4. Were Robert Moses and Nelson Rockefeller friends, enemies or frenemies?

Nelson Rockefeller. Image via Wikimedia CommonsLibrary of Congress

Robert Moses first met Nelson Rockefeller through his work on the Palisades Parkway, which was built on land donated by the Rockefeller family in the 1930s. After many years working on a number of Rockefeller projects in South America, and also in developing a business relationship with Chase Bank president David Rockefeller (who financed most of the bond issues for Moses’ projects), Moses felt a certain affinity and kinship with the Rockefeller family. Nelson Rockefeller was probably one of the few people who Moses felt was his equal, and when Rockefeller became New York State Governor, Moses treated him with a level of respect that he had previously only given to his mentor Gov. Al Smith. It was this familial trust and respect on Moses’ part that eventually enabled Rockefeller to oust Moses from power.