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DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
- ...that Coney Island was given its name in the 17th Century because at that time it was a grassy island that had a large population of rabbits (which were called coneys in old dialect).
- ...that the Brooklyn Bridge opened for traffic at 2PM on May 24, 1883, after about 13 years of construction. Visitors initially paid a 1 cent toll on opening day, and 2 cents after opening day.
- ...that Williamsburg was named after Colonel Jonathan Williams, a U.S. engineer (and grand-nephew to Benjamin Franklin) who surveyed the area.
- ...that Kings Highway was an ancient trail used by the Canarsee Indians long before European settlers arrived.
- ...that New York City has 722 miles of subway tracks.
- ...that Central Park covers a larger area than the principality of Monaco.
- ...that the first public brewery in America was established by Peter Minuit at the Market (Marckvelt) field in lower Manhattan.
- ...that when the Harlem ship canal was being dug, a workman discovered the tusk of a prehistoric Mastodon, twelve feet beneath present-day Broadway and 14th Street.
- ...that Staten Island residents voted to secede from the city in 1993, but such a move would require state approval.
- ...that the amusement parks and rides at the 1939 World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens inspired Walt Disney to create Disney World.
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