It takes a lot to surprise, shock, or even amuse your average New Yorker. In a city as big as New York, most people have seen it all. Yet, some interesting secrets and important historical footnotes about the city still remain. And, we’ve put together the short list of New York fun facts that we find the most noteworthy. So, test your own knowledge of New York’s past, present, and future against our own New York Fun Facts:
A Plot to Curse Yankee Stadium was Foiled in 2008
For those of you too young to remember, a Red Sox fan and member of the construction team building the current Yankee Stadium tried his best to forever curse the Yankees and their new home. This construction worker buried a David Ortiz jersey of the rival Red Sox beneath two and a half feet of concrete. Upon finding out, the Yankee front office considered leaving the jersey within the floor of the stadium. But, ultimately, they decided to dig it up and donate it to charity. And, the jersey sold for a whopping $175,000 at auction.
You Can Find a Waterfall Right in the Middle of the City
For those searching out some rest and relaxation in the middle of a megalopolis, the go-to place remains Central Park. And, within this world-famous green space resides one of the great New York fun facts that’s also a wonderful place for reading a book, meditating, or just plain hanging out. The Ravine, which you can find in the North Woods area, represents the only stream valley in Central Park. And, the stream that runs through the North Woods has been dammed in several places to create a beautiful waterfall. Made to look like the Adirondacks, this place serves as a truly special retreat for nature-lovers stuck in the city.
The Rise of the Oyster Cult
Once upon a time, the oyster was so ubiquitous that New York’s elite shunned the tasty bivalve from the dinner table. Simply put, they just got sick of it. And so, what we now know as a rather expensive delicacy got fed to the destitute populace, prisoners, and other poor, unfortunate souls. Thus, millions upon millions of oysters became meals for the homeless and the penniless. But, what do you do with that many oyster shells? Well, in New York’s case, construction workers used them to pave Pearl Street and create lime for the construction of Trinity Church! That’s three New York fun facts in one!
The Pizza Principle
Also known as The Pizza Connection or The Pizza-Subway Connection, The Pizza Principle represents the name given to an uncanny New York phenomenon. Since the 1960’s, the price of a slice of pizza and the price a subway token have been mysteriously tied together. As one price rises, the other rises in turn. And, the price of each always amounts to roughly the same! Indeed, a rise in the price of a piece of pizza can rather accurately predict an upcoming rise in the price of a subway ride. Many wondered whether the New York Transit Authority’s switch to the MetroCard would destroy the link. But, no, The Pizza Principle lives on!
The Lowline
In the very near future, New York could become home to the world’s first underground park. Building on the immediate success of Manhattan’s popular High Line (above), created on an elevated railway overpass, The Lowline looks to take advantage of some unused underground space in the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal. Therefore, to test the feasibility of this ambitious project, The Lowline Lab got started. For two years, The Lowline Lab featured 70 different species of plants that were provided with redirected sunlight from above. The Lowline will open, hopefully, by 2021.
Hi there! Do you have an obscure N.Y. Fun Fact that you’d like to share with everyone? Put it in the comments (below) and we just might add it to the list during our next update!
