There are carvings all over the Terminal some large, some small. Vanderbilt was a self-made man and that symbolism resonated with him. The family motto was “Great oaks from tiny acorns grow”. That is because Cornelius Vanderbilt chose them as a family symbol. Keep an eye out all throughout the station for carvings of acorns and oak leaves. It was left as a testament to all of the different eras of history that Grand Central has seen. The missile was very big, so in order to not disturb pedestrian traffic flows, a hole was made in the ceiling so that the rocket could be suspended above the floor. The one spot was left as a reminder of how much work was done. Workers got up on the scaffolding with buckets of soap and water and paintbrushes and cleaned away the years of build-up. Over time the ceiling became coated with thick grime which was finally removed in 1998 when the terminal underwent a massive restoration spearheaded by Jackie Kenndey and other preservationists. There were a great many smokers among the nearly half-million people who passed through the terminal every day since its opening. That is just how filthy the original beautiful sky-blue ceiling had become after decades of accumulated tar and nicotine smoke. Just past that, where the blue and white meet, there is a small blackish rectangle. Look all the way over to Cancer the Crab in the northwest corner of the ceiling. Some fun trivia: In the movie Madagascar, Melman the giraffe breaks the clock while the animals are in the station trying to catch a train to Connecticut. The clock helps people to not be late for their trains and prevents safety hazards with people running for trains that are about to pull out of the station. This is on purpose and is consistent with every clock inside the station. The clock is made of brass and it is said that the clock faces are made out of precious opals and that the value of the clock is well over $10 million!Īlso, if you take a look at the clock and then a quick peek at your phone or watch, you will notice that the time on the Grand Central clock is a minute or so ahead. The clock has been a long-standing meeting spot for New Yorkers. The Campbell Apartment is located inside Grand Central Terminal (off the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance), and their hours are Mon-Sat 12 p.m to 1 a.m., and Sunday they close at midnight.The four-sided clock is possibly the most iconic feature of Grand Central. Sadly, however, there wasn't a fedora in sight when we dropped by. They require proper attire: no baseball caps, t-shirts, or athletic shoes. To get into the Campbell Apartment, you simply must dress the part. but after one of Paris DuRante's Prohibition Punches you won't mind. A rep told us, "Some customers and staff have pointed out eerie incidents that have taken place at the cocktail lounge, such as unexplained gusts of cold air, taps from behind without anyone in sight, sounds of an organ playing, and doors mysteriously shutting on their own." Owner Mark Grossich has corroborated these paranormal activities. There are also claims that Campbell's ghost haunts the space-we were told that the Eastern Paranormal Investigation Center conducted an extensive examination there and validated the ghost sightings. The mahogany, the carpeting, the vases, and most notably, the safe he hid in the fireplace is now displayed there, a reminder of his wealth. It wasn't until 1999 that the semi-hidden space opened its doors to the public as a bar, and Campbell's touches were carefully restored. (Photo courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York) Through the years drop ceilings were installed, as it became a signalman's office, a closet that stored transit police guns, and at one point a jail.Ĭampbell's office, 1923. When he died in 1957, things became a little dismal-the gorgeous space deteriorated as it went through various occupants. Under Campbell's lock and key, the room was transformed from a bare barracks to a galleried hall of a 13th century Florentine palace. He even had a butler there, whose name was Stackhouse. It was never a residence, but Campbell-a railroad tycoon who served on New York Central's Board of Directors-did entertain there, adding a piano and pipe organ, and often inviting around 50 guests to come hear famous musicians play private recitals. The Campbell Apartment started out as an office space for John W. Tucked away in a dark corner of Grand Central Terminal, there's a cocktail lounge that will transport you back to another era, when rail travel was more romantic and men looked like Don Draper.
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