New-York Historical Society Teen Historians

For the past week and a half, I’ve been studying the Howard Thain painting titled “The Great White Way.” The painting depicts the New York Times building on 42nd street that marks one of Manhattan’s cultural hubs: Times Square. Thain completed the portrait in 1925, the era of prohibition, ragtime, and the broadway revues. The…

Howard Thain is an artist whose work is featured throughout The New-York Historical Society. One of his most admired paintings is his painting of Grand Central Terminal, which my peers and I have selected as the basis of our group project. My individual topic within the group is the rise, decline and rebirth of Grand…

Murals of historic/artistic significance may seem like they have little to do with grimy/edgy graffiti, but these art forms of expression conceptually have similarities under the umbrella of “street art”. Murals often pay homage to treasured memories, historical landmarks or deceased people and often use similar paints to graffiti. However, murals tend to be more…

Last week I wanted to explore the absence of women on the graffiti door, and their struggle to fit in. Taking a quick glimpse through Graffiti Kings: New York City Mass Transit Art of the 1970s, I discovered that some of the female names on the graffiti door, like Yvonne, were tagged by males. It…

  My name is Leo Hentschker, and I have been researching the connection between sports and advertising. During my research, I came across what I believe to be an interesting topic. While I was researching, I started to think who are sports for? Are they for the players, the die-hard fans, the managers, or the…

Within the museum at the New-York Historical Society, one object stands out for its shiny luster, intricate structure, and aesthetic appeal: The aeronautical trophy.  In the shape of a large hot air balloon made of silver with intertwining lines connecting the balloon to the basket at the base, creating a diamond pattern lay out. Held…

In the process of researching Abraham Manievich, I also looked into the reasons behind the amount of Jewish immigration from Russia to Eastern Europe, eventually followed by the United States. There were numerous factors encouraging Jewish emigration from Russia to Eastern Europe in the late 19th to early 20th century.  The rising population and increasing…

Have you ever asked yourself, “What good could come out of an accident?” Well, on January 8th, 1902, there was a train crash in Grand Central that helped it become the useful and safe terminal it is today. During this time, New York City’s population was increasing, and a vast amount of people were traveling…

When our group took a trip to Grand Central yesterday, I suddenly noticed architectural and structural details I had previously overlooked. For instance, on almost every lighting fixture, ventilation grate, and even water fountain there are embellishments of ornate acorns and oak leaves. As I learned through my research,the acorn is a symbol of self-made…