In the new book, The Cities We Need, a photographer and urbanist share images and stories from overlooked but vital city spaces!
Learn about the crime-riddled history of Red Hook, see how a Gilded Age mansion gets decorated for the holidays, and more!
Enjoy the sparkling lights of NYC's festive decor without leaving your home!
Yesterday, we covered 8 of NYC’s monumental arches, including two that are no longer standing today. One, the Seaman-Drake arch still exists but is mostly forgotten and graffiti-ridden. This 35-foot high marble arch is now partially obscured behind buildings in Inwood. The arch is a remnant of a once wealthy family, whose marble estate was once entered via this monumental arch. According to The New York Times, the Drake family built their estate in 1855 on a hilltop north of the Dyckman family, using marble quarried from a location at the foot of the hill along Broadway. A low marble wall extended from the arch, which was said to be an exact replica of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
My Inwood has a great collection of vintage photographs showing the arch over time.
s the IRT subway made its way, the land was subdivided and at some point, a car dealership used the arch as its entrance. This signaled the end of the once grand Drake mansion, which was demolished in 1938 for the Park Terrace Gardens. The arch caught fire in 1970, leaving the roof open.
Read more about NYC’s 8 monumental arches!
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