Let's Tour New York City Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Statue of Liberty

Given to the United States by the people of France in 1886, The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island, at the entrance to New York harbor. To the immigrants that came to the U.S. in the early 20th century, this was the first sign that they had made it to a better life. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" as the inscription reads in part.

The statue was renovated for its 100th anniversary in 1986.

Answer: Ellis Island

Ellis Island saw more than 12 million immigrants pass through its gates between 1892 and 1954, when it was finally closed. The majority of these people came between its opening in 1892 and 1924. After that time the island was not widely used, with only displaced persons or war refugees passing through. On the island was a full array of processing facilities, along with immigration inspectors and a medical staff where immigrants were interviewed about their intentions in coming to the U.S.

They were also examined to make sure that they were free of disease before they were allowed final passage into America to fulfill their dreams. Ellis Island was established as a National Monument in 1965.

It went under a significant restoration project in the late 1980s after years of decay, and was opened to the public as a museum in 1990, being restored to how it looked at the turn of the 20th century.

It is estimated that over 100 million Americans can trace their roots to someone who passed through Ellis Island.

Answer: Brooklyn Bridge

All four listings are collectively known in New York City as the "East River Bridges", but it's the Brooklyn Bridge that we are looking for here. It was constructed starting in 1870 and took 13 years to complete. At the time of completion it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, spanning 5,989 feet.

It opened to the public in 1883, connecting the borough of Brooklyn with lower Manhattan which, at that time, was the heart of the city. It has stood the test of time and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

The bridge was scheduled to have a major overhaul in 2009. One interesting note: in 2006 a bunker was discovered hidden in the tower on the Manhattan side of the bridge, which contained supplies and rations that could be used in case of a nuclear attack.

Answer: Wall Street

"Wall Street is shorthand (or a metonym) for the 'influential financial interests' of the American financial industry, which is centered in the New York City area".* The area is in lower Manhattan and encompasses all the major U.S. stock exchanges, as well as many major banking centers and U.S. Government financial institutions. Wall Street itself has its own storied history. In the early days of U.S. history it formed the northern border of New Amsterdam, the forerunner of today's New York City. It also was the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first President of The United States.

*Source: Wikipedia

Answer: The Empire State Building

King Kong! The Empire State Building located on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. The excavation began in January of 1930, and building was opened on May 1, 1931. Its construction took an amazingly short 16 months. It stood as the tallest building in the world for over forty years, until the completion of the ill-fated World Trade Center towers in 1972.

It has been designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

The building has a storied history as well. Its original design was to include a mooring at the top (the 102nd floor) for dirigibles, but this idea was abandoned after a few attempts because it was deemed to be too dangerous due to the winds aloft at that height. Eerily, it was also the scene of an airplane crash in 1945, as a B-25 bomber crashed into the side of the building.

Although 14 people died in the crash, the building remained structurally sound and the resulting fire was put out in less than one hour.

The mast on the current structure is home to the transmitters for most major radio and television stations in the New York City area. And yes, King Kong did climb to the top (in the movies). The building has been featured in a number of major motion pictures over the years, some of which include "An Affair to Remember", "Sleepless in Seattle", and "Independence Day".

Answer: Macy's

Macy's is a higher-end merchandise department store which has been around since the mid 1800s. Although they have about 800 stores around the U.S., the most famous of them is the one located in Manhattan, on 34th Street, billed as the "world's largest store" since 1924.

This location takes up a full city block, between Broadway and 7th Avenue, and is nine stories tall. Macy's is also the sponsor for what is the largest and most well known of the Thanksgiving Day parades in the U.S. In addition, it sponsors the annual Fourth of July fireworks show over New York harbor.

The store is also the setting for one of the most memorable Christmas movies ever, the original "Miracle On 34th Street".

Answer: The Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum

The USS Intrepid was commissioned on the 16th of August 1943, and decommissioned in March of 1974, so its sailors served in every American war between World War II and Vietnam, as well as many military functions in between. After being decommissioned, it was first moored in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and was on display during the U.S. Bicentennial celebration in 1976.

The original plan was for the ship to be scrapped, but a campaign led by a real estate developer named Zachary Fisher saved the ship and established it as a floating museum.

The ship was moved to New York City and moored on the west side of Manhattan, in the Hudson River. In 1986 the ship was designated as a National Historic Landmark. The ship currently displays selected U.S. military aircraft as well as Concorde aircraft.

Answer: Times Square

Every New Year's Eve you probably watch that ball drop from what used to be the New York Daily News Building. Times Square is one of the busiest places in the world, where tourists abound 365 days a year. Motion picture theaters, Broadway shows, major hotels, and restaurants are just some of the major attractions that draw crowds to the area.

The first heyday of Times Square was in the 1920s and 1930s when millions of people would visit the area annually. During the period of the 1960's to the early 1980s drug addicts and the like abounded there, and it was considered an unsavory area despite the presence of all the Broadway theaters and such.

The area was slowly regentrified through the late 1980s and 1990s with major hotels establishing themselves there and a turnover of businesses to a more family friendly environment.

The Walt Disney Corporation became a major player, operating three Broadway theaters. There was also an influx of upscale restaurants and attractions making Times Square once again a major attraction in New York City all year round.

Answer: Grand Central Terminal

Commonly referred to as Grand Central Station, this is the largest train station in the world with 44 platforms and 67 tracks over two levels. There have been three different buildings on the site, but the current station has been there since 1913. The station is the hub of the commuter railroads which head north of New York City as well as the terminus for many interstate and cross country trains. During the construction a boom in the surrounding area took place with many building sprouting up surrounding the station.

In the 1930s a secret platform was built so that then President Franklin D. Roosevelt could come to New York by train, and go right from the train to the neighboring Waldorf Astoria hotel without being seen by the public, thereby hiding his affliction with polio.

The station was almost overwhelmed in its heyday, with an estimated 65,000,000 people passing through its gates in 1947 alone. There have been plans over the years to either demolish the terminal, or build a skyscraper above it, but these proposals have always been soundly defeated.

Another of New York City's historic places, it was declared a National Landmark in 1976.

Answer: Chrysler Building

With the groundbreaking in September 1928, and completion in May of 1930, the Chrysler Building was at that time the tallest building in the world. The pace of construction was frantic with an average speed of about four floors per week being completed.

It was the first man made structure to surpass the 1000 ft. mark in height. However, in less than eleven months, its height would be surpassed by the Empire State Building. The Chrysler Building is considered by many to be a classic example of art deco design.

The building consists of 3,826,000 bricks, which were all laid by hand. The building would not have been as tall if not for the spire, which was secretly constructed in the interior of the building and then erected at the last minute. Another of the many historic places in the city, this building was declared as a national landmark in 1976.

Answer: The United Nations Building

Although it is within the boundaries of New York City, when you set foot on the grounds of the United Nations you are in international territory. The building was constructed during 1949-1950 on land first purchased and then donated by the Rockefeller family.

Many sites were proposed in many different countries before the final site was chosen. Every major world dignitary has visited and spoken at the UN over its storied history. The building was scheduled to have a major renovation done in 2009.

Answer: Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall opened in 1932, and has played host to some of the biggest films and acts of all time. It is affectionately known as "The Showplace of the Nation" and at one time was one of the leading tourist attractions in the city. The name actually comes from one of the first tenants of the building in which it is located, the Radio Corporation of America, better known as RCA.

The theater combined a feature film with a lavish stage show to wow crowds for many years--and I do mean crowds! The theater was able to seat about 6,000 patrons, making it the largest movie theater in the world at the time of its opening.

The construction and decor were of an extravagant art deco design. The theater flourished until the late 1960s when moviegoers' tastes changed.

After a steady decline, the theater stopped showing first run films in the late 1970s. Since its renovation in the early 1980s the theater has run an occasional feature film, but has been mostly geared to stage shows and live concerts. One of the stage shows that has endured is the famous Radio City Christmas Show, which has been a tradition since 1933.

Although the format changes from year to year, the constant is the line of dancing ladies called The Rockettes. The hall has also been the site of some award shows in recent years, such as the MTV Music Awards, the Grammys, and the Tonys.

Answer: Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 buildings which were built with monies supplied by the Rockefeller family in the early 1930s. The building took a total of almost nine years to build, with construction on the first building beginning in 1930, and the last building being completed in 1939.

Some of the tenants of these buildings over the years have included General Electric, the now defunct Eastern Airlines, and NBC Studios. Some important TV shows were broadcast from those studios, including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (when the show was still in New York), The Today Show, and Saturday Night Live.

The annual Christmas tree lighting takes place in the sunken plaza, which features ice skating in the winter, and an outdoor cafe in the summer, and a bronze statue of the Greek legend Prometheus overlooking the diners.

Answer: St. Patrick's Cathedral

St. Patrick's Cathedral is the home of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and one of the most famous churches in the world. Construction on the building was started in 1858, but was suspended during the American Civil War. It was finally completed in 1878, and opened to the public the following year. Additions were made to the building during the rest of the century, and construction took place as late as 1901.

The church can accommodate 2200 people. The spires rise 330 feet in the air. The church has been used for funeral masses for a plethora of famous Americans, some of which include baseball greats Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Billy Martin; U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, William F. Buckley, and Andy Warhol just to name a few. This building is also on the list of National Historic Landmarks as of 1976.

Answer: Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the "The Met" as it is known around the city, is one of the world's largest art museums. It features over two million pieces of art, in 19 different genres, covering an area almost a quarter mile long and two million square feet. Everything from ancient Egyptian art to Modern art is represented in some form here. Also found are Greek and Roman art, dating back as far as the fourth century.

The museum was founded in 1870, and the first displays were opened to the public in early 1872.

In 2007, the museum was visited by an estimated 5.2 million people.

Answer: Central Park

All the listed choices are major parks in New York City, but of course we're talking about Central Park here. A piece of land 2.6 miles long by 1/2 mile wide, it has been valued as high as about $528 billion by property assessors. The park was constructed during the mid-19th century, and although it looks natural, it is almost entirely landscaped.

The park contains many walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks, a zoo, a conservatory garden, a reservoir, a wildlife sanctuary, and a theater. The Delacorte is the theater which is home to each summer's "Shakespeare in the Park" productions.

There are also six miles of drives through the park, which are used for vehicular traffic at certain times, and then are converted to pedestrian walkways where bicyclists and joggers abound.

The park is also used for many cultural events, as well as summer concerts, some of which are free, by major recording artists of all genres. When a free concert is announced, you can be sure that if you attend, you will probably be among a million people or more.

Answer: The American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the largest in the world. It consists of 25 interconnected buildings and has 46 permanent exhibition halls. The collections stored total over 32 million items, of which only a relatively small amount can be displayed at any one time.

The museum was founded in 1869 and was annexed often, until the 1930s. The famous skeleton in the main lobby is that of a Barosaurus, a dinosaur that lived perhaps 150 million years ago. The skeletal remains are 89 feet tall.

In addition to the many fossils that abound, the museum's exhibits include many animals, including mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians in scenes depicting their natural habitats. Most of these animals have been restored by taxidermy and other measures to look as they did when they were alive, and they are displayed in models of their natural surroundings.

There is also an extensive geological collection, a human biology and evolution section, and even a display of meteorites. Annexed to the museum is the Hayden Planetarium, where displays concerning space and the study of the stars and planets may be found.

The museum plays host to about 4 1/2 million visitors annually.

Answer: George Washington Bridge

The George Washington Bridge, or "GWB" as it is known to those who listen to traffic reports on radio stations, was constructed in the area of northern Manhattan starting in 1927. It was completed in 1931. The bridge connects Manhattan with New Jersey over the Hudson River. It is built very close to the site of two American Revolutionary forts, Fort Washington on the New York side, and Fort Lee on the New Jersey side. It is said that George Washington evacuated New York by sailing across the river from New York to New Jersey between these two forts. The bridge opened with one deck and four lanes of traffic in 1931. Two lanes were added in 1946, and an entire lower level was constructed later, and this lower level slyly dubbed "Martha" opened in 1962. The original design for the bridge was to have the towers encased in granite, but this plan was vacated during the Great Depression as being too expensive. Actually, the architectural community fell in love with the criss-cross steel girder design.

"The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson is the most beautiful bridge in the world. Made of cables and steel beams, it gleams in the sky like a reversed arch. It is blessed. It is the only seat of grace in the disordered city. It is painted an aluminum color and, between water and sky, you see nothing but the bent cord supported by two steel towers. When your car moves up the ramp the two towers rise so high that it brings you happiness; their structure is so pure, so resolute, so regular that here, finally, steel architecture seems to laugh. The car reaches an unexpectedly wide apron; the second tower is very far away; innumerable vertical cables, gleaming against the sky, are suspended from the magisterial curve which swings down and then up. The rose-colored towers of New York appear a vision whose harshness is mitigated by distance." (Le Corbusier, "When the Cathedrals Were White", 1947).

According to The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge, it carried over 107,000,000 vehicles in 2007, the last year for which figures are available.

Answer: The Cloisters

The Cloisters is run by the same people who operate The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is located at the northern tip of Manhattan in Fort Tryon Park. The collection of art housed there is European in nature, and there are a total of about 5,000 pieces, dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries.

The building was constructed in the 1930s and opened to the public in 1938. It is interesting in that the building itself is a work of art. It is a composite of five actual medieval building which were taken apart in France, and reconstructed on the current site.

Answer: Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is the largest zoo in the United States. It covers a total of 265 acres of land and is visited annually by over two million people. The zoo opened in 1899 with 843 animals within 22 exhibits. The zoo has grown in size over the years, and is home to many endangered species of animals. The animals are displayed as close to their natural habitat as possible, with constant landscaping adjustments being made to make the animals feel "at home". In 2006, the zoo was home to over 4,000 animals. It has been designated as a New York City landmark.

This ends our tour, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. There could be fifty of these quizzes and still not cover all the things to see and do in New York. If you ever get the chance, please come and visit.