A Great Big City — New York City News, History, and Events A Great Big City

The iconic "Charging Bull" statue has become recognized worldwide as a symbol of New York, but it was originally an illegal art installation that was dropped in the middle of the street on December 15, 1989.

🎂🐂

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.


93 years ago on June 26, 1927 — The Coney Island Cyclone wooden roller coaster opens to the public

Postcard featuring The Cyclone via Boston Public Library / The Tichnor Brothers Collection



51 years ago on June 28, 1969 — Tensions between police and the gay community boil over into a revolt during an overnight raid on the Stonewall Inn



37 years ago on June 28, 1983 — Eight men are arrested in a $1.5 million gold heist



3 years ago on June 30, 2017 — A doctor opens fire at Bronx-Lebanon hospital, killing one and wounding six



21 years ago on July 1, 1999 — Area code 646 launches in Manhattan to supplement 212 and 917 numbers



34 years ago on July 3, 1986 — The opening ceremony of Liberty Weekend begins four days of celebrations around the Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary and reopening after an extensive renovation







4 years ago on July 3, 2016 — A tourist steps on an explosive device in Central Park — If you have any information or photos from that day, contact NYPD CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (1-800-577-8477), via text message at CRIMES (274637), or via online form.



2 years ago on July 4, 2018 — A woman climbs the Statue of Liberty pedestal, causing Liberty Island to be evacuated and canceling many midday Fourth of July tours



AGBC history:



3 years ago — Would $123 Convince You to Bike to Work? — Wednesday, June 28



8 years ago — The NYPD's Newest Helicopter Focuses on Spotting Terrorism — Friday, June 29



8 years ago — Occupy Wall Street - June 28th, 6PM — Friday, June 29



9 years ago — Blimp Race on the Hudson — Monday, July 4



1 year ago — A Great Big City Will No Longer Publish to Facebook — Friday, July 5



9 years ago — Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus detected in New York City — Thursday, July 7





A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.



Park of the day

Mullaly Park — 1015 RIVER AVENUE, the Bronx — 15 acre park in West Concourse, Bronx, named for newspaperman John Mullaly, who also helped found the New York Park Association in 1881.



Today's fact about New York
Here's something you may not have known about New York:


There is a birth in New York City every 4.4 minutes

Weather
The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 103°F on July 3, 1966
Record Low: 52°F on June 29, 1888


AGBC Weather
Weather.gov forecast



Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Overcast,

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.



123 years ago on June 15, 1897 — A fire sweeps through Ellis Island's wood buildings



136 years ago on June 16, 1884 — America's first roller coaster opens in Coney Island



72 years ago on June 16, 1948 — Australian adventurer Ben Carlin and his wife Elinore launch their amphibious jeep into New York Bay in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe



67 years ago on June 22, 1953 — The Hollow Nickel Case



45 years ago on June 24, 1975 — Eastern Air Flight 66 crashes on approach at JFK Airport, killing 113 people



101 years ago on June 26, 1919 — The first issue of the Illustrated Daily News is published, which would become the modern-day New York Daily News



Manhattanhenge Photography Tips and Viewing Locations





A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.



Park of the day

Michel Triangle — Clay Av bet. E 171 St and Claremont Pkwy, the Bronx — Michel Triangle is bounded by Clay Avenue, Webster Avenue, and East 165th Street. The road that is now Clay Avenue, between 164th and 167th Streets, was part of the old General Staats Morris' racetrack that had been laid out in 1750 and survived through the mid-1800s.



Did you know?
Here's something you may not have known about New York:


The largest class of Staten Island Ferry can carry 6,000 passengers

Weather
The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 98°F on June 19, 1994
Record Low: 48°F on June 18, 1950

Weather for the week ahead:
Possible light rain on Sunday and Tuesday.


AGBC Weather
Weather.gov forecast



Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, TuneIn Radio, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Manhattanhenge music: Anonymous420

[Coronavirus monologue — 7 northeast states form a joint committee to evaluate ending social distancing]

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.



116 years ago on April 8, 1904 — Longacre Square is renamed 'Times Square'



107 years ago on April 9, 1913 — The first game is played at Ebbets Field



154 years ago on April 10, 1866 — The ASPCA is founded in New York City, becoming the oldest animal welfare organization in the United States



59 years ago on April 11, 1961 — Bob Dylan plays in Greenwich Village for the first time



115 years ago on April 12, 1905 — The Hippodrome Theatre opens



103 years ago on April 12, 1917 — The Bijou Theatre opens on 45th Street at Broadway



38 years ago on April 12, 1982 — Three CBS employees are killed after encountering a gunman abducting a woman on the top of the Pier 92 parking garage



17 years ago on April 13, 2003 — Subway tokens are phased out and replaced by the MetroCard



2 years ago on April 14, 2018 — David Buckel, a prominent gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate, sets himself on fire in Prospect Park



9 years ago on April 16, 2011 — Area code 929 enters service



1 year ago on April 17, 2019 — A man was taken into custody after attempting to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral with cans of gasoline



14 years ago on April 18, 2006 — Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours





A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.



Park of the day

Ionia Avenue Forest — A very densely-forested triangle at the southern end of Staten Island

New York Fact
Here's something you may not have known about New York:


NYCHA, the New York City Housing Authority, oversees 325 housing developments citywide comprised of 2,418 buildings that house 400,000 New Yorkers

Weather
The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 92°F on April 16, 2002
Record Low: 22°F on April 12, 1874


AGBC Weather
Weather.gov forecast



Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or RadioPublic, TuneIn Radio, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.



69 years ago on March 29, 1951 — The 'Mad Bomber' begins his largest streak of attacks, planting a series of explosive devices in public spaces across New York



111 years ago on March 30, 1909 — The Queensboro Bridge opens to traffic



April 1 in History: Greenwich Village Chase after Bleecker Street Armed Robbery



March 24 in History: Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the Rapid Transit System on "Tunnel Day"



5 years ago on April 2, 2015 — Two women are arrested in Jamaica, Queens for planning terrorist bombings



161 years ago on April 4, 1859 — The Civil War anthem 'Dixie' debuts in New York as part of a blackface minstrel show



87 years ago on April 4, 1933 — The USS Akron, one of history's largest airships, crashes into the ocean off the coast of New Jersey, killing 73 and leaving three survivors USS Akron flying over the southern end of Manhattan Island, New York City, circa 1931-1933 via U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command



53 years ago on April 4, 1967 — Martin Luther King Jr. delivers a speech at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" — Hear the full audio of the speech.



47 years ago on April 4, 1973 — The twin towers of the World Trade Center officially open, becoming the tallest buildings in the world ☮️





A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.



Park of the day

Haffen Park — 1750 BURKE AVENUE, the Bronx — Named after Louis F. Haffen, first Borough President of the Bronx. In 1996 Haffen Park received new modular play equipment (including slides, clatter bridges, and ladders), safety surfacing and paving. In 2006, a $1.2 million reconstruction project included the installation of a new synthetic turf field for both baseball and soccer, and a refurbished ballfield fence.

Did you know?
Here's something you may not have known about New York:


You can take a free training course from the Department of Health to learn the right words to say to someone suffering with mental distress or substance abuse

Weather
The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 86°F on March 29, 1945
Record Low: 10°F on March 29, 1923

Weather for the week ahead:
Light rain throughout the week.


AGBC Weather
Weather.gov forecast



Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.



[Coronavirus monologue]



53 years ago on March 26, 1967 — Thousands of people gathered at Central Park's Sheep Meadow on Easter Sunday for one of the first hippie "be-ins" of the 1960s



5 years ago on March 26, 2015 — A gas explosion and fire destroys three buildings at Second Ave and St. Marks



57 years ago on March 28, 1963 — Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York at the Palace Theater on Broadway



35 years ago on March 31, 1985 — The First WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden, featuring Mr. T and Hulk Hogan



March 21 in History: Charles Lindbergh Receives the Medal of Honor in 1928



March 23 in History: Elisha Otis Installs First Passenger Elevator



March 27 in History: The Disappearing House



March 28 in History: Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York





A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts.



Park of the day

Estella Diggs Park — 3436 3 AVENUE, the Bronx — Formerly known as Rocks and Roots Park, the park was named after Estella Diggs, the first African-American woman to represent the Bronx in the NY State Assembly.

Did you know?
Here's something you may not have known about New York:


If the NYC population was spread out at the same density as Wyoming, it would cover nearly half of the lower 48 states

Weather
The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 84°F on March 21, 1921
Record Low: 10°F on March 21, 1885

Weather for the week ahead:
Rain on Monday through Friday.


AGBC Weather
Weather.gov forecast



Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Spotify, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Monologue music: ＠ｈｏｔｌｉｎｅ．ｇｏｖ by Anonymous420