We love New York. And we also love the new HISTORY Here app, an interactive travel guide to thousands of historic locations across the United States. So when our coworkers responsible for HISTORY Here asked some of us to snap photos of sites in and around New York City, we jumped at the chance. (And how could we pass up a day out of the office in late summer?) Assigned to specific neighborhoods in the five boroughs and beyond, we fanned out across New York and Connecticut to capture images for the app. Below, check out a slideshow of some of our favorite photos from the shoot, along with notes from our producers about why they enjoyed taking each picture. Then go and download HISTORY Here for your iPhone—it’s free! And coming soon for Android too.
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Yankee Stadiums Old and New in the Bronx (Martin)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/martin-9217.jpgYankee Stadium—needs no words, right? The picture of the former site of the stadium next to the current new stadium always touches me when I go to games. Memories of the old stadium, along with the beauty of the new stadium, make the experience pretty awesome.
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Hamilton Grange National Memorial in Hamilton Heights (Barbara)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/barbara-15330.jpgMy love for Alexander Hamilton knows no bounds, and he is hands-down my favorite founding father. This house, which he named the Grange after an ancestral home in Scotland, was the only one he ever owned. After decades of delays, in 2008 the National Park Service moved the Grange to its third and final location, on land that once belonged to Hamilton himself. It’s a fitting tribute to the man who did more to promote and champion the interests of New York than any other founding father.
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The Whitfield House in Guilford, Connecticut (Steve)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/steve-15298.jpgBuilt in 1639, the Henry Whitfield House is the oldest house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house in New England. It was built for Henry Whitfield, a Puritan minister who had come from England to flee religious persecution. While taking photographs there, I felt a little like a time traveler stepping back into the very beginnings of American history. It was built a mere 19 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in Massachusetts. It's a cool place to visit and let your imagination soar!
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William Shakespeare Monument in Central Park (Jacqueline)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/jacqueline-130400.jpgAs a literary major, it’s always fun to get to hang out with William Shakespeare. But this time in particular was special because I made friends with a group on a scavenger hunt through Central Park. They also needed to visit with Shakespeare, and we all chatted for a few moments about our tasks before I took this picture.
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Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site in Yonkers (Shana)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/shana-14121.jpgThe historical landmark of Philipse Manor lies right in the middle of an urban area. A lot of people walk by places like this, but you wonder how many actually take a look. Participating in this project was really exciting, and it makes me proud to be a part of the content HISTORY shares with the world. I knew my job was pretty cool, and getting to do stuff like this makes it awesome.
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William Earle Dodge Statue in Bryant Park (Kelly)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/kelly-130386.jpgI was in Bryant Park to take a picture of a statue of William Earl Dodge, a New York businessman and abolitionist. The only problem was a pigeon that had decided to hang out on the statue's head. I tried a couple of things but it just wouldn't leave. People sitting nearby thought I was crazy for yelling at this pigeon to fly away so I could get the picture. I was unsuccessful, and now he's part of the picture.
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Brooklyn War Memorial in Brooklyn Heights (Jennie)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/jennie-130928.jpgThis 24-foot-tall memorial in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza Park honors Brooklynites who served in World War II. Even though I live nearby and it’s a giant landmark, this was the first time I saw it up close. It was a beautiful day, and there were what seemed like hundreds of 4- or 5-year-olds playing soccer on the field that leads up to the memorial. It took me a while to take the photo because I had to avoid the many games!
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Gandhi Statue in Union Square (Kat)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/kat-14962.jpgI have lived in this neighborhood of Manhattan for six years, and I go to Union Square with my daughter almost every Saturday, but I never noticed this statue before! Dedicated in 1986, it was a gift from the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation. It's surrounded by a tiny garden, and I was glad I got to enjoy the roses in bloom before the end of summer. I wanted to tell the tourists about all the interesting things I discovered about Union Square—including that it was once a cemetery!
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E.V. Haughwout Building in SoHo (Liz)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/liz-9297.jpgI didn’t have a specific address for the E.V Haughwout Building, once home to a famous luxury shop where Mary Todd Lincoln purchased china for the White House. When I arrived at the intersection of Broadway and Broome, I found myself staring at four beautiful, historic-looking buildings, one on each corner. I pulled out my phone and did a quick Google Image search before taking the picture. I like this shot because of the cab in the foreground and the way the light is shining through the windows.
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William H. Seward Statue in Madison Square Park (Kayhan)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/kayhan-130380.jpgI love this statue of New York Governor and U.S. Secretary of State William Seward. I like the books piled underneath his chair, and I like the expression on his face. He’s holding a pen and paper, and it looks like he’s about to finish a sentence. The statue really welcomes you to the park because it’s located at the busiest entrance.
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Charging Bull at Bowling Green Park in the Financial District (Martin)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/martin-9311.jpgThe Bowling Green bull wasn't technically on my list, but I took a picture of it anyway because it rules. I was pretty surprised by how many people were waiting in line to get their picture taken with the bull, and wished I had more time to stand in line myself, but duty called. I snapped the picture and left.
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Battle of Harlem Heights Marker in Morningside Heights (Barbara)
http://www.history.com/news/history-blog/files/2012/09/barbara-14794.jpgIt was the first day of classes at Columbia University, and the campus was teeming with students—none of whom showed much patience for an intrepid photographer. I must have walked past this marker at least six times without realizing it. After many trips up and down the avenue, I had no luck. Finally, I decided to step to the side and consult my map again—and pretty much walked right into it.
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