Who thought these were a good idea? Seriously. On Day 1, when the money guys met with the building guys, why didn't they scream and run away? Did they feel any regret once the building itself took form? Jacquetta and Kathleen are disgusted, but they got through Part 2: Modernism and managed to keep their sanity (mostly). Mandatory: all the pictures you need are on our Facebook page ! The links we promised: Yes, 432 Park Avenue WAS, in fact, inspired by a garbage can . At least it's a fancy garba...
Jan 04, 2017•1 hr 8 min
Imposing concrete blocks surround New Yorkers, but WHY? Who built them? Were they truly considered to be good decisions at the time? Will we ever get rid of them? (No.) Kathleen and guest host Jacquetta Szathmari from the top-rated podcast Hey You Know It discuss as many of these monstrosities as they can stomach. In part 1 of Ugliest Buildings, we discuss Brutalism in the city. Checking out the Facebook page for the photos is an absolute imperative!! Check out co-host Jacquetta’s podcast Hey Yo...
Dec 26, 2016•51 min
Raising the dead on Jupiter! This idea is why one person has embedded linoleum tiles in the asphalt of major avenues of NYC and in other cities around the world. Look down when walking around, and soon you start to notice them. Where did that idea come from? What is "Toynbee"? Who is the person responsible for these tiles? Is human resurrection on Jupiter feasible? (No.) Kate and Kathleen discuss these questions and more, in Episode T of ABC Gotham. The Toynbee tile documentary is available for ...
Apr 30, 2016•33 min
Today, Snug Harbor in Staten Island is a busy cultural center and gorgeous botanic garden. But when Sailors' Snug Harbor initially opened in 1833, it was the country's first home for retired merchant seamen. It consisted of three beautiful Greek Revival- style buildings on a 130-acre plot on the north shore of Staten Island, overlooking the Kill Van Kull. This self- sustaining community grew their own food and produced their own power, and provided the retired sailors with health care, housing, ...
Apr 02, 2016•23 min
Doctors and medical students have not always been respected, rigorously- trained, caring professionals. In fact, around the time of the Revolutionary War and thereafter, they were regarded with suspicion and even horror. Not only was the job itself grisly and failure- prone, but for students, dissection was nearly impossible due to strong cultural biases against desecrating bodies. Forced to find a way to learn about the human body, medical students hired-- or become-- Resurrection Men, or grave...
Feb 19, 2016•31 min
Discreetly hidden away in Prospect Park, there is a 10- acre cemetery. The land belonged to the Quakers of New York City long before the park grew up around it. It's hard to imagine a more peaceful and happy place to be laid to rest. Join Kate and Kathleen to learn a bit more about Quakers, about how the cemetery happened, and even about how you might be able to claim a plot on this patch of private land in one of the most gorgeous parks in the world. Learn about how to get to the cemetery to pa...
Feb 12, 2016•18 min
New York City has an admirable history of investing in public art. Ordinances require a certain amount of money to be spent on art in all city-owned buildings. Parks Department also strives to bring art to everyone, not just fans of museums and galleries. The upshot is a ton of fascinating sculptures and murals to see throughout all five boroughs. And of course everyone-- every citizen, every artist, and every patron of the arts-- loves every piece that has been created. Ha! This wouldn't be ABC...
Dec 05, 2015•1 hr
CSI tells us only part of the story. After an unexplained death, what happens back at the morgue? Who is in charge of making sure clues are recorded so crimes can be prosecuted? New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is currently one of the best in the world, but that hasn't always been the case. It was not so long ago that New York City was saddled with a corrupt and ineffective system, with coroners accepting bribes to change death certificates or ignore inconvenient homic...
Sep 24, 2015•1 hr 10 min
The exciting conclusion is here! Listen to Kate and Kathleen explain how the unfortunate members of Operation Pastorius journey across the Atlantic and try to succeed in their mission. Learn about their grim passage, their brushes with the law, their muddled miscalculations, and best of all, their splendid spending sprees in New York City. An excellent This American Life describes the experience of one of the Florida men, Herbie Haupt. It's HIGHLY recommended. Don't forget to check our Facebook ...
Aug 26, 2015•56 min
Nazi spying operations in New York City didn't end with the Duquesne. Germans were reeling from the obliteration of their vast spy ring, and ample resources were dedicated to rebuilding German espionage in the USA. This effort started with Operation Pastorius: a well- researched but poorly- executed effort to send saboteurs to bomb aluminum and magnesium plants, major bridges, and major railroad junctions. This was a time when the German American Bund was going strong. However, it did not go as ...
Jun 28, 2015•1 hr 2 min
Remember how we left World War II out of Episode E: Espionage ? Here's why! There's so much cool information that we needed to separate it from the rest. You're getting not one, not two, but THREE episodes to tell you about Nazis in New York City. Yes, Nazi spies walked the streets of New York and worked to undermine the Allied effort during World War II. There were two major espionage efforts by the Third Reich, and in Part I of Episode N, Kate and Kathleen tell you all about the Duquesne Spy R...
Mar 28, 2015•38 min
Up in Washington Heights, on Jumel Terrace between 160th and 162nd Streets, sits a beautiful Federal- style mansion that played a critical role in American history. The oldest house in Manhattan (but not the oldest in New York City!), Morris-Jumel had residents and visitors including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, Queen Elizabeth, and Robert Stack, host of "Unsolved Mysteries". Listen and learn about some amazing, headstrong women who lived there, like Mary Phillipse Morris (on...
Nov 25, 2014•1 hr
Some laws in New York City are different than the rest of the state or country, and Kate and Kathleen tell you all about the most interesting ones. Some have recently been amended. For others, amendments are being considered right now! From the tenement regulations and swill milk scandals of a century ago, to Giuliani's cabaret crackdown, to the recently- revised guidelines regarding ferrets as pets, to the current controversy regarding Airbnb in NYC, we fill in all the details you've been wanti...
Sep 17, 2014•43 min
Murder is not uncommon in any big city and New York is not without this heinous crime and the monsters who commit it. Kate and Kathleen tell you about four specific killers: a love-crazed chorus girl, a prolific hit man, the most famous NYC murderer of them all, and a jealous arsonist. Listen to this grim but fascinating account, and don't forget to check out our Facebook page for more images. Kate and Kathleen highly recommend Summer of Sam . Richard Kuklinski is the subject of both a documenta...
Aug 03, 2014•51 min
Activist, journalist, and groundbreaking outsider who shook up the field of urban planning: Jane Jacobs is one woman you definitely want to know more about. Sometimes credited with bringing down Robert Moses (learn about him in our only 2- part episode: Moses Part 1 and Moses Part 2 ), she used grassroots organizing and the media to draw attention to serious flaws in his plans to raze much of Greenwich Village and run the Lower Manhattan Expressway ("LoMex") through some of the coolest parts of ...
Jul 23, 2014•45 min
Hello ABC Gothamites! We're thrilled to announce the ABC Gotham Pub Quiz on Sunday Aug 17th at 4 pm! Cherry Tree Bar65 4th AveBrooklyn, NY There is no entry fee. Teams can have up to six members. We'll have great prizes, including prize for best team name and a prize for the person who brings the most people! Everyone who is there for the pub quiz will get special happy hour pricing on pitchers and pizza. Hope to see you there!
Jul 19, 2014•58 sec
In Episode I, Kate and Kathleen tell you all about areas of New York City that are somehow separate or apart from the rest of us. These aren't islands, like we discussed in our previous episode I , but they're still isolated. Surrounded by Nassau County, national parkland, or even another borough, these cool weird neighborhoods have landmarks, histories, and residents with their own unique struggles. Listen and learn about places so far off the beaten path that you may have never visited them--u...
Jul 09, 2014•59 min
"The Harlem Hellfighters" was the nickname of the 369th Infantry Regiment, a regiment made up entirely of African-American and African Puerto Rican soldiers. Most of the men came from Harlem, San Juan Hill (around Fifty-ninth Street in Manhattan), and the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. They were the most famous black unit in World War I and also saw action in World War II. Kate and Kathleen tell you all about segregation within the military, difficulties that black soldiers endured while gett...
May 05, 2014•30 min
The layout of New York City can be a mystery. Why are blocks in Manhattan so long when you walk east/ west, but so short when you walk north/ south? How come the Bronx has a nice, user- friendly grid system but Queens and Brooklyn are trickier to navigate? And why does the whole system disappear in some sections of Manhattan and the other boroughs? Your hosts Kate and Kathleen have done their homework and will answer all your questions, and more, in Episode G.
Mar 09, 2014•51 min
Join Kathleen and Kate as they discuss the evolution of the foster care system in New York City. Learn about the bad old days of childhood indentured servitude, children living on the street, orphanages, and the infamous orphan trains. Then hear all about the vast improvements by reformers like Charles Loring Brace, who worked to develop the (imperfect yet highly effective) modern foster care system.
Dec 24, 2013•56 min
Espionage and spying have been part of New York City history (and, indeed, US history) since before the Revolutionary War. Right or wrong, spying is a vital part of national defense, whether we're at war or living in peacetime. Learn about several important figures in New York City's clandestine past, the brilliant (or inept!) spies who have passed through town, the failings of our justice system, and the triumphs of our sharp- eyed law enforcement personnel who have thwarted sabotage attempts. ...
Nov 20, 2013•1 hr 15 min
Brave men have done astonishing (stupid?) things to shock and awe New Yorkers since New York started. And we love every minute of the spectacle, even as some New Yorkers faint dead away from such sights! From bridge jumpers to base jumpers, from Ben Dova (seriously) to Philippe Petit, you'll hear all about the daredevils who sought to amuse us, or just get famous for the day. Join Kate and Kathleen for episode D! And don't forget to check the Facebook page for images of all these bizarre feats.
Sep 12, 2013•1 hr
Join Kathleen and Kate as they discuss the crack epidemic. It struck not just New York City, but the country as well. Learn all about the controversy behind it, because nothing's as simple as the journalists would have us believe.
Aug 08, 2013•47 min
We'd like to introduce you to Nellie Bly, Girl Reporter. Ever feel that travel bug coming on? Learn how to travel around the world in 72 days without a change of clothes. More of a home body? Consider having your self checked into a mental asylum to uncover the atrocious conditions patients were treated. One of the most famous "Girl Reporters", Nellie not only worked for Joseph Pulitzer's World but also made a name for herself in a time when women were expected to marry and stay at home. For Nel...
Jun 30, 2013•1 hr 1 min
Here comes Season Two!! Kate and Kathleen revisit the alphabet starting with one of the most iconic symbols of New York City, the Anthora. Learn about the design behind the cup and where the name came from. Don't forget to check out NY Times website with the History of New York in 50 objects: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/02/nyregion/a-history-of-new-york-in-50-objects.html?
Jun 20, 2013•15 min
Wait, come back here!! Zoning is RIDICULOUSLY important and surprisingly interesting. In Episode Z, your hosts Kate and Kathleen take you through the ups and downs of NYC zoning. From the Equitable Building, which scared everyone into creating the city's first official land- use regulations, to the wildly popular "tower in a park" model of building, to today's Special Districts, you'll see how zoning affects your life in ways you never imagined. Our Facebook page , full of the images you'll need...
May 05, 2013•1 hr 1 min
Yellow cabs are everywhere throughout New York City, but where did they come from? Why do we have them? And why are they, of all possible colors, yellow ? Kate and Kathleen, but mostly Kate, tell you all about the iconic form of NYC transportation. Want a real Checker Cab for a wedding or a photo shoot? The Checker Guy is your man. A surprisingly interesting and funny blog about cabs and cabbies . Don't forget our Facebook page for lots of yellow cab bonus images!...
Apr 23, 2013•35 min
Malcolm X had an immeasurable impact around the world, but a great deal of his activism happened while he was living in New York City. Kate and Kathleen tell you all about his crimes in his youth, which led to prison, which led him to the teachings of Elijah Muhammed and the Nation of Islam. His work as the leading voice of the NOI came to an abrupt and ugly end, but this didn't stop his work and greater impact on civil rights and human rights. Learn all about this fascinating person in Episode ...
Apr 14, 2013•38 min
Weeksville was a bustling community, far off in the wilds of Brooklyn, established by former slave James Weeks in 1838 for free African- Americans. This was only 11 years after the abolition of slavery in New York state-- a time when African- Americans had very few opportunities for land ownership. That area is now where Bedford- Stuyvesant, East New York, and Brownsville meet. Your hosts Kathleen and Kate tell you all about how Weeksville was started, how it was almost lost from history forever...
Mar 13, 2013•22 min
There are 1165 acres of hills, ridges, valleys, verdant forest, wide- open fields, and other assorted gorgeousness waiting for you up in the Bronx! Van Cortlandt Park has a hiking trail that is a National Historic Landmark, world- class running paths and trails, two public golf courses, boccie courts, cricket pitches, and a Gaelic football field. And that's in addition to everything ELSE you can expect at one of the biggest city parks: basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, handbal...
Mar 03, 2013•33 min
