CHRONOLOGY OF NEW YORK CITY'S FACTUAL "FIRST" 1524-1999
Researched and Compiled by Miriam Medina

S    E   C    T    I    O    N

 1   9    1   9  ---    1    9    2    5

*Please note this is a work in progress. New researched information will be added periodically.

1 9 1 9

1) The first publication of The New York Daily News, a successful tabloid.

2) The first World War One memorial in the United States was the clock in the tower of Pier A, Battery Park, lower Manhattan, dedicated in 1919. *(Clock-tower)

3) 1919 - The first Miss America was crowned in New York City. Edith Hyde. * (a.com)

4) Roseland Ballroom opens . * (nyct)

5) The Clark Street Tunnel service to Borough Hall, Brooklyn, was opened in April, 1919. * (NYS History) Vol. I

6) The Hunts Point Avenue Extension of the subway was opened January 7, 1919. * (NYS History) Vol. I

7) The American Legion organized the Lynbrook Post, No. 335, in August, 1919. Captain W. A. Ronald was the first commander.

8) 1919--Actors' Equity stages first successful strike. 

9) The Theater Guild was created in 1919. * (Concise)

10 Arcadia Knitting Mills. in Brooklyn at 473 Kent Ave. Inc. 1919. Knitted Rayon Underwear Cloth. * (1928DS)

11) Bernard M. Baruch College of the city universities of N.Y. in New York city was founded in 1919. * (t.a.)

12) The session of 1919 has a unique place in New York Political history. Never before had a woman had a Legislative seat in the house, but in 1919 two were seated, Ida B. Sammis of Suffolk, Republican and Mary M. Lilly of New York, Democrat. * (NYS History)

13) Magazine Publishers of America, at 919 Third Avenue, New York City was established in 1919. * (t.a.)

14) Theatre Guild, Inc. 226 W. 47th Street in New York City was founded in 1919.

15) Lorenz Milton Hart, born in NYC, American lyricist. Hart began collaborating with Richard Rodgers in 1919, their initial success was "The Garrick Gaieties" (1925) * (c.e.)

16) Maurice Schwartz, American actor and producer. He established himself as the foremost Yiddish actor of the United States at the Yiddish Art Theatre, N.Y. which he founded in 1919. * (c.e.)

17) Theatre Guild, organization formed in 1919 by members of the Washington Square Players (formed 1914) N.Y. and financed at first by Otto H. Kahn and later largely by subscription. The group opened with Benavente's "Bonds of Interest" and in 1925 it opened the theater which it had built on 52d street. * (c.e.)

18) William Boyce Thompson, American financier and Philanthropist. He is best remembered for founding (1919) the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research in Yonkers, N.Y. * (c.e.)

19) Orson Welles, American actor director and producer, he made his New York stage debut in 1934. * (c.e.)

20) T. Cornelius Van Vliet was first cellist and soloist of the N.Y. Philharmonic Orchestra 1919-1929. He is the founder of the N.Y. Trio and the Van Vliet Trio. * (Hollanders)

21) The National Assn. of Accountants, 919 Third Ave., N.Y., N.Y. was established in 1919. * (w.a.)

22) National Amputation Foundation 12-45 150th St. Whitestone, N.Y. was established in 1919. * (w.a.)

1 9 2 0

1) New York got its first taste of another sort of menace in 1920 when a wagon filled with 100 pounds of dynamite exploded outside Morgan Bank on Wall Street, killing 38 people and injuring hundreds more. Blamed on anarchists, no arrests were ever made.

2) The New York State Psychiatric Institute and Hospital, a state institution authorized by legislation in 1920. * (NYS History) Vol: V

3) The Age of Innocence (1920), Edith Wharton became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize. Wharton looks back to the New York of the 1870's with an increasingly nostalgic for the vanished genteel world of her youth. * (Benet)

4) Acoma Textile Mills, Inc.at 113 Ingraham St. in Brooklyn, was Incorporated in 1920. Knitted Jersey Cloth, Neckties, Mufflers, Shawls & Sweaters. * (1928 DS)

5) Brooklyn Hosiery Mills, Inc. 35 Broadway, Brooklyn, N.Y. was incorporated in 1920. Ladies' Silk Hosiery. * (1928DS)

6) American Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad st. New York City, was founded 1920. * (t.a.)

7) Magen David Synagogue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn was designed by architect Maurice Courland and was constructed in 1920-21 for New York's flourishing Syrian-Jewish community. * (nyclc)

8) Canton Knitting Mills, in Brooklyn at 47 Watkins St. was established in 1920. Sweater Coats & Novelties. * (dsd1928)

9) John Barrymore is Richard III, in his first Shakespearean role.

10) English-Speaking Union of the United States at 16 E. 69th Street, NYC was established in 1920. * (t.a.)

11) Frances Steloff opens the Gotham Book Mart on West 47th Street , 1920. * (nyct)

12) American Academy for Jewish Research, Inc. 3080 Broadway, N.Y.C. was established in 1920.* (ajyb)

13) In 1920 Jack Johnson (the first black heavyweight champion) opens Club Deluxe in Harlem (changed name to the Cotton Club in 1923).

14) Amelita Galli-Curci, Italian American colatura-soprano, at the Metropolitan Opera she sang first in 1920 and regularly from 1926-1930.* (c.e.)

15) In 1920 Harlem elected its first negro alderman an independent Republican named George Harris. * (c.e.)

16) Hero Park, on Victory Boulevard opposite the Jewish Community Center, was donated to the City of New York by the late Dr. Louis A. Dreyfus, scientst and educator. A plaque in the park contains this inscription: "This tablet is erected by the City of New York in honor of Dr. Louis A. Dreyfus and his wife, Berta E. Dreyfus, who deeded this land as a park to the City of New York to perpetuate the memory of the heroes of Staten Island who made the supreme sacrifice in the World War." The plaque was erected in 1920. * (ajtg)

17) Music Box Theater: 239 W 45th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues. Completed 1920. Architects C Howard Crane | E George Kiehler. * (JD)

1 9 2 1

1) "Morning Telegraph reporter, John J. Fitz Gerald, first made common use of the term "Big Apple" during the 1920s in reference to the city's racetracks. He apparently first heard it used by African American stable hands in New Orleans in 1921. The term was popularized among African American jazz musicians in the 1930s, who regarded New York, and particularly Harlem, as the capital city of jazz. It's modern use derives largely from a publicity campaign developed in 1971 by the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau.See: Gerald Leonard Cohen, "Big Apple," in: The Encyclopedia of New York City.

2) 1921-The American Birth Control League was founded in New York City by Margaret Sanger. It combined the National Birth Control League which she had founded in 1914, with the Voluntary Parenthood League, that was founded in 1919 by Mary Ware Dennett.

3) Port of New York Authority established in 1921 .

4) Nicholas Roerich Museum at 319 West 107th Street, New York City. The Master Institute of United Arts was founded on November 17, 1921 by Nicholas Roerich for the purpose of uniting all the arts under one roof. One unit of the Master Institute was the Roerich Museum which used to be at 310 Riverside Drive. * (Museums)

5) The first novel of Ben Hecht, American journalist, playwright and novelist, born in New York City was titled "Erik Dorn" (1921). * (Benet's)

6) Vincent Youmans, American composer, b. New York City. His first musical, Two Little Girls in Blue, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, opened (1921) on Broadway. * (Bartleby)

7) Sophie Irene Loeb, (Authoress and social worker). She was for seven years president of the Board of Child Welfare of New York, and in 1921 established the first child welfare building. * (EOJK)

8) Berman Bros. Mills, Inc.at 70 Wyckoff Ave.in Brooklyn, N.Y. was incorporated in 1921. Sweaters, Novelties, Ties & Bathing Suits. * (1928DS)

9) The Times Square Post office building on West 38th street west of 7th avenue was completed and occupied in 1921. * (nyt)

10) The Ridgewood Savings Bank was founded in 1921 in Ridgewood, Queens, as a mutual savings bank which had no stockholders and distributed all profits to its depositors * (nyclc)

11) Vincent Sardi's restaurant begins serving theatergoers. * (nyct)

12) The first station, WJZ, had been established in 1921 by Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. A Newark, NJ, factory cloakroom was the original studio, equipped with a rented piano and an acoustic phonograph. After the station was purchased by RCA, the studios and transmitter were moved to Aeolian Hall in New York.* (tvhbk)

13) Jewish Socialist Verband of America at 175 E. Broadway, N.Y.C. was established in 1921. * (ajyb)

14) Amelita Galli-Curci At the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, she sang first in 1921 .* (bartleby)

15) Edith Wharton first woman to win a Pulitzer prize for fiction, "The Age of Innocence".

16) Shuffle Along (the first of all black Broadway musicales).

17) Vincent Youmans, American composer born in NYC. His first musical "Two Little Girls, in Blue with lyrics by Ira Gershwin opened (1921) on Broadway. * (c.e.)

1 9 2 2

1) Standard Oil Building (now 26 Broadway- Carrere and Hastings)

2) Harlem's Cotton Club opens, with black entertainers performing for a mostly white audience . * (nyct)

3) . Reader's Digest is founded in a Greenwich Village basement

4) The Museum of the American Indian , Broadway at 155th street is the largest Indian Museum in the world. George C. Heye founded the institution which was opened to the public in 1922. * (Museum)

5) 237-239 West 37th street was completed in December 1922. * (nyt)

6) New York radio station WJZ made broadcasting history when it used a live studio audience for the first time for a show called The Perfect Fool on February 19, 1922.

7) 1922: AT&T opens WEAF, the first commercial radio station in New York. AT&T left radio broadcasting in 1926, retaining the networking facilities used to send programs to stations across the country.* (tvhbk)

8) Mordecai Menohem Kaplan, American rabbi, educator and philosopher. In 1922 he founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. He is best known however as the originator and leader of the Reconstruction Movement. * (c.e.)

9) Radio Periodicals "Radio Broadcast" began in May 1922.

10) In 1922 the New York Times started a regular radio section with the late orrin E. Dunlap, Jr, now better known for his many books on radio and television.

11) Baruch Place, named for Dr. Simon Baruch, father of Bernard and Herman, is the former Goerck St. Between Nos. 124 and 142 are the Lavanburg Homes, conceived in 1922 by Fred L. Lavanburg, who wanted "to reach the poorest of earning classes" and to give them housing accommodations within their reach. * (ajtg)

12) The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is at 40 West 68th St., in the former home of the Free Synagogue. Rabbi Wise founded the J.I.R. in 1922, and it was merged with H.U.C. in 1950 It is the New York school of America's only Reform and oldest rabbinical seminary. & * (ajtg)

13) 1922 : Standard Oil Building (now 26 Broadway- Carrere and Hastings)* (stl)

1 9 2 3

1) Before crossing the English Channel in world-record time, 16-year-old Gertrude Caroline Ederle was the first woman to swim the 17 miles from New York's Battery to Sandy Hook, N.J.

2) In 1923, Yankee Stadium was opened at 161st Street and River Avenue as the home of the New York Yankees. They win their first World Series.

3) 1923: Babe Ruth Hits First Home Run in Yankee Stadium. On April 18, 1923, more than 74,000 baseball fans crowded into the newly-constructed Yankee Stadium on 161st Street in the Bronx to watch the first game ever played there. (Newsday.com)

4) May 2-3, 1923. Lieutenants John A. Macready and Oakley G.Kelly fly Fokker T-2 monoplane in first nonstop transcontinental flight, 2,516 miles, from New York City to San Diego, Calif., in 26 hours, 50 minutes, 3 seconds. (Aviation History)

5) The first mechanical switchboard was installed in the New York City telephone system, and the exchange was called "Pennsylvania," October 14,1923. *(afp.com)

6) The New York Renaissance Basketball Team was founded by Robert Douglas in 1923. * (charter)

7) First sound on film motion picture, Phonofilm was shown at Rivoli Theater, New York City in 1923. * (50s)

8) Abramson Mills, at 372 Thatford Ave. in Brooklyn, was established in 1923. B. Abramson, Prop.; Fibre Silk Knitted Neckties. * (1928 DS)

9) Neon Advertising sign was installed on a marquee at the Cosmopolitan Theatre 59th street and Columbus Circle in New York City in July, of 1923. * (fff)

10) The Museum of the City of New York is founded; it's first home: Gracie Mansion .

11) The city begins the 32-year process of dismantling many of its old elevated railways . * (nyct)

12) Russian immigrant Ida Rosenthal designs a new uplift brassiere - Maiden Form is born.

13) 1923 Time Magazine founded by Henry Luce. Circulation of the first issue was 9,000 copies.

14) Percy Leo Crosby, American cartoonist, artist and writer from Brooklyn, N.Y. He is best known for his popular syndicated comic strip "skippy" which first appeared in 1923.

15) Oscar Hammerstein, American lyricist, and librettist born in NYC. His first success was "Wildflower". * (c.e.)

16)H.V. Kalten best known commentator, an assistant editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, which sponsored him for a weekly news commentary over WEAF starting October 1923.

17) Assn. on American Indian Affairs 432 Park ave so. N.Y., N.Y. was established in 1923. * (w.a.)

1 9 2 4

1) The first publication of the New York Herald Tribune. It will compete with the New York Times until the Tribune ends publication in 1966.

2) Wireless transmission of photographs from London to New York City was demonstrated by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). It took about 20-25 minutes for each photograph to be transmitted, November 30,1924.*(afp.com)

3) Coney Island's first beauty contest was held during the Democratic National Convention in Manhattan.

4) 1924 Macy's holds its first Thanksgiving Day Parade. * (NYCT)

5) The Lynbrook Free Library received its charter from the Regents of the University of the State of New York on February 26, 1924.

6) 1924___ "Dixie to Broadway", a musical revue featuring an African-American cast, premieres at the Broadhurst Theater in New York City. * (charter)

7) Alpha Knitting Mills, Inc.at 220 Varet St.in Brooklyn was incorporated in 1924. Nathan Spitzer, Pres., Sec. & Buyer. Art. Silk & Rayon Knitted Cloth. * (1928DS)

8) Astor Knitwear Co., Inc.in Brooklyn at 109 Ingraham St., was incorporated in 1924. David Lubasch, Pres. Sweaters & Novelties. *
(1928DS)

9) 246-250 West 38th street was completed in 1923. * (nyt)

10) George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue premieres at Aeolian Hall . * (nyct)

11) Pierpont Morgan Library originally the private library of J. Pierpont Morgan, in 1924 made a public institution by J.P. Morgan as a memorial to his father, Library is at Madison Ave and 36th st. NYC.* (c.e.)

12) Paul Whiteman, American musician. In New York in 1924 at a concert that innaugurated the period of "symphonic Jazz" he introduced Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue which had been written for the occasion. * (c.e.)

1 9 2 5

1) Lucrezia Bori and John McCormack of the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York City made their singing debuts on radio. The broadcast over what was WEAF Radio (now WABC) encouraged others to sing on radio. * (a.com)

2) Robert Moses begins a 40-year career as New York's master builder. * (nyct)

3) Lou Gehrig plays his first of 2,130 consecutive games with the Yankees . * (nyct)

4) The Marx Brothers debut on the New York Stage in Cocoanuts.


5) The New Yorker was founded on 21st February, 1925. The editor was Harold Ross.

6) Valley Stream is a village (incorporated in 1925) in the western part of the Town of Hempstead, along the Nassau County/New York City (County/Borough of Queens) line.

7) In 1925 Ben Gross began his 45 year career with the New York Daily News and a writer signing himself "Pioneer" offered technical lips & brief reviews in the NY Tribune.

Continue on Page: 5  (1926-1932)