Manhattan; The fun never stops

Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Located mostly on the island of Manhattan, the island is home to over 1.6 million people, making it the most crowded county in the country. Manhattan occupies lightly less than 23 square miles, and is also one of the wealthiest counties in the country.

Originally inhabited by the Lenape Indians, the island was acquired by in Peter Minuit in 1626 for sixty guilders. The land was purchased from another tribe, the Canarsees, who had no actual claim to the island, to enable the expansion of Fort Amsterdam, built by Dutch fur traders in 1625.

Today Manhattan is home to a diverse population and is the center of economic and cultural endeavors. The financial district of Wall Street is synonymous with wealth around the world. Both the NASDAQ and New York Stock exchange operate here, as do a number of other stock exchanges. Billions of dollars move through these trade floors each year.

Manhattan also hosts some of the most extensive art collections in the world. You can find the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum and a score of other smaller museums around the city. The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is inspiring both inside and out with it’s unique spiral shape. The Museum of Natural History is acknowledged as one of the best such museums available, and you could easily spend days exploring its wonders.

Manhattan’s charms don’t end with museums. The Broadway district, located in Times Square, abounds in plays and musicals. Lincoln Center, found about a mile away, is the home of the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet and the New York Philharmonic. In the neighboring boroughs you can find New York’s professional sports teams, the Knicks, Yankees, Mets, Liberty and Rangers. All over the island you will find incredible restaurants to temp you. No cuisine is unrepresented.

Manhattan’s skyline is truly unique. While the first skyscraper was built in Chicago, it is Manhattan that made them famous. For almost one hundred years, from 1890-1973, Manhattan was home to the world’s tallest building through a succession of ever increasing structures, the final of which were the Twin Towers and the World Trade Center Complex. The Towers, which fell in the 9-11 attack, are to be replaced with the new Freedom Tower currently under construction.

One of Manhattan’s most unique features is Central Park. Located between 5th Avenue and Central Park West (8th Avenue) and spanning from 59th to 110th Streets, the park measures 843 acres. Home to a zoo, bike and walking trails, open fields, lakes and the New York City Reservoir, the park offers the inhabitants of Manhattan a reprieve from city life. The park has its own outdoor theater where plays, concerts and events of all sorts take place. Pope John Paul the II even hosted mass on the Great Lawn in 1995.

Manhattan is a truly remarkable city. Whether you live there, or just visit, there is always something new to discover.

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