12: The City's First Park, St. Patrick's Day, and the East River Helicopter Crash

A Great Big City — New York City News, History, and Events

• 60 years ago on March 9, 1959 — The Barbie doll debuts at the American International Toy Fair in New York

• 1 year ago on March 11, 2018 — A sight-seeing helicopter crashes into the East River, killing five passengers.

• 286 years ago on March 12, 1733 — Bowling Green Park is established as the city's first official park.

• Fifth Avenue St. Patrick's Day Parade — Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade — Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day parade

• Episode 8: Harry Macklowe plans new tower across from St. Patrick's Cathedral — Harry Macklowe is one parcel closer to building his $1B Midtown office tower

• Chrysler Building sells for just $150 million

• 63 years ago on March 15, 1956 - 'My Fair Lady' opens on Broadway, starring Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews.

• March 15, 2018 — NYC Announces New Ferry Names Chosen by City Schoolchildren

---

A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2011, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more.

---

Park of the day

• Railroad Park (Queens) — Rochdale, Queens — A densely-wooded area named for the nearby LIRR tracks and Locust Manor station, Railroad Park is mostly a wooded area with no fountains or plazas, but it does have a few hiking trails winding through the trees. Not to be confused with Railroad Park in the Bronx.

• Outdoor Skills: Navigation at Willowbrook Park in Staten Island

Concert Calendar

• Weezer x Pixies Spring 2019 Tour, Weezer, Basement, Pixies, and TV on the Radio are playing Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 12th
• Ella Mai "The Debut Tour", Ella Mai, Kiana Ledé, and Lucky Daye are playing Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday, March 12th
• Todd Snider and Reed Foehl are playing Blender Theater at Gramercy on Wednesday, March 13th
• Teenage Fanclub and The Love Language are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, March 14th
• The Movielife and Travis Shettel are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, March 15th
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Midwife, and Planning for Burial are playing Market Hotel on Friday, March 15th
• Massive Attack is playing Radio City Music Hall on Friday, March 15th
• The Purple Tour and Lukas Graham are playing Hammerstein Ballroom on Friday, March 15th
• Death Cults, Husbandry, and LAPêCHE are playing Union Pool on Friday, March 15th
• Have a Nice Life, Consumer, elizabeth colour wheel, Planning for Burial, and Wreck and Reference are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Saturday, March 16th
• The Bouncing Souls and Strike Anywhere are playing White Eagle Hall on Saturday, March 16th
• Youth of Today, Glitterer, KRIMEWATCH, and Line Of Sight are playing Brooklyn Bazaar on Sunday, March 17th
• Kenny O’Brien & The O’Douls and Kevin Devine are playing Mercury Lounge on Sunday, March 17th
• This Heat, This Is Not This Heat, and Yvette are playing (le) Poisson Rouge on Monday, March 18th
• Thursday and American Pleasure Club are playing Saint Vitus Bar on Monday, March 18th
• Fleetwood Mac are playing Madison Square Garden on Monday, March 18th
• Lucy Dacus, Fenne Lily, and Mal Blum are playing White Eagle Hall on Wednesday, March 20th
• José González & The String Theory are playing Apollo Theater on Thursday, March 21st
• Ulver is playing Irving Plaza on Friday, March 22nd
• Weakened Friends, coping skills, Hit Like a Girl, and Nervous Dater are playing The Kingsland on Friday, March 22nd
• Hollis Brown is playing Mercury Lounge on Friday, March 22nd
• Jawbreaker is playing Brooklyn Steel on Saturday, March 23rd

Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events.

Learn about New York

Here's something you may not have known about New York:

• The NYC Department of Education is the largest school system in the United States, with 1.1 million students — larger than the entire population of San Francisco

Weather

The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history:
Record High: 85°F on March 13, 1990
Record Low: 6°F on March 13, 1888

Weather for the week ahead:
Mixed precipitation on Friday through Monday, with high temperatures peaking at 58°F on Friday.

Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email [e-mail] with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Castbox, Overcast, and TuneIn Radio or listen to each episode on the podcast pages. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit agreatbigcity.com/podcast to see show notes and extra links for each episode.

Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com