True or False #1
Manhattan was originally purchased from Native Americans for $24 worth of goods.
True! The Dutch purchased the island from the Lenape people in 1626.
Central Park was the first landscaped public park in the United States.
New Yorkers consume more hot dogs than any other city in the U.S.
True! New York City, especially Coney Island, is known for its hot dog culture.
New York-style cheesecake is known for being light and fluffy.
False! It’s known for being dense and creamy.
This park is one of the most filmed locations in the world.
Central Park is one of the most filmed locations in the world. Movies like Home Alone 2, Ghostbusters, and Enchanted feature iconic Central Park scenes.
Wall Street got its name from a literal wall built by Dutch settlers to protect themselves from pirates.
False! The wall was built to protect the colony from the British and other potential invaders.
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for over 40 years.
The best bagels in New York are made with imported water from Europe.
False! New York’s bagels are famous for being made with the city’s unique tap water.
You can find food from almost every country in the world in New York City.
True! NYC’s diversity makes it a global food capital with countless international cuisines.
Which superheroes call New York City home?
Spider-Man, Daredevil, and the Avengers
Broadway is the oldest north–south main road in Manhattan.
True! Broadway dates back to Native American paths and is one of the oldest roads in New York City.
Manhattan was once the capital of the United States.
The first pizzeria in the United States opened in New York City.
True! Lombardi’s, established in 1905, was America’s first pizzeria.
Soft pretzels were introduced to New York by Italian immigrants.
False! They were brought over by German immigrants in the 1820s.
Once every year since 1907, why does a massive crystal ball drop in Times Square?
To celebrate New Year’s Eve. (It drops at midnight.)
The Statue of Liberty was originally intended to be placed in Central Park.
False! The Statue of Liberty was always meant to stand on Liberty Island.
Ellis Island is technically located in New Jersey, not Manhattan.
False! While the main island of Ellis Island is part of New York, a portion of the island is located in New Jersey due to a Supreme Court ruling.
Baked Alaska was invented in New York City.
True! Delmonico’s restaurant claims to have created this famous dessert in the 1860s.
The black-and-white cookie is technically considered a cake by some people.
In the 1933 classic film King Kong, the giant ape famously climbs to the top of what famous New York City skyscraper?
Manhattan is named after a Native American word meaning “island of hills.”
Times Square was originally called Longacre Square.
True! It was renamed Times Square in 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters there.
An egg cream contains both eggs and cream.
False! Despite the name, it’s made with milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup—no eggs or cream.
The Cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid, was invented in New York City.
True! Chef Dominique Ansel created the Cronut in his SoHo bakery in 2013.
The "Empire State" is New York state's nickname. What is New York City's nickname?
"The Big Apple". The term was first used by sportswriter John J. Fitz Gerald. He claimed to have heard the term used by African American stable hands at the New Orleans Fair Grounds the year before. The term was already in use as slang for "a sure thing" or a "big shot".