Every building in New York City has a story. Whenever friends or family pass through the city and ask for recommendations on necessary landmarks, the first stop I recommend is Grand Central Station. Sure, like 750,000+ other New Yorkers, I pass through this station a few times a week and don’t always take the moment to absorb the grandeur of it. But trust me, it’s one of this city’s most historically rich gems and brimming with romance.
Walking through this terminal always delivers me with creative energy as I imagine over 100 years of journeys of those who came to New York City for something more. From countless lovers reuniting as skylight cascaded across the marble floor to the iconic moments in American film we know so well (North by Northwest, Cary Grant), It’s one of the most romantic destinations within all the city, and one day I’m going to randomly tell someone to meet me by the clock at the information booth because swoon.
Here are a few facts about Grand Central Station that will induce wanderlust for every New Yorker and tourist alike:
You Can Thank Jackie O. Kennedy
The famous and perhaps most beloved first lady in American history saved the iconic building from destruction to make way for a construction project. She was fiercely protective of the historical legacy of old Manhattan, which her grandfather actually helped build. She joined the fight to save Grand Central and in a famous press conference at The Oyster Bar (yes, the only and only), she said: “If we don’t care about our past we can’t have very much hope for our future.”
That Famous Clock at the Information Desk is Priceless
Well, not exactly priceless. Due to its antiquity, rarity and four opal faces, current estimates put this clock’s value at around $10,000,000.
The Departure Board Times Aren’t Quite Accurate
Yes, all trains actually leave one minute after their schedule departure time. Don’t tell rushing New Yorkers that though (we’ll rush anyway).
The Constellations on the Ceiling are Backwards (For a Good Reason)
Painted by French artist Paul Helleu, the famous constellations on the ceiling of the main concourse are reversed from how we would see them in the starry sky. It was instead designed from God’s perspective.
There is Vanderbilt Everywhere
Throughout the terminal, you’ll noticed acorn and oak leave designs carved into marble. The symbol of one of America’s most elite packs: the Vanderbilt family. They financed the construction of the original Grand Central Station (Grand Central Depot).
You’ll Never See the Terminal’s Best-Kept Secrets
In addition to dozens of underground tunnels, defunct tracks and hidden passageways…deep beneath the main concourse is a room with ancient machinery, red buttons that halt New York traffic and a secret platform and train that Franklin D. Roosevelt used to hide his paralysis from the American public. That train also went directly the the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where he would stay while in the city. Andy Warhol would later throw a party there. And that’s just the tip of the historical iceberg.
The American Flag is a Reminder
That huge American flag in the main concourse is now iconic, but wasn’t always there. It was hung in the concourse in the days after 9/11, and has since remained.
