New York’s most famous depot, Grand Central Terminal, is more than 100 years old. Read on about its history and how it almost reached the end of the line.
Tucked away on 42nd Street and Park Ave. and dwarfed by skyscrapers is an important piece of history that was almost lost forever.
Grand Central Terminal is one of the coolest places in the city. For starters, the building itself is beautiful. It is an example of the Beaux Arts style of architecture, designed by Whitney Warren in 1913.
Before you go inside, check out the front of the building. It has a 13-foot clock and statues of Greek gods Hercules, Minerva and Mercury. Once inside, the building seems to magically transport you back to another time.
Grand Central is called a terminal and not a station because it is a final destination stop.
Luxury train travel was the way to go during the early 1900s. Construction on Grand Central Terminal began in 1869 when steam trains were in their glory.
The first building was called Grand Central Depot. Three railroad buildings, Hudson River Railroad, New York and Harlem, and the New York and New Haven railroads were adjacent to Grand Central Depot and were actually connected to it after a renovation in 1898. From then on, the complex was called Grand Central Terminal.
Heavy congestion from travelers and smoke from the train engines were a problem. The current two-level terminal was built to correct this.
The cost to build the terminal was $43 million, a lot in 1913. But the price was offset by the sale of air rights – the space over the building.
It’s almost impossible to think that the building you see today was almost torn down to build a skyscraper. This is what happened to the original Penn Station. Thanks in large part to the efforts of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grand Central Terminal was preserved as a historic landmark and a massive restoration effort was put in place to bring the building back to its original state of glory.
The terminal keeps up with the times. Train signals are now computerized and a simulator was built in 1990 to train and certify engineers.
Things to do and see
One of the biggest jobs of the restoration was the vaulted ceiling. Here, you can see something that you won’t see outside at night – lots of stars. Because the city is always lit at night, it’s not the best place for real star-gazing, But the ceiling inside Grand Central looks like a glorious night sky.
If you like trains, subways included, The New York Transit Museum is a fun place to stop. Here, you can learn about the history of New York’s mass transportation system. The subway is celebrating a 100-year birthday, too.
Though there are many great things inside the terminal, it is a working facility. Don’t stand still in the middle of the concourse during rush hour. More than 72
million travelers raced to their trains last year.
No trip to the terminal would be complete without sampling the great food. There is something for everyone.
If you like shrimp, fish or other seafood goodies and want a little history, The Oyster Bar has been in the terminal since the beginning Having a meal there is like going back in time. Here, you can still see Gustavino-tiles and vaulted ceilings – the same kind found in the old City Hall subway station.
ACTIVITES
USE the Internet or other reference source to learn more about historic
Grand Central Terminal.
Look through today’s Post for pictures of buildings. Based on the stories you read, write a summary of what you think their history might be.
Make a list of your favorite buildings and why they are special to you. Compare
your list with your classmates’.
Today’s lesson fulfills the following New York standards: E1c, E2d, E3c, E3d, D4a, E4b, E4a, E5b. Art Standard 2