10 Things You Never Knew About New York
New York is one of the most famous cities in the world. Renowned for its creativity, architecture, art and entertainment, it is one of the most interesting places on the planet. While we might know a lot about the state, there’s quite a lot we probably don’t know…
1. The New York Taxi
The iconic New York cab is yellow as John Hertz, the founder of New York’s Yellow Cabs, had discovered that yellow is the easiest colour for the eye to spot. Turns out he was right!
2. The Capital City
Did you know New York was the capital of the USA at one point? However, its appointment didn’t last long as it only held the title from 1789-1790, as it was replaced by Philadelphia and then Washington DC.
3. Crime
New York has been synonymous with crime for many years now. Thought to be the hub of organised crime, theft and murder, it has had the lowest crime rate out of the 25 largest US cities since 2005 – making it one of the safest places to live in the country.
4. Cuckolding
It’s an actual crime to cheat on your partner in New York. True story. It’s a misdemeanour that’s punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $500 crime.
5. Mole People
It was thought that “mole people” were a myth, but in 1993 a book by Jennifer Toth revealed that there were men and women living in the tunnels in New York. While they have since been cleared out, it is thought that some mole people are still living underneath New Yorkers’ feet.
6. New Yorkers
New York is one of the most multicultural cities on the planet. So it probably comes as no surprise that 36% of its population are not from the USA.
7. Parrots
If you head to Brooklyn there’s a good chance you’ll spot a parrot or two. For some reason, the colourful birds have opted to live in the borough and no-one knows the reason why.
8. The Whispering Gallery
There is a whispering gallery in Grand Central Terminal. If you stand in one corner you can hear a gentle whisper from someone whispering in another corner. It doesn’t matter how loud passersby are, you can still hear them.
9. Winnie the Pooh
The real Winnie the Pooh lives in New York! The teddy bear, which was bought by A.A Milne at Harrods, London, in 1921 for his son Christopher. He lives in the Children’s Center of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, along with Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Kanga. No Christopher Robin, though.
10. Slippers
You cannot wear slippers in New York after 10pm. We have no idea why.
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