Roman Empire | The Helmsley Building | Little Saint Nick | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
We’ll start with a bit of history right out of the gate…
This Week’s Bit on The Roman Empire
This week your quick bit on The Roman Empire brought to you by Week to Week Notes featuring Ancient Rome: The Exhibition in New York is on the Roman Aqueduct.
While the Romans can’t claim to have invented aqueducts, that would be Egypt, they can claim they perfected them. The Roman’s advanced water transport system is one of the greatest inventions of the ancient world. Did you know that the Romans had running water, indoor plumbing, and sewers? They had toilets, fountains, and even public baths for the Euro nudists.
The Romans started building their aqueducts around 312 BC and would continue building them until around 226 A.D. For over 500 years, both public and private funds paid for their construction. The projects were usually ordered by their emperors or high-ranking officials. For instance, Augustus, Caligula, and Trajan all mandated the construction of aqueducts. Using gravity, they transported water along stone, lead, and concrete pipelines into city centers. Throughout the empire, the Romans built hundreds of these water systems, some of which transported water an astounding 60 miles away. The most recognizable part of the Roman aqueducts are usually their bridges like the one pictured above, but these rounded stone arches made up only a small portion of the system itself, sometimes only making up 20% of the project. (National Geography)
Most of today’s water systems in modern times come from reservoirs and are underground. Many of the aqueducts the Romans used would come from springs, but they dug underground as well, just not to the extent we do today. When they had to dig through a mountain, they would use clay pipes which still kept the water fresh for ancient times. Today our water is supposed to run through run through some treatment plant, which I’m sure gives us only the best of the best minerals.
The famous Trevi Fountain found in the heart of the city of Rome still functions today through the use of an aqueduct built in ancient times. The Aqua Virgo is what channels water to Trevi Fountain. A guy named Agrippa ordered for it to be built in 19 B.C. during Augustus’ reign.
That’s all we got on our once-a-week piece on the Roman Empire for today…
The Helmsley Building
Located on 230 Park Avenue is The Helmsley Building. It was constructed from 1927 to 1929 by the architecture firm Warren & Wetmore. They went with the Beaux-Arts style of architecture which of course dates back to 19th century Paris. I’m a big fan of the look of it, anything Renaissance or neoclassicism and I’m sold. This building is located just north of Grand Central Terminal which was made in 1913. Due to the popularity of Grand Central, a building boom went on around what they called the “Terminal City” surroundings. The Helmsley Building would be the last of the Terminal City era.
The Helmsley Building was originally the headquarters of the New York Central Railroad Company, so the building’s original name was New York Central. It wasn’t just the office for railroad companies, it was also home to several businesses both legitimate and not-so-legitimate. One such not-so-legitimate business was the Eagle Building Corporation. The Eagle Building Corporation was the “real estate” office of Salvatore Maranzano, also known as Little Caesar. Marazano was the head of the Five Families while working out of the 9th floor of New York Central.
In September of 1931, Little Caesar felt threatened by an up-and-coming gangster by the name of Charles “Lucky” Luciano. Marazno hired an Irish gangster by the name of Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll to kill Lucky. When Lucky got tipped off by Tommy Lucchese that Little Caesar had a hit on him, Lucky did not take this kindly. Marazno, as the head of the family, ordered Lucky to come to 230 Park Avenue on September 10th, but Lucky had other ideas. Lucky hatched a plan with the likes of Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel to send 4 Jewish gangsters to the office disguised as government agents. Marazno’s crew, thinking they were dealing with the US government, were disarmed and pointed out where they could find Little Caesar. Salvatore Marazano was stabbed and shot multiple times in what would go on to be called the "Night of the Sicilian Vespers". All of that took place 2 years into the inception of 230 Park Avenue. (Daytonian in Manhattan)
🤌Sheesh, that escalated quickly apologies I swear the rest of the read is more wholesome. I love it whenever Week to Week Notes Stumbles Along to an old-school New York Mafia Story. Please keep this information on the low, I can’t be getting got because of my brave journalistic responsibilities.🤌
After the mafia murder, the building of course got a ton of press, but nothing as thrilling went on. The building’s business survived the Great Depression because Grand Central’s trains were still running and the area was still happening. During WWII, the building, which stands 34 floors, would black out its windows at night for safety precautions in the event of an attack on The City. Other than that, it was business as usual for New York Central. In 1968, the building was purchased by General Tire and Rubber Company, which kept the theme of the building about transportation.
Then in 1977, a billionaire by the name of Harry Helmsley bought the building off General Tire and Rubber Company. Harry Helmsley was born in The City in 1909 and grew up in the Bronx. His family could not afford to get young Harry into college but his grandfather got him a job when he was 16 as an “office boy” in a real estate office. By 1938, at 29 years old, Harry Helmsley bought that same real estate firm. Helmsley in the early stages of his career had a portfolio of smaller properties in less-affluent parts of New York City, but it was extensive and highly profitable. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Helmsley owned 27 hotels and 50,000 apartments. Helmsley even owned the Empire State Building while it was still the world’s tallest building back in 1961. Anyway, once Harry Helmsley owned this building, he named it after himself while restoring the facade of the tower and gilded the pyramid roof. Harry Helmsley had a wife named Leona who was also known as the “Queen of Mean” but no need to go there today.
After Harry Helmsley died in 1997, The Helmsley Building would be sold to Max Capital Management with the one condition being that it could not be renamed. Grand Central Station and The Helmsley Building had always been connected thanks to their Terminal City era days, but in 1999 the two historic New York buildings would be connected through a passageway. Max Capital Management would restore the building and then sell it to Istithmar, which then sold it to Goldman Sachs, and now today RXR Realty is the building’s current owner.
It’s a great building. I thought it looked fantastic when I was 6 Guinness deep Stumblin’ Along on February 24th last winter. I’m just a big fan of Beaux-Arts style of architecture, I can’t get enough of Renaissance or neoclassicism to look at while being 3 sheets to the wind!
The Beach Boys were an American rock band that formed far out in California back in 1961. The original members of the group were the Wilson brothers (Brian, Dennis, and Carl), their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. They started in a garage. The pop band’s first hit that got them signed to Capitol Records was “Surfin”, not to be confused with “Surfin’ USA” which made The Beach Boys a national sensation in 1963. In that same year, The Beach Boys would make the Christmas tune, Little Saint Nick, which is the thematic music concept of today because I felt like reading up on The Beach Boys.
I wonder if they are talking about Santa Claus up at the North Pole or another Saint Nick who was around during the Roman Empire, but we already touched enough on Rome for today.
Ahhh, it’s the big man up North!
Sidenote: A Santa interview over a pint of Guinness would be a good get. I feel like he’d be some great craic.
While I was doing a bit of research on the song, the Little Saint Nick Foundation popped up in the search. It is a non-profit organization that creates a positive mentality for kids in crisis through the compassionate power of a helping hand. Since ‘04, LSNF has positively impacted the lives of over 2 million kids. Today they provide simple, anti-anxiety gift bags that contain items such as coloring books, crayons, stuffed animals, pop-it toys, and handmade get-well cards made by local kids that go to kids in need of a smile. Given their resources, their goal is to help out at least 300 kids per day in communities and hospitals. They currently have chapters in Manhattan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, California, and Georgia, as well as all the provinces in Canada.
The original sample of this song comes from another Beach Boys tune called “Little Deuce Coupe.” Brian Wilson, who wrote most of their big hits, was actually on a date when he thought about the concept. “I wrote the lyrics to it while I was out on a date and then I rushed home to finish the music.” (Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 by James B. Murphy)
These lines may have been influenced by Chuck Berry’s “Run Run, Rudolph” but because of the generic reindeer reference, they didn’t face copyright issues. (Story of Song)
This tune has been a radio Christmas staple since its inception but also was on in the background in a Coca-Cola commercial from ‘05.
Nice oldie but goodie Christmas classic! Have a nice Sunday!
YouTube Rabbithole
The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick (Album Audio / Music Video)