New York 400: A Visual History of America's Greatest City with Images from The Museum of the City of New York

by Museum of the City of New York

The year 2009 is a landmark in the history of New York, and America. It's the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival along the river that bears his name. With public initiatives and media attention on commemorative events and exhibits at a fever pitch throughout the year, the stage is set for New York 400 , a one-of-a-kind celebration of the greatest city in America. With unprecedented access to the Museum of the City of New York's vast archive, this is a visual history of the city of New York like none other, focusing not merely on landmarks but also on everyday life in the city over the past four centuries. The people, arts, culture, politics, and drama unfold through hundreds of rarely seen photographs and a fascinating profile of the city that never sleeps. Featuring essays from leading historians of the distinct epochs of Gotham, this volume takes us from the days of Director-General Petrus Stuyvesant in the seventeenth century through to mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg in the modern melting pot that is New York in the twenty-first century. The Museum of the City of New York has a unique mandate—to explore the past, present, and future of New York, and to celebrate the city's heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation. Its unparalleled collections, including photography, sculpture, costumes, toys, and decorative arts, enable the museum to present a variety of exhibitions, public programs, and publications investigating what gives New York its singular character.

Genres: New York, History

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

New York 400 contains wonderful old maps, prints, and photographs as well as little known historic events. A Philip Randolph, a pullman porter became the first African American head of a labor unionin 1935 after a long struggle to organize. He also expertly maneuvered FDR into issuing an executive

[Monica DiNatale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for anyone that loves New York City or is a photography buff. The Museum of the City of New York is one of my favorite museums. They do such interesting exhibits. I learned how they laid out the original grid that exists today. It's great for kids and adults.

[Linda Mulliken · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Museum of the City of New York, having lived outside of NYC for 25 years this is a stunning collection of pictures and description that I will always treasure.