Detroit may have been the Motor City, but New York City was where the car became king, according to a new book and exhibit which look at the history of the automobile in New York in the early 1900s.
The exhibit is now open at the Museum of the City of New York, accompanied by the book "Cars, Culture and the City," by Phil Patton and museum curator Donald Albrecht.
"'Taking a look at what Park Avenue looked like with the horse and buggies, the car really transformed a lot, and you realize there's this amazing love affair with freedom of mobility - and the car really gave that to the average person,' said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
But the book by Mr. Albrecht and Mr. Patton makes clear that the automobile caught on first with upper-crust types. 'And since a lot of rich people lived in New York, the car was a New York thing,' Mr. Albrecht said.
He said that of the 8,000 cars in the United States in 1900, nearly a third were owned by New Yorkers. They raced them at City Hall Park and built getaway roads. William K. Vanderbilt II, a great-grandson of the railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, built a parkway on Long Island."
FULL STORY: Cars and the City, Imperfect Together
Owning a Car in N.Y.C. More Appealing Than Ever Before
In the past, owning a car in New York City made little sense for most people. But the pandemic has many residents reconsidering their transportation options.
Cyclists, Pedestrians, and Drivers Clash
With over 8 million people sharing the streets and sidewalks of New York City, there is bound to be a clash between transportation modes. Who's to blame? Lyndsey Scofield says that there is bad behavior on all sides.
A Different Kind of New York Street Conversion 100 Years Ago
While New York City is currently taking space away from automobiles and giving it to pedestrians and cyclists, the New York City of 100 years ago was doing exactly the opposite. And it was a popular idea.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience
In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
