By New-York Historical Society, Nina Nazionale, Jean Ashton, Columbia University Press, $14.95, 177 pages
Did you know that from 1960 to 1964, New York was home to Freedomland, a theme park in the shape of the United States meant to be a rival to Disneyland? In When Did the Statute of Liberty Turn Green?, the staff of the New-York Historical Society answers 100+ questions posed by curious residents and visitors to the state.
The Historical Society is home to both the city’s oldest museum and one of the most distinguished research libraries around, where librarians assist more than 10,000 researchers per year. This book of history and trivia is divided into themed chapters such as Curiosities and Wonders, Firsts and Origins, and Arts, Leisure, and Diversions. Each entry is one to four pages (perfect for browsing) and is followed by a list of sources to aide in further research. There are photos, blueprints, magazine ads, paintings, and postcards.
Be sure to add this to your reading list, especially before taking a trip to the Big Apple. As for Lady Liberty, she was dark brown from 1886 to 1909. Made of copper, she weathered and was shown in colored postcards as being entirely green by the early 1920s.
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin