October 5th in NYC History
Posted: Oct 4, 2012 | 6:52 PM
1785: Construction begins on the first Catholic parish church in New York City, St. Peter's Church at Barclay and Church Streets.
It was funded largely by a wealthy Caribbean slave, Pierre Toussaint, who is on his way to Sainthood. He also founded the original St Patrick's Cathedral on Mott and Prince Street, but his remains were removed from there and he was re-interred at the new St Patrick's on Fifth Ave.
(St. Patrick's has two other entombed there on the way to sainthood. Let's tour St Patrick's Cathedral.)
Let's tour Pierre Toussaint's amazing life in NYC.
St Peter's has another Saint associated with it: the first American born Catholic Saint, Elizabeth Anne Seton, who experienced a miracle there.
I'm am not in charge, but would I nominate Father Mychal Judge for Sainthood. He was the slain Chaplain of the New York Fire Department, whose remains were identified at St. Peter's after Tower 2 of the World Trade Center's debris killed him as he prayed on 9/11/01.
St Peter's roof was damaged by aircraft debris from United Airlines Flight 175 which went through Tower 2. Even so, dozens of others joined Mychal Judge as the church was turned into a makeshift morgue. The church's repairs were completed in 2010.
St Peter's is an important part of my Heroes of the World Trade Center Tour.
I am preparing for a tour of Catholic New York City for some pilgrims traveling here from Montreal.
1858: The Crystal Palace at 40th Street and Sixth Avenue, constructed almost entirely of cast-iron and glass, burns down! Its wooden flooring caught fire.
This neighborhood also had the awesome 5th Avenue Croton Water Distribution Reservoir on 42nd St, holding 20 million gallons of water beneath 50 foot high granite walls. It's parapet was a promenade with wonderful views. This would be replaced by water tunnels in the 1890s, making way for the palatial New York Public Library's Main Branch.
1921: The New York Yankees play their first World Series game, they beat the Giants 3-0 during the first ever Subway Series.
1930: CBS begins live broadcasts of the New York Philharmonic conducted by Arturo Toscanini . The Sunday afternoon program continues until 1963, at which point public radio takes over these broadcasts.
We see Toscanini's building on a walking tour of the Upper West Side as we saunter by the Ansonia.
1941: Louis D. Brandeis, (first Jewish) Supreme Court Justice dies at 84 years old.
When we visit the Conservatory Gardens on a Fifth Avenue tour or on a Central Park tour we hear about the political deal that impelled Woodrow Wilson to appoint him.
1953: The New York Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers to win their fifth World Series in a row. It was a record-breaking championship streak , thanks to the hitting by Second Base Man Billy Martin.
He would later manage the Yankees.
1960: New York City's baseball legend Casey Stengel set record by managing for his 10th World Series.
He didn't win that one and was fired by the Yankees. He would never win another since he managed the early very losing Mets.
1978: Yiddish chronicler of Jewish life Isaac Bashevis Singer wins the Nobel Prize for literature.
1979: Football great of the Giants and NYU, Ken Strong, died at 73 .
1982: The New Jersey Devils play their first game in NJ. They tied 3-3 with Pittsburgh .
1983: Nikki Hilton's birthday. Socialite and TV personality.
We pass by where she, her sister, and Lady Gaga went to school when we visit the Upper East Side while on tour.
1983: Happy Birthday, to Queens native Jesse Eisenberg, actor .