As early as 1839, onetime mayor Philip Hone recognized that in New York "the spirit of pulling down and building up is abroad." The whole city is rebuilt every ten years, he guessed; and nearly a century later O. Henry was to point out, "It'll be a great place if they ever finish it." One of the constants of New York is that the city constantly changes, for whatever happened in America is likely to happen first in New York. And although outsiders sometimes express a certain distrust or even dislike of the city, it is still the Big Apple, the only place where making it big really counts. For those upon whom New York exerts its attraction, this fascinating volume is a must. Drawing upon the unequaled collections of The Museum of the City of New York, this entertaining history illustrates the development of the city from tiny Dutch commercial outpost (where one building in four was a tavern) to world metropolis, where the United Nations is headquartered. The almost three hundred carefully selected illustrations (fifty-five in color) include prints, photographs, maps, paintings, handbills, theater programs, sheet music, furniture, sculpture, fire engines, cartoons, dolls, advertisements, silver, nostalgic ephemera such as speakeasy cards, and even the personal possessions of famous New Yorkers from Alexander Hamilton to Boss Tweed to Major Jimmy Walker - things which show what Gotham was really like. The extraordinary rise of New York - and its effects - is pictured in long-vanished street scenes of Old World beauty, artifacts of half-forgotten big events, handsome buildings now demolished, bucolic parks paved over, famous conflagrations, and typical New Yorkers at play and work. Each illustration has its own caption, adding fascinating details to the author's fast-moving and anecdotal text, which tells the always lively story of New York with an emphasis on the colorful men and women who give the city its character. 292 illustrations, including 55 plates in full color. - Dust jacket.