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New York is
the quintessence of America. Capital, plentiful cheap labor, raw materials,
shipping routes, and rail links made the city the business hub of the world.
For all this New York does not accurately reflect the rest of the USA.
Nowhere else do so many different peoples live together in such confined
space, nowhere else has such a fascinating awareness of life, molded by
some two hundred different ethnic backgrounds, nowhere else is so multicultural
yet with its own expression, and nowhere else has so many skyscrapers towering
above the streets. Here are some of the historical and architectural attractions
of interest in NY. From Carnegie Hall to the Historic Soho Cast Iron District,
there are many influnces from Europe represented in the city, as well as
some of the greatest innovations in skyscrapers. NYC Buildings represent
everything from Beaux Arts, Federal Architecture, French Renaissance to
Art Deco Style. Click on the links to find out more about each attraction.
When you get to our detail pages you will find useful information about
each attractions, links that will keep you up to date and a handy cross
reference scheme that will let you know where you are in the city.
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New York State
contains 49,576 square miles,
inclusive of 1,637 square
miles of inland water,
but exclusive of the
boundary-water areas of Long Island
Sound, New York Harbor,
Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie.
The major portion of
the state lies generally between
latitudes 42° and
45°N and between longitudes 73° 30'
and 79° 45'W. However,
in the extreme southeast,
a triangular portion
extends southward to about
latitude 40° 30'N,
while Long Island lies eastward to
about longitude 72°W.
The principal highland
regions of the state are the
Adirondacks in the northeast
and the Appalachian
Plateau (Southern Plateau)
in the south.
The latter Plateau is
subdivided by the deep
channel of Seneca Lake,
which extends from the l
ake plain of Lake Ontario
southward to the Chemung
River Valley, into the
Western and Eastern Plateaus.
The former extends from
the eastern Finger
Lakes across the hills
of southwestern New York to the narrow
lake plain bordering
Lake Erie; the later extends
from the eastern Finger
Lakes to the Hudson River
Valley and includes the
Catskill Mountains. |
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Statue of Liberty
Liberty Enlightening
the World (French: La liberté éclairant le monde), known
more commonly as the Statue of Liberty (Statue de la Liberté), is
a colossal statue given to the United States by the Paris based Union Franco-Américaine
(Franco-American Union) in 1886, standing at Liberty Island, in the mouth
of the Hudson River in New York Harbor as a welcome to all visitors, immigrants,
and returning Americans. The copper statue, dedicated on October 28, 1886,
commemorates the centennial of the United States and is a gesture of friendship
between the two nations. The sculptor was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. Alexandre
Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower, engineered the internal
structure. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was responsible for the choice
of copper in the statue's construction and adoption of the Repoussé
technique.
The statue depicts a woman
standing upright, dressed in a flowing robe and a seven point spiked crown
representing the Seven Seas, holding a stone tablet close to her body in
her left hand and a flaming torch high in her right hand. The statue is
made of pure copper on a framework of steel (originally puddled iron) with
the exception of the flame of the torch, which is coated in gold leaf.
It stands atop a rectangular stonework pedestal, itself on an irregular
eleven-pointed star foundation. The statue is 151 feet (46 meters) and
one inch tall, with the foundation adding another 154 feet (46.9 meters).
The tablet contains the text "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" (July 4, 1776) commemorating
the date of the United States Declaration of Independence. The interior
of the pedestal contains a bronze plaque inscribed with the poem "The New
Colossus" by Emma Lazarus. (It has never been engraved on the exterior
of the pedestal, despite such depictions in editorial cartoons[1]).
Worldwide, the Statue
of Liberty is one of the most recognizable icons of the United States,[2]
and, in a more general sense, represents liberty and escape from oppression.
The Statue of Liberty was, from 1886 until the jet age, often one of the
first glimpses of the United States for millions of immigrants after ocean
voyages from Europe. In terms of visual impact, the Statue of Liberty appears
to draw inspiration from il Sancarlone or the Colossus of Rhodes. The statue
is a central part of Statue of Liberty National Monument and is administered
by the National Park Service.
New torch
A new torch replaced
the original, which was deemed beyond repair because of the extensive 1916
modifications. The 1886 torch is now located in the monument's lobby museum.
The new torch has gold plating applied to the exterior of the "flame,"
which is illuminated by external lamps on the surrounding balcony platform.
Upgraded climate control systems and two elevators (one to the top of the
pedestal and a small emergency elevator to the crown) were added. The Statue
of Liberty was reopened to the public on July 5, 1986.
Aftermath of 9/11
The interior of the statue
used to be open to visitors. They would arrive by ferry and could climb
the circular single-file stairs (limited by the available space) inside
the metallic statue, exposed to the sun out in the harbor (the interior
reaching extreme temperatures, particularly in summer months), and about
30 people at a time could fit up into her crown. This provided a broad
view of New York Harbor (she faces the ocean, and France) through 25 windows,
the largest approximately 18" (46 cm) in height. The view did not, therefore,
include the skyline of New York City. The wait outside regularly exceeded
3 hours, excluding the wait for ferries and ferry tickets |
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Many atmospheric and physiographic
controls on the climate result in a considerable variation of temperature
conditions over New York State. The average annual mean temperature ranges
from about 40° in the Adirondacks to near 55° in the New York City
area. In January, the average mean temperature is approximately 16°
in the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence Valley, but increases to about 26°
along Lake Erie and in the lower Hudson Valley and to 31° on Long Island.
The highest temperature of record in New York State is 108° at Troy
on July 22, 1926. Temperatures of 107° have been observed at Lewiston,
Elmira, Poughkeepsie, and New York City. The record coldest temperature
is -52° at Stillwater Reservoir (northern Herkimer County) on February
9, 1934 and also at Old Forge (also northern Herkimer County) on February
18, 1979. Some 30 communities have recorded temperatures of -40° or
colder, most of them occurring in the northern one-half of the state and
the remainder in the Western Plateau Division and in localities just south
of the Mohawk Valley.
The winters are long and
cold in the Plateau Divisions of the state. In the majority of winter seasons,
a temperature of -25° or lower can be expected in the northern highlands
(Northern Plateau) and -15° or colder in the southwestern and east-central
highlands (Southern Plateau). The Adirondack region records from 35 to
45 days with below zero temperatures in normal to severe winters, with
a somewhat fewer number of such days occurring near Lake Champlain and
the St. Lawrence River. In the Southern Plateau and in the upper Hudson
Valley division, below zero minimums are observed on about 15 days in most
winters and on more than 25 days in notably cold seasons
The summer climate is cool
in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and higher elevations of the Southern Plateau.
The New York City area and lower portions of the Hudson Valley have rather
warm summers by comparison, with some periods of high, uncomfortable humidity.
The remainder of New York State enjoys pleasantly warm summers, marred
by only occasional, brief intervals of sultry conditions. Summer daytime
temperatures usually range from the upper 70s to mid 80s over much of the
State, producing an atmospheric environment favorable to many athletic,
recreational, and other outdoor activities
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