Grand central station chicago1/23/2024 ![]() ![]() In 1947, the height of traffic at Grand Central, there were 65 million people coming through the station every day. Things weren’t always so rosy at Grand Central. It was a truly grand entrance to America’s greatest metropolis. So much so that when the 20th-Century Limited train would arrive from Chicago every day, workers at Grand Central would literally put out a red carpet for travelers exiting the train. It’s hard to imagine now, but during the first half of the 20th century, long-distance train travel was a glamorous event. The gorgeous Gilded-Age monument became a splendid gateway to the Empire City, the metropolis at the center of the world. With arches, gilded touches, and other reflined flourishes, Grand Central is certainly grand!Īnd so was born this Beaux-Arts beauty in 1913. To add some flourishes to the interior, the architects hired Parisian artist Sylvain Saliéres to create bronze and stone carvings, including sculpted acorns and oaks, symbols of the Vanderbilt family. ![]() So, they hired a second architecture firm, Warren & Wetmore, to design the huge three-arch facade, complete with its now-iconic clock. ArchitectureĪuthorities, though, were concerned that Grand Central would not appear grand enough. Paul-based architecture firm Reed and Stem won the competition to design the terminal. But as the city grew, so did the need for an even grander station. The roots of Grand Central go back to 1867 when railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the Hudson River Railway and New York Central Railroads and wanted to unite them with the Harlem line via a central railway station in Midtown Manhattan. One of the little-known secrets of Grand Central Station is that their Information Booth clock is valued at up to $20 million! Photo credit: Christian Lendl Grand Central Station’s History In 2018, there were nearly 22 million visitors to the station, excluding railway and subway passengers.īut beyond statistics, Grand Central Terminal, or as it’s commonly referred to, Grand Central Station, is a beloved marvel and the most famous and storied train station on the planet. The station has 44 platforms, the most of any train station on the planet. The Beaux-Arts station is the fourth most photographed attraction in New York City. The iconic Grand Central Oyster Bar, located in bowels of the station, shucks two million bivalves per year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |