dreams of Fame Begin and End at the Stardust Diner
177. History of Chock Full o’Nuts Coffee Shops and Lunch Counters
178. History of the Baby Ruth Bar and Reggie Bar
179. The History of Dairy Queen and Its Return to New York
180. Why Cracker Barrel Won’t Come to Long Island or NYC
181. New York’s Vineyards and Wine Making History
182. Spirits of New York, History and Recipes of New York Cocktails
183. Main Street Patchogue Restaurant Row
184. A Trip to Pino’s Pizzeria in Deer Park, New York
185. A Trip to Clay Oven Restaurant, Halal Indian Cuisine, Hauppauge NY
186. A Trip to Don Jono’s Pizzeria in Smithtown, New York
187. Family Tradition to Sweet Success, The Dirty Cheesecake Story
188. History and Review of Smithtown’s Spectacular Heritage Deli
189. Hildebrandt’s of Williston Park History
190. The Pepper Is the Hot Place to Eat in Downtown Plattsburgh
191. Mickey’s Restaurant & Lounge in Plattsburgh Review
192. Plattsburgh Says Goodbye to Duke’s Diner
193. Mel’s Diner Opens in Plattsburgh, Keeping That Hometown Feel

New York Baseball

194. Complete History of the New York Yankees
195. Complete History of the New York Mets
196. A Met Fan’s Take on New York Mets History
197. New York Mets Trade Max Scherzer to Texas Rangers
198. When Bobby Murcer Was Our Favorite Yankee
199. Bobby Murcer, Three Home Runs, Yankee Stadium 1973
200. Why New York Yankee Fans Loved Phil Rizzuto
201. Baseball’s Opening Day in New York

New York Football

202. History of the New York Jets
203. History of the New York Giants NFL Football Team
204. Another Year of NFL Playoffs Without the New York Jets
205. Jets Curse Storms into Stadium, Swallowing Aaron Rodgers
206. The Real Reason the New York Jets Drafted Sam Darnold
207. Experiencing an NFL Draft Party with the NY Jets
208. Super Bowl Jets Team Honored at MetLife, Namath Delivers Again
209. New York Jets Put Fan Tweets and Instagram Pics on Stadium Screens
210. How PSLs Have Destroyed the NFL Home Game Experience for Fans

New York Basketball and Hockey

211. Complete History of the New York Knicks
212. Complete History of the Brooklyn Nets
213. Complete History of the New York Rangers
214. New York Rangers History, 90 Years of Excitement and Heartbreak
215. New York Rangers Goalie Henrik Lundqvist Reaches 400th Win
216. Complete History of the New York Islanders
217. The Night I Sat Courtside at Madison Square Garden

Stadiums and Arenas

218. History of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx
219. Constructing the Original Yankee Stadium of 1923
220. Yankee Stadium’s Decline and the Forging of a New Era in the 1970s
221. History of Shea Stadium in Queens, New York
222. History of the Polo Grounds in New York
223. History of Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands
224. History of Madison Square Garden
225. History of Brooklyn’s The Barclays Center
226. History of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Racetracks, Casinos, and Gaming

227. History of Saratoga Racetrack
228. History of Belmont Park Racetrack
229. History of Aqueduct Racetrack
230. History of Yonkers Raceway
231. Roosevelt Raceway History and Tales
232. History of Monticello Raceway
233. History of the Meadowlands Racetrack
234. History of the Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx
235. A Trip to Jake’s 58, Suffolk County’s First Casino
236. History of the New York State Lottery

Amusement Parks and Freedomland U.S.A.

237. Do You Remember Freedomland U.S.A.?
238. 65 Years Ago, Freedomland U.S.A. Appeared on the Map
239. Freedomland U.S.A., The Italians at America’s Theme Park
240. Freedomland U.S.A., The Definitive History Is a Book Not to Miss
241. Michael R. Virgintino Releases His Second Book on Freedomland U.S.A.
242. History of New York’s Frontier Town
243. After Eighty-Nine Years, Rye Playland Is Still Open
244. Top 10 New York Amusement Parks
245. Top 10 Water Parks in New York
246. Restoring America’s Carousels, The Work of William Finkenstein
247. Poughkeepsie Overlook Drive-In, One of New York’s Last Drive-Ins

New York Events and Traditions

248. History of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
249. History of the New York City Marathon
250. History of the U.S. Open in Queens, New York
251. History of New York Fashion Week
252. All About the New York Renaissance Faire
253. History of the Great New York State Fair

Movies, Television, and Pop Culture

254. Top 15 Essential New York Movies
255. Top 15 Essential New York Film Actors
256. Top 15 Essential New York Film Actresses and Their Greatest Roles
257. History of Ghostbusters’ Role in New York’s Hook & Ladder Company 8
258. Experiencing Avengers Endgame Opening Night at AMC (No Spoilers)
259. New York Comic Con 2017 Was Wonderfully Overwhelming, Here’s Why
260. More New York Comic Con Fan Pictures from NYCC 2017
261. Having a Blast at Long Island’s Eternal Con Comic Con
262. Zombies, Sons, Saviors and Fun at Walker Stalker NJ 2017
263. Stony Brook Film Festival to Open July 20

Music, Concerts, and New York Musicians

264. 10 Essential Songs About New York City
265. Why NY’s Summer of 1977 Defined the Greatest Concert Season Ever
266. A Look at the Career of Bronx Born Songwriter Laura Nyro
267. Following Through on a Calling, The Music and Life of John Tabacco
268. A Look at NY’s Own Progressive Rock Power Trio Bear Success
269. What You Need to Know Before Buying Jones Beach Concert Tickets

Newspapers, Radio, and Media

270. New York Newspapers History
271. New York Post History
272. Cousin Brucie Returns to WABC 77 AM Radio to Play Rock and Roll
273. New York Says Goodbye to WABC Radio’s Dan Ingram
274. The Real Reason Mike Francesa Decided to Return to WFAN
275. Farewell Regis Philbin, New York Just Lost a Great One
276. New York City’s LinkNYC Now Provides Free Wi-Fi and Phone Calls
277. In a Pandemic, Altice Optimum Continues to Raise Consumers’ Bills

Churches and Religious History

278. History of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC
279. History of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Patrick’s
280. History of New York’s Trinity Church
281. The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine
282. The Beginnings of Maryknoll and U.S. Catholic Mission
283. Father Vincent R. Capodanno, Remembering Staten Island’s U.S. Navy Chaplain

Revolutionary War and Military History

284. How the Taverns of New York City Stirred the American Revolution
285. History of New York’s Fraunces Tavern
286. The Battle of Sag Harbor in the War for Independence
287. The British Raid at Pound Ridge, New York
288. Revolutionary War Massacre at Pines Bridge, Part I
289. Revolutionary War Massacre at Pines Bridge, Part II, Davenport House
290. Sybil Ludington, New York’s Revolutionary Heroine
291. Revolutionary Westchester 250 Launches This Man’s a Spy
292. History of the Revolutionary War’s Odell House and Its March Towards Preservation
293. Historic Fishkill, It’s Time to Preserve Its Revolutionary Past
294. History of the Battle of Plattsburgh
295. MacDonough Monument, History of Plattsburgh’s Famous Monument

New York City Mayors

296. Fiorello La Guardia, History of New York City Mayors
297. Robert F. Wagner Jr., History of New York City Mayors
298. John Lindsay, History of New York City Mayors
299. Abraham D. Beame, History of New York City Mayors
300. Ed Koch, History of New York City Mayors
301. David Dinkins, History of New York City Mayors
302. Michael Bloomberg, History of New York City Mayors

Psychiatric Centers of New York

303. Rockland State Psychiatric Center History, Old Buildings, New Hope
304. Pilgrim Psychiatric Center History, Days of Past and Present
305. Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center, Testament to Changing Times
306. What It Was Like Performing at the Kings Park Psychiatric Center

Ghosts, Mysteries, and Dark History

307. Amityville Horror History and High Hopes
308. Shanley Hotel History, Presidents, Mobsters, Madams and Ghosts
309. Ghosts and Good Times at the Carmel, New York Smalley Inn
310. Manhattan Well Murder, The Ghost Stories That Followed
311. Lily Dale, New York’s Impact on Spiritualism and Mediums
312. History of Willowbrook and the Terrifying Legend of Cropsey
313. The Kitty Genovese Murder and Its Controversial Legacy
314. The History of Rikers Island

Long Island

315. History of Levittown and the American Dream
316. How Robert Moses Shaped the Long Island He Misunderstood
317. Lake Ronkonkoma History, Memories, Myths and Pizza
318. History of the Hamptons’ Grey Gardens Mansion
319. When Summers Beach Club Was the Hottest Place in the Hamptons
320. Little Gull Island Lighthouse History
321. TWA Flight 800 Memorial Stands in Tribute at Smith Point, NY
322. Russian Warship Spotted Close to Long Island

Upstate New York and the Hudson Valley

323. The Beauty and History of Lake George
324. The History of Lake George, NY, From Ancient Formation to Modern Resort
325. History and Review of Plattsburgh, New York’s Most Popular Hotels
326. Brewster, New York, A Little Village with a Big History
327. Washington Irving, Sleepy Hollow, and the American Short Story
328. Billie Burke, Oz, Ziegfeld, and the Hastings-on-Hudson Estate

Bronx Memories and Personal Stories

329. A Bronx Life on Bainbridge Ave and 204 Street
330. Life Along Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx
331. Living in the Bronx During Son of Sam
332. Experiencing St. Brendan’s Catholic School in the 1960s and 70s
333. St. Brendan’s Class of 1975, 50 Year Reunion
334. The Transformation from City Life to Suburbia for a Teen in the 1970s

New York Life, Culture, and Stories

335. The Many Reasons Why New York City Is Called the Big Apple
336. New York Accent History
337. Naming Gotham, Who Does New York City Honor and Why?
338. Little Italy, What You Need to Know
339. Walt Whitman and His New York Love Affair
340. The Lost Art of Penmanship
341. How War and Conflict Fuel New Art Forms, A Classroom Presentation
342. Real New Yorkers Photo Series, Part 1, Streets of Manhattan
343. A Perfect New York Morning
344. Why I Will Never Leave New York
345. Top 10 New York Destinations for Honeymooners
346. New York City in Pictures During the Coronavirus Pandemic
347. Describing the Experience of Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine in NYC
348. In Pursuit of a Dream, The Anthony Sena Story
349. The Saga of George Santos and His Disinformation Campaign
350. America at 250, A Nation Grown Up