Booming New York City!

The New York City of 1930 was growing in every way but especially up in the air with the multiplication of skyscrapers!  In "This Giant That is New York," Frederick Simpich boasts that New York is "the very acme of human effort."  "Power and light are its symbols and skyscrapers its phenomena.  By day they make its magic and they turn its nights into cosmic melodrama" (p. 517, National Geographic Magazine, November, 1930). 

"New York never grew fast till electric power came to pull its trains without smoke" (p. 517).  The statistics in this long article are amazing.  Thomas Edison gave the city its first electric current in 1882.  By 1930, New York manufactured 60% of the women's clothing in the United States and 70% of our books.  At that time, the author gave his opinion that "American women put style above quality" (p. 550).  Gradually, especially during our "Hippie" period of the 1970's, women cared less about style.  Now, many styles are worn.  No longer do women look to the fashionistas for which hemline length should be worn every year!

In this short review, I'll mention some items that have fallen by the wayside and some things that have endured in New York City.  In 1930, there were many immigrants, mostly of European and Russian origin. Today, immigration is more restricted yet there are millions of illegal immigrants of Mexican origin.  Immigrants enter into many ports besides New York City across the country, and also across the deserts in the southwestern states.

Trains moved a stupendous amount of passengers and freight back then.  My late Grandpa, Robert, told us kids growing up, that in the 1920's, before he began his career of 45 years at a wholesale whiskey dealer in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A., he rode trains full of live chickens into New York City.  The metro city of 10 million (in 1930) required an immense amount of food.  In this 21st century, airplanes move the most passengers.  J.F.K. airport in New York City is a real adventure these days!

In 1930, the Chrysler Building was the tallest in the world with 77 stories.  Yet at the same time, the Empire State Building was under construction.  It would open in 1931 with 85 stories.  Checking the tallest buildings in the world and the U.S.A. today are #1) Burj Khalifa in Dubai, 163 floors at 2,717 feet tall, completed 2010; #4) One World Trade Center in New York City, 104 floors at 1776 feet tall, completed 2013; #11) Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) in Chicago, 108 floors at 1450 feet tall, completed 1973; #15) Trump Tower in Chicago, 98 floors at 1389 feet, completed 2009, and #24) The Empire State Building in New York City, 102 floors at 1250 feet, completed 1931.

Our personal family history of tall buildings: before my son #1, Billy's wedding in Chicago in 1984, we went to the top of the Sears Tower.  I was enjoying the view through the glassed floor when there was a small prop plane flying below; that gave me a dizzy sensation.  Other than that, I'm never bothered by heights.  This National Geographic article mentions that the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was torn down to be replaced by the Empire State Building.  I never knew that the present Hotel was at its second location.  Daughter #7, Marie, and her husband, Charles, honeymooned there in 2007.

Mr. Simpich wrote that "New York is the center of American culture when its products are put up for sale" (p. 549).  Although now every major city has its orchestras, museums, ballets, movie theaters, artists, and craftspersons, the New York City theater is still considered the pinnacle of live productions.

Prominent in 1930 was the Belmont Park horse races, the Stock Exchange, and Wall Street financiers.  They're still going strong today! 

The author predicted a metro New York City population of perhaps 20 million by 1965.  In 2012, the Metro population was 19,831,000 - close to his prediction!  Yet the Asian cities eclipse this.  We Americans may appreciate and value The Big Apple but most of us, me included, would rather not venture there and endure the crowds and traffic.  Let my acquaintance with the city end with watching The Ball Drop every New Year's Eve!