14 Secrets About New York City You Probably Didn’t Know

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14 Secrets About New York City

We all know about New York City, its towering Empire State Building, fun Brooklyn and hipster Dumbo. The concrete jungle shines its light over the world and stands as the American Dream city. But NYC has many secrets! Here are 14 secrets about New York you probably didn’t know.

1. Hidden Subway Stations

NYC’s subway system harbors several abandoned stations. The City Hall Station, a beautiful architectural relic from 1904, is no longer in use but can be seen by staying on the 6 train as it turns around.

2. A Secret Train Platform

Beneath the Waldorf Astoria hotel lies Track 61, a secret platform supposedly used by VIPs including President Franklin D. Roosevelt to covertly enter the hotel.

3. Tiny Island with a Single Resident

Rat Island, a 2.5-acre island off the Bronx’s coast, has only one private owner, making it New York City’s least populated island.

4. A Massive Underground Library

The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building has miles of stacks beneath Bryant Park. These stacks house much of the library’s collection in an extensive system that is not accessible to the public.

5. The Empire State Building’s Secret Floor

The Empire State Building has a secret 103rd floor. It’s not open to the public and is mainly used for broadcasting equipment.

6. Gold Vault Under the Federal Reserve

Approximately 25% of the world’s gold bullion is stored in vaults under the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 80 feet below street level.

7. Manhattan’s Lengthening Daylight

Due to its skyscrapers, some parts of Manhattan receive up to 30 minutes less sunlight a day than if the land were flat.

8. Manhattanhenge

Twice a year, on Memorial Day and Baseball’s All Star break, the sun sets in Manhattan in a way that attracts hundreds of photographers and tourists. On these two days, the sun aligns with the Manhattan street grid which creates a great contrast between the brick and steel of the island.

9. Oldest Running Apothecary in America

C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries in Greenwich Village is the oldest apothecary in America, operating since 1838.

10. The Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal

There’s a spot in Grand Central Terminal where if two people stand at diagonal arches and whisper, they can hear each other’s voices transmitted across the vaulted ceiling.

11. The Statue of Liberty’s Nose Size

The Statue of Liberty’s nose is about 4.5 feet long, a fact that underscores the immense scale of this iconic monument.

12. More Speakeasies Please

During Prohibition, New York City had about 32,000 speakeasies, more than any other city in the United States. Some of these speakeasies still exist today, hidden behind unmarked doors or accessed through secret entrances.

13. A Castle in Manhattan

Believe it or not, Manhattan is home to a castle. Fort Tryon Park houses The Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. The building, styled as a castle, holds over 5,000 medieval works.

14. A Mile-Long Sidewalk

The Hudson River Greenway includes a continuous 11-mile bike and running path along the Hudson River, but one particular section near the George Washington Bridge is noted for being the longest unbroken sidewalk in Manhattan, stretching approximately a mile without intersecting streets.

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