19-634: New York Crystal Palace was an exhibition building constructed for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City in 1853, which was under the presidency of the mayor Jacob Aaron Westervelt . The building stood on a site behind the Croton Distributing Reservoir in what is now Bryant Park . It was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858. New York City's 1853 Exhibition was held on
38-478: A delayed opening due to construction delays, the fair lost $ 100,000 in its first year. Showman P. T. Barnum was brought in to turn things around, but when the fair closed in November 1854, total losses amounted to $ 340,000. Today, the expo is also remembered as the place where Elisha Otis demonstrated an elevator equipped with a device called a safety, which would kick in if the hoisting rope broke. This addressed
57-416: A lumber room on the side adjacent to 42nd Street. Within fifteen minutes its dome fell and in twenty-five minutes the entire structure had burned to the ground. There were no deaths but the loss of property amounted to more than $ 350,000 (equivalent to $ 12,325,000 in 2023). This included the building, valued at $ 125,000 (equivalent to $ 4,402,000 in 2023), and exhibits and valuable statuary remaining from
76-493: A major public concern regarding the safety of elevators. Three years later, Otis installed the first passenger elevator in the United States in a New York City store. New York Crystal Palace New York Crystal Palace was an exhibition building constructed for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City in 1853, which was under the presidency of the mayor Jacob Aaron Westervelt . The building stood on
95-451: A site behind the Croton Distributing Reservoir in what is now Bryant Park . It was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858. New York City's 1853 Exhibition was held on a site behind the Croton Distributing Reservoir , between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 42nd Street , in what is today Bryant Park in the borough of Manhattan . The New York Crystal Palace was designed by Georg Carstensen and German architect Charles Gildemeister , and
114-478: A site behind the Croton Distributing Reservoir , between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 42nd Street , in what is today Bryant Park in the borough of Manhattan . The New York Crystal Palace was designed by Georg Carstensen and German architect Charles Gildemeister , and was directly inspired by The Crystal Palace built in London's Hyde Park to house The Great Exhibition of 1851. The New York Crystal Palace had
133-577: Is now Bryant Park in New York City , in the wake of the highly successful 1851 Great Exhibition in London . It aimed to showcase the new industrial achievements of the world and also to demonstrate the nationalistic pride of a relatively young nation and all that she stood for. Jacob Aaron Westervelt , at that time Mayor of New York , was the President of the exhibition-committee. The general superintendent
152-467: The Latting Observatory , a wooden tower 315 feet (96 m) high, which allowed visitors to see into Queens , Staten Island and New Jersey . The tower, taller than the spire of Trinity Church at 290 feet (88 m), was the tallest structure in New York City from the time it was constructed in 1853 until it burnt down on August 30, 1856. The exhibition was not financially successful. After
171-509: The Exposition": ... a Palace, Lofter, fairer, ampler than any yet, Earth's modern wonder, History's Seven out stripping, High rising tier on tier, with glass and iron facades, Gladdening the sun and sky - enhued in the cheerfulest hues, Bronze, lilac, robin's-egg, marine and crimson Over whose golden roof shall flaunt, beneath thy banner, Freedom. Adjoining the Crystal Palace was
190-451: The Palace, but by the end of 1856 it was a dead property. Elisha Otis demonstrated the safety elevator, which prevented the fall of the cab if the cable broke, at the Crystal Palace in 1854 in a dramatic presentation. The adjoining Latting Observatory , a wooden tower 315 feet (96 m) high, allowed visitors to see into Queens to the east, Staten Island to the south, and New Jersey to
209-402: The cable broke, at the Crystal Palace in 1854 in a dramatic presentation. The adjoining Latting Observatory , a wooden tower 315 feet (96 m) high, allowed visitors to see into Queens to the east, Staten Island to the south, and New Jersey to the west. The tower, taller than the spire of Trinity Church at 290 feet (88 m), was the tallest structure in New York City from the time it
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#1732849048323228-582: The consulting engineer, and Edmund Hurry the consulting architect. President Franklin Pierce spoke at the dedication on July 14, 1853. Theodore Sedgwick was the first president of the Crystal Palace Association. After a year, he was succeeded by Phineas T. Barnum who put together a reinauguration in May 1854 when Henry Ward Beecher and Elihu Burritt were the featured orators. This revived interest in
247-476: The ground. There were no deaths but the loss of property amounted to more than $ 350,000 (equivalent to $ 12,325,000 in 2023). This included the building, valued at $ 125,000 (equivalent to $ 4,402,000 in 2023), and exhibits and valuable statuary remaining from the World's Fair. Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations The Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations was a World's Fair held in 1853 in what
266-409: The shape of a Greek cross, and was crowned by a dome 100 ft (30 m) in diameter. Like the Crystal Palace of London, it was constructed from iron and glass. Construction was handled by engineer Christian Edward Detmold . Horatio Allen was the consulting engineer, and Edmund Hurry the consulting architect. President Franklin Pierce spoke at the dedication on July 14, 1853. Theodore Sedgwick
285-487: The west. The tower, taller than the spire of Trinity Church at 290 feet (88 m), was the tallest structure in New York City from the time it was constructed in 1853 until it was shortened in 1855; it burned down in 1856. The Crystal Palace itself barely escaped destruction. The New York Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858, during the American Institute Fair held there. The fire began in
304-496: Was Admiral Du Pont . Opening on July 14, 1853 with newly sworn President Franklin Pierce in attendance, the fair was seen by over 1.1 million visitors before it closed on November 14, 1854. The fair featured its own glass and iron exhibition building – the New York Crystal Palace – directly inspired by London's. The Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858. Walt Whitman , an American poet, wrote "The Song of
323-422: Was constructed in 1853 until it was shortened in 1855; it burned down in 1856. The Crystal Palace itself barely escaped destruction. The New York Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858, during the American Institute Fair held there. The fire began in a lumber room on the side adjacent to 42nd Street. Within fifteen minutes its dome fell and in twenty-five minutes the entire structure had burned to
342-400: Was directly inspired by The Crystal Palace built in London's Hyde Park to house The Great Exhibition of 1851. The New York Crystal Palace had the shape of a Greek cross, and was crowned by a dome 100 ft (30 m) in diameter. Like the Crystal Palace of London, it was constructed from iron and glass. Construction was handled by engineer Christian Edward Detmold . Horatio Allen was
361-403: Was the first president of the Crystal Palace Association. After a year, he was succeeded by Phineas T. Barnum who put together a reinauguration in May 1854 when Henry Ward Beecher and Elihu Burritt were the featured orators. This revived interest in the Palace, but by the end of 1856 it was a dead property. Elisha Otis demonstrated the safety elevator, which prevented the fall of the cab if
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