My NYC resouces promise much but deliver little on New York City firsts.  I
know there are many "firsts" in the history of the city.  I read about many
of them, but I didn't write them down!  I just bought a cute book, It
Happened In New York by Capo and Borzellieri which has on page 148 NYC's
World Records and Firsts.

The books mentions;

Largest scale model -5 boros - Queens Museum
Largest clock - Williamsburg Savings Bank
Broadway - longerst street in world
Verranzano Bridge - longest suspension bridge in country
First crossword Puzzel - NY World
First full length talking picture - 7-6-1928 - strand theater
World first flea circus - (what is a flea circus anyway?)
first radio sponson - WEAL 1922 - Realty corporation
first hotel with an elevator
first free adult evening school
nyc is home to the original pooh and friends, stuffed animals, Donnel Library
largest cathedral - st. john the divine
first turkish bath in us - 1863 brooklyn
largest second hand bookstore - strand
plus some other miscellaneous stuff.

To this list I can add (from memory)

First Worlds Fair in US - Crystal Palace - Bryant Park
First safety elevator demonstrated by Otis at that same Worlds Fair
First passenger safty elevator installed - ?name of building escapes me? -
Soho
First zoo in the US - Central Park Zoo
First fatal auto accident - 1898 Central Park West
First newsparper to use color inks-  The World - for comic strip "The Yellow
Kid."
Largest chandeliers - Radio City Music Hall - still holds record

New York City is the greatest city in the world.  I'm sure there is much more
then just this.  Does anyone know a good source that lists the records and
firsts on NYC?

There is a book New York Firsts, I think it's called, that offers very
little.  It's offers things like, who was the first mayor?   That's not what
I had in mind.  New York's history has changed the world and these NYC
"firsts" did a lot of that.

Can anyone add to or correct my small list?  Was the hotdog invented in NYC?

Jim Maguire
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JIM MAGUIRE