Turtle Bay: From Quiet Farmland to the International Stage 

This Jane’s Walk will explore the history of the ever-changing East Midtown neighborhood, including colonial days when the area was site of the wealthy Turtle Bay and Beekman Farms surrounding a cove called Turtle Bay; the mid-1880s when it was a pleasant neighborhood of brownstones (many still standing); a period of decay late in the 19th century after the Bay was filled in and the landfill attracted dirty stockyards and breweries; the area’s 1920s rebirth when a socialite created the Turtle Bay Gardens residences; the 1940s, when the stockyard site was cleared for the United Nations’ headquarters complex; and the 1950s, when the old Third Avenue El was dismantled, to be replaced by an avenue of office towers. Current news, such as the planned East River Esplanade, will also be discussed.

*This walk will be happening on both May 5th, and May 6th

Date: Saturday May 5, 2012
Time: 11:00am-1:00pm

Date: Sunday May 6, 2012
Time: 11:00am-1:00pm

Event Start: Amster Yard, at 211 East 49th Street

Event End: Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 47th Street near First Avenue, in front of the outdoor cafe

Host:   Pamela Hanlon, author of “Manhattan’s Turtle Bay: Story of a Midtown Neighborhood”

Registration: No need to sign up, just show up at the posted meeting location.

Accessibility: Fully Accessible