Along the Hudson: Walking Manhattan’s Western Waterfront with Author William J. Hennessey

Talk Highlights:

• Explore sights and stories from Hennessey's new book, Along the Hudson: Walking Manhattan’s Western Waterfront
• Start at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan, where the city’s history began, and explore Battery Park City—a remarkable 96-acre neighborhood built on landfill
• Learn about Hudson River Park, where derelict piers have been reconceived with restaurants and amenities to give New Yorkers direct access to their river
• Uncover the origins of The High Line—the elevated railway freight line that has become one of New York’s most popular parks
• Revisit the Chelsea docks where the great Cunard and White Star liners once dropped off and picked up seafaring passengers
• Admire Riverside Park and the mansions and apartment houses of Riverside Drive
• See the soaring George Washington Bridge, the New Jersey Palisades, and the
  rugged shoreline of Upper Manhattan

About this Event:

This live virtual talk will reveal the story of the rise, decline, and rebirth of Manhattan's Hudson waterfront from the 17th century to the present day. We will explore the unique characteristics of New York’s harbor and trace the ongoing evolution of the Hudson shoreline from a gritty row of working docks into a desirable residential enclave and a chain of inviting parks.

Our virtual walk will take us all the way from the Battery to Spuyten Duyvil at the northern tip of Manhattan. We will visit notable buildings and discover key transportation infrastructure. We will recall great ocean liners and humble ferries, learn about transformational tunnels and railways, and look across the river at important sites on the New Jersey shore. Along the way we will explore seminal historic events and meet some extraordinary personalities that shaped New York's dynamic relationship with the river that is its raison dêtre.

About the Author, William Hennessey:

William Hennessey is an architectural historian and retired art museum director. He is the author of three architectural guidebooks – Walking Broadway: Thirteen Miles of Art and History; Fifth Avenue: From Washington Square to Marcus Garvey Park; and Along the Hudson: Walking Manhattan’s Western Waterfront.