Wander Woman

In 1864, a two-room stone cottage was built inside Central Park, just south of the Inventor’s Gate entrance at Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street. The quaint building was used as the Ladies’ Refreshment Saloon, where unaccompanied women could rest and grab a bite to eat. 

Pub...

Here are ten of my favorite obscure facts about the New York City subway system. Enjoy!

1. There were once cars reserved only for women

In March 1909, women-only subway cars, known as “suffragette cars” were introduced on trains running from Manhattan to Hoboken (today’s...

During prohibition, speakeasies used a variety of methods to identify genuine customers from undercover agents. Initially, bouncers relied only on personal recognition, but as the industry grew, this individualized approach became unsustainable. Some bars used secret p...

In the mid-1800s, New York City's most depraved dives were clustered along the East River waterfront. Though difficult to imagine today, the quaint, cobblestone streets surrounding the South Street Seaport were once overrun with bars and brothels that catered to sailor...

From the outside, the sanitation garage in East Harlem is rather unremarkable, even a bit dingy looking. Yet, hidden behind the rusted, graffiti-laden doors is something truly magical: a secret museum. The second floor, long deemed too weak to house garbage trucks, is...