1. In 1857, construction of the famed Central Park in Manhattan, New York City was formally begun. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.
2. In 1936, the first successful summertime Olympics in the United States was held in New York City. The games were held in Los Angeles due to the city's status as a major metropolitan hub and the abundance of suitable athletic facilities.
3. In 1971, the prominent photojournalist Gordon Parks presented a solo exhibition of his work at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, which is located in Harlem, New York City.
4. In 1994, the former US President Richard Nixon made his first major public appearance since his resignation nearly 20 years prior. Nixon had spoken at a conference held at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan.
5. In 2013, a nine-story building located on East 116th Street and Park Avenue in upper Manhattan exploded that killed 8 people and injured many others.