Archive for the ‘Queensboro Bridge’ Category
shadowy corners
“they’re building another one?” – photo by Mitch Waxman
This is the final installment detailing my experiences in western Queens, on that day when I finally located the grave of Calvary Cemetery’s first interment (Esther Ennis, 1848), stepped in a dead rabbit, picked up a paranormal companion on my long walk, found myself in a state of “stupendous ruin“, soon realized that my perceptions had grown “bafflingly homogeneous“, and that my senses had become occluded due to “sleep filmed eyes“.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned in yesterday’s posting, tardy delivery of content to this- your Newtown Pentacle- has been caused by a cavalcade of obligations. Both personal and professional, these obligations have placed me in a room next to personages who enjoy the highest reputation and standing, lettered academics and eidelons of “the professions” both have taken me to a private corner of the room and confessed to having had similar experiences to those which I’ve been describing in this series of postings- which is VERY interesting.
This day, I was in Tower Town, down by the East River in Long Island City… or Queens West as its proponents call it.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Former days of grandeur, industrial might, and utility seem to be over for this part of Queens. Perhaps it is overworked and deserves a pastoral retirement as a park and residential center. Such meta-lopolitan planning is beyond the understanding of one like myself, who is cursed to wander through this infestation of the human hive but forbidden to do anything but observe. When my nervous scuttling and vast perambulations are performed, dark glasses are worn and the earbuds of my iphone are firmly in place- serving to isolate and insulate.
Of late, I like to wear my hood up, but loss of periphery can be a fatal mistake in these places I go.
Perhaps this is why I was casting two shadows.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My companion was familiar to me somehow, an atavist and insistent presence. Definitely male, the image of a double headed ax was impossible to banish from my thoughts as I neared the bridge…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
…THE QUEENSBORO BRIDGE!!! Queensboro is its name, not 59th street nor anything else that Manhattan elites might attach to it.
CALL HUNTERS POINT SOUTH OR WILLETS POINT “KOCH CITY” instead…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
…sorry that sort of thing just blurts out of me these days…
At right about this spot that I suddenly perceived that my spectral companion was no longer present, and when I noticed my nervous shadow had returned to its altogether wholesome and expected aspect. Whatever it was… perhaps it was just the moment when “one of my states” had passed…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was here in the shadows of that great machine called Queensboro that the splendid isolations which your humble narrator so enjoys returned, and roamed once more alone amongst the multitudes. The disturbing vision of that double headed ax though, seemed to stay with me and caused ponderings to begin.
What connection could there be between Long Island City, a largely Irish cemetery, and a battle-ax?
involuntary marching
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Submissive posturing of face and body would be offered were we to meet in person this day, presented in some petulant passivity designed to demand forgiveness for having not updated this- your Newtown Pentacle- after having sworn to return to habits less indolent. Such pedantry is part of the daily turn for one such as myself, whose childhood was spent amongst never dusty shelves of old books while sprawled upon some sculptured green broadloom in Brooklyn, kept far away from other children due to my perilous infirmity and overall weakness of both character and constitution.
I was working on something else, which required 100% attention.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Some exertions require the marshaling of, and defense against, character and sloth. This project of mine was nothing grave, nor was it some occult expedition into the very bowels of Queens or anything. It was merely a presentation of certain bits of lore coupled with data gathered during the pursuit of this very blog, and illustrated with the usual flourishes- photographic and graphic- you’ve come to expect here and from your humble narrator.
Of course, while working on what ended up taking me a full week to produce, I’ve only been able to get out a few times for “my walks”.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
So far in March- I’ve only managed to trek the coast of Queens from Astoria Park to Hunters Point, all of Skillman Avenue and then on to Greenpoint, LIC over the Pulaski to the Sewer Plant to Greenpoint Bridge to Sunnyside, from Maspeth to Manhattan via Grand Street and the Williamsburg Bridge, most of Roosevelt Avenue, most of First Calvary, and to all points above from Astoria.
Tomorrow, I’ll try and fill you in on the next part of my haunted walk, on that day when I finally located the grave of Calvary Cemetery’s first interment (Esther Ennis, 1848), stepped in a dead rabbit, picked up a paranormal companion on my long walk, found myself in a state of “stupendous ruin“, and soon realized that my perceptions had grown “bafflingly homogeneous“.
no pity
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Consider this one a space holder with a pretty picture in it, presented by a humble narrator otherwise overwhelmed with obligation who offers it with the promise of several regular postings appearing- on schedule- at this, your Newtown Pentacle in the coming week.
This has been one heck of a week…
Wisdom of crowds
– photo by Mitch Waxman
UPDATE- one of the sharp eyed Lords of the Pentacle has recognized the mysterious column I mentioned in yesterday’s posting (An Odd Impulse) as being part of the Queensboro Bridge- the Great Machine itself. Following text is from the comments of TJ Connick, to whom I am now quite indebted:
Looks quite like the light stanchion that once adorned end of Queensboro Bridge wall on SE corner 2nd Av & 60th St. You can see a shot of it on NY Public Library’s Digital Gallery. Use Digital ID of 707887F in the search window. Its cousin at 59th St is still there last time I looked. Maybe someone can take a look and compare. Seem to recall a lot of time and money spent on restoration of that end about 25-30 years back. Think they took it down and lost it?
A glimpse at Google “street view” confirms. See also library’s picture: Digital ID of 730938F. It’s an old shot of 59th St stanchion. Matches yours, but yours has collar with the depending decorations upside down. Make a ransom note and send it to Dept of Transportation – could be a big score.
– image courtesy NYPL Digital Gallery
On behalf of everyone reading this posting, BRAVO TJ!
Additionally, Kevin Walsh of Forgotten-NY sends along this link to the NYTimes.com from 2001 concerning the lamp post.
Project Firebox 18
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Badder than you, this urban survivor owns the corner of Vernon Vlvd. and Queens Plaza South. Scarlet, its backdrop is mighty Queensboro itself, and the mysterious doorway into its tower. Rumored by area wags and historical enthusiasts alike to have once led to elevators and stairways which carried potential passengers to a trolley platform high above on the bridge itself, local legends abound as to the true purpose of the entrance. Who can say?
The Newtown Pentacle 