Some People Don’t Know That New York Was The First To Do These 15 Things
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Lisa Sammons
Author
You may know that New York is first in your heart, but did you know that it was first in a number of other accomplishments? (Like creating the very first pet cemetery!) Let’s take a look at some New York firsts you may not have heard about.
The U.S. Constitution named New York City as the first capital. Congress and the Supreme Court's very first sittings were Federal Hall on Wall Street (then called Old City Hall). George Washington was also inaugurated as President there.
Sadly, NYC's role as a capital was short lived. The honor was transferred to Philadelphia in 1790 due to fears that the high society in New York was too aristocratic and financially-oriented.
Learn why New York is not the capital of the United States in this video from KhAnubis:
Sadly, NYC's role as a capital was short lived. The honor was transferred to Philadelphia in 1790 due to fears that the high society in New York was too aristocratic and financially-oriented.
Learn why New York is not the capital of the United States in this video from KhAnubis:
As the world's first steamboat, it's no exaggeration to say that the Clermont changed the course of transportation. The ship operated on the Hudson River (then often called the North River) between New York City and Albany. The first voyage's average speed was around 5 miles per hour.
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The first modern chess tournament was held in England in 1841 and shortly thereafter, chess became an international phenomenon. The first American tournament was a local match held in New York in 1843. By 1857, America was hosting American Chess Congress competitions to determine national champions.
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The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. It set off a flurry of other women's rights conventions that occurred in the following years. The meeting discussed the prospect of women gaining the right to vote and discussions of what the role of women in society should be.
Belva Lockwood was a proponent of women's suffrage who was one of the first women to graduate from law school. She was the first female attorney to practice in front of the Supreme Court and was also the first woman to run for President (1884, 1888).
Prior to Niagara Falls being obtained by the state, the land's ownership was private and there was little public access to the area. Thankfully, that all changed when the Niagara Reservation was named a state park!
Other substances had been used for bathroom wiping for centuries, but it was not until 1857 that modern, commercially available toilet paper was invented. It was originally sold in sheets with the inventor's name printed on it!
New York was the first to do what? Yes, toilet paper. Prepare to be razzled and dazzled by the history of toilet paper in this video from History of Stuff:
New York was the first to do what? Yes, toilet paper. Prepare to be razzled and dazzled by the history of toilet paper in this video from History of Stuff:
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The teddy bear was named after President Theodore Roosevelt. He was involved in an incident in which he refused to kill an American black bear that had been captured and tied to a tree. The occurrence was popularized in political cartoons, and a New York candy maker was inspired to create a stuffed bear named after Roosevelt. The bears were immediately popular and the inventor's newly-found toy company ended up being a huge success.
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The first roller coaster in America was a wooden switchback railway that went about 6 miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride.
The museum was started in hopes of educating urban children about natural science. Today, children are heavily involved in planning out new exhibits there!
The event was a complicated affair involving optical illusions and figures projected from the stage wings.
The business was started as a grocery store that sold tomato pies wrapped in paper.
Peter Minuit Brewery only survived for about five years, but it was said to be the first public brewery in America. It was located in lower Manhattan.
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Bill Richmond was born into slavery in New York. During the Revolutionary War, a British commander was impressed with Richmond's performance in a bar fight and arranged for him to be freed. He was transported to England, where he was educated and began boxing in his 40s. He proved an immense success, winning 17 of his 19 matches.
Learn more about the fascinating life of Bill Richmond in this video from Today I Found Out:
Learn more about the fascinating life of Bill Richmond in this video from Today I Found Out:
The first license plates were not made by the state, but instead crafted by the car's owners (typically on leather or iron). They were printed with the owner's initials and designed to notate ownership.
Did you know that New York was the first at accomplishing these things? Of all of the first things New York participated in which one surprised you the most? Be sure to tell us about any other New York firsts you’ve discovered in the comments!
Then, check out a few things that Buffalo, New York was the first to do.
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More to Explore
More New York Inventions and Discoveries
What are some things invented in New York?
New York probably has more inventions and accomplishments than we can possibly count. But here are a few interesting things invented in New York:
- The Waldorf Salad: The iconic Waldorf Astoria opened on the south end of Central Park in 1931. At one point in the 1940s, there were nine restaurants located in the hotel. Today, the number has been trimmed a bit to only four. With all of these historic and award-winning restaurants you might be surprised to learn the Waldorf Salad was not created by one of the Waldorf's chefs - it was created by a maître d'hôtel by the name of Oscar Tschirky in 1896.
- The Club Sandwich: Another iconic foodie find from New York, the Club Sandwich originated from the Saratoga Club House in 1894. And what goes oh so well with a club sandwich? Potato chips! Yup, those too were invented in New York. They popped into existence in 1853 by chef George Crum at Saratoga's Moon Lake Lodge resort.
- Junk Mail: Okay to be fair not all direct mail advertising campaigns are necessarily junk mail (where else are we going to get our oil change coupons and wine of the month club discounts?). New York has always been a mecca for marketing and advertising, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that direct mail advertising originated in New York. It might surprise you to learn that the first-ever campaign was from Father Baker as he requested financial assistance for his charitable work at his church Our Lady of Victory.
- Air Conditioners: With New York winters being as fierce as they are one might think air conditioners were invented in a state without natural air conditioning nine months out of the year. But in 1902, New Yorker Willis Carrier created the very first air conditioner.
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