21 Facts About New York: Meet the World’s Smallest Church

by Petr Novák, ? This article’s information was last verified on this date. If you notice any errors, let us know in the comments. Thank you! :-) Updated 02/25/2025 Fun Facts, New York City

Did you know that the Statue of Liberty served as a lighthouse guiding ships into the harbor for several years, and that the roof of the Empire State Building had a platform for airship landings? New York State owns an island in Canada, and an entire city on it was evacuated due to the discovery of toxic waste. What else makes this state on the east coast of the USA interesting?

1. Table of Contents

   1. Originally, Airships Were Supposed to Land on the Empire State Building
   2. Why Is There a Windowless Skyscraper in New York?
   3. One of the Most Beautiful Subway Stations in New York Is No Longer in Use
   4. The Smallest Church in the USA Is Located in Upstate New York
   5. A Military Bomber Crashed into the Empire State Building in 1945
   6. There Is a Secret Fallout Shelter Under the Brooklyn Bridge
   7. New York State Owns an Island in Canada
   8. The Narrowest House in Manhattan Barely Fits Between Neighboring Buildings
   9. Grand Central Terminal Hides a Unique Attraction
   10. The Main New York Public Library Conceals a Secret Apartment
   11. The First Railroad in the U.S. Was Built in New York
   12. The Sidewalk Clock in Manhattan Has Been Ticking Since 1899
   13. The First Pizzeria in the U.S. Opened in 1895
   14. The Statue of Liberty Once Served as a Lighthouse
   15. An Island in New York Has Limited Public Access
   16. A Subway Station Was Built in New York But Never Used
   17. The Bronx Zoo Once Displayed a Human in a Cage
   18. During the Cold War, New York Had a Secret Missile Launch Site
   19. A Whole Town Was Abandoned Due to Toxic Waste
   20. A 19th-Century Fortress Is Hidden in Central Park
   21. The Empire State Building Has Its Own ZIP Code: 10118

   Originally, Airships Were Supposed to Land on the Empire State Building

   When the Empire State Building in New York was completed in 1931, it was intended to serve, among other things, as a landing station for airships. The mast at the top of the skyscraper was meant to be a docking station for Zeppelins.

   However, due to hazardous weather conditions and the impracticality of landing on Manhattan, this idea was quickly abandoned. Only one airship attempted to land on the Empire State Building in 1931. The plan was deemed too dangerous even during the first attempt. Today, broadcasting antennas are installed on the mast.

2. Why Is There a Windowless Skyscraper in New York?

   At 33 Thomas Street in Manhattan stands a skyscraper formerly known as the Long Lines Building, which stands out for its appearance compared to the surrounding buildings. The massive skyscraper, standing 550 ft, has no windows.

   The Long Lines Building was completed in 1974 as a telephone exchange for AT&T. Designed in the brutalist style, the building was intended to withstand a nuclear explosion. Its thick concrete walls and the absence of windows make it one of the most resilient buildings in the USA. According to some conspiracy theories, the building serves as a base for secret intelligence operations.

3. One of the Most Beautiful Subway Stations in New York Is No Longer in Use

   The New York City subway station named City Hall opened in 1904 and immediately stood out with its vaulted ceilings, intricate tile patterns, and elegant skylights with stained glass. However, the station quickly became outdated due to its short platform and the proximity of the Brooklyn Bridge station, and it was closed to the public on December 31, 1945.

   Rather than demolishing it, the New York Transit Authority simply made it inaccessible. Still, there is a way to see the City Hall station in person. If you stay on the train on the 6 line past the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station, you can catch a glimpse of it from the window. Occasionally, guided tours of the City Hall station are also offered.

4. The Smallest Church in the USA Is Located in Upstate New York

   The Cross Island Chapel in Oneida, New York, is considered the smallest church in the United States of America. The church is situated in the middle of a pond and measures only 81 ft by 51 ft.

   This tiny church can accommodate only two people at a time, plus the priest, and it is accessible only by boat, which adds to its appeal, especially for weddings.

5. A Military Bomber Crashed into the Empire State Building in 1945

   On Saturday, July 28, 1945, at 9:40 a.m., a military B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building in New York. The aircraft was piloted by 27-year-old Colonel William Franklin Smith, who became disoriented in heavy fog.

   The plane hit between the 78th and 80th floors, causing a severe fire. A total of 14 people died in the incident, including three crew members and eleven civilians inside the building. One of the bomber’s engines pierced the building and fell onto the roof of an adjacent structure, sparking another fire. The Empire State Building’s structural integrity was not compromised, and most of the damaged floors were reopened to the public within a few days.

6. There Is a Secret Fallout Shelter Under the Brooklyn Bridge

   During the Cold War, a secret fallout shelter was built inside one of the stone arches of the Brooklyn Bridge. The bunker was regularly stocked with food, medical supplies, and water in case of a nuclear attack on New York.

   Interestingly, the fallout shelter remained neglected for decades until it was discovered by workers during a routine inspection in 2006. Inside the bridge, they found crates of supplies, including 1950s-era cookies still in their original packaging.

7. New York State Owns an Island in Canada

   Barnhart Island is a small island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, which technically lies within Canadian territory. However, due to a land agreement from 1795, it legally belongs to the United States and is part of New York State.

   The island is connected to New York State by a bridge, making it an anomaly in geopolitical borders. Visitors can access the island through Robert Moses State Park, but many are unaware that they are in Canadian waters.

8. The Narrowest House in Manhattan Barely Fits Between Neighboring Buildings

   In the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan, there is a house that is only 9.5 ft wide, making it one of the narrowest in the entire city. The house was built in 1873 and has hosted several famous personalities over the years, including poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.

   Inside the house, the staircase is so narrow and the rooms so cramped that only one person can occupy them at a time. The house is located at 75½ Bedford Street, and interestingly, it is blurred on Google Maps’ Street View to keep it hidden.

9. Grand Central Terminal Hides a Unique Attraction

   At Grand Central Terminal, there is a seemingly hidden attraction. An unmarked spot near the Oyster Bar & Restaurant features a unique ceiling shape that allows two people standing at opposite corners of the arch to hear each other’s whispers.

   The whisper can be heard even over the surrounding noise created by the crowds. This remarkable effect occurs due to the way sound waves travel along the curved ceiling. Interestingly, these properties were not intentionally designed by the architect but were discovered by accident.

10. The Main New York Public Library Conceals a Secret Apartment

    At the New York Public Library branch on Fifth Avenue, there is an apartment that once served its caretaker and their family. The apartment is located on the upper floors of the building and was a functional living space for decades. The caretaker was responsible for maintaining the massive Beaux-Arts style building, and their family lived alongside thousands of books.

    Today, the apartment is no longer used, but old bathrooms and cast-iron stoves remain.

11. The First Railroad in the U.S. Was Built in New York

    The first permanent railroad in the United States was the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad in New York State. Construction of the 16.9 mi route began in August 1830 and it was officially opened on August 9, 1831. The railroad connected the Hudson River in Albany to the Mohawk River in Schenectady, offering a faster alternative to ships for both freight and passenger transport.

    The inaugural ride of the first passenger steam train in the U.S. took place on this line on September 24, 1831. The train traveled from Albany to Schenectady in one hour and forty-five minutes. In 1847, the line was renamed the Albany and Schenectady Railroad.

12. The Sidewalk Clock in Manhattan Has Been Ticking Since 1899

    On the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood, there is a small clock embedded directly into the sidewalk. In 1899, it was placed there by jewelry store owner William Barthman as an original marketing tool.

    Interestingly, the manufacturing of the clock took two years, and the total cost was $700 in the prices of the time. Adjusted for 2025 prices, this amounts to an astonishing $26,617.

13. The First Pizzeria in the U.S. Opened in 1895

    One of the first pizzerias in the United States was opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1905 in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood of New York. The pizzeria was based on a grocery store that Lombardi had opened at 53 Spring Street in 1897.

    Lombardi’s pizzeria is considered the birthplace of New York-style pizza with thin slices and a crispy crust. Gennaro Lombardi immigrated to New York from Naples, where he learned to make pizza in his youth.

14. The Statue of Liberty Once Served as a Lighthouse

    The Statue of Liberty served as a lighthouse between 1886 and 1902, guiding ships entering New York Harbor. The light was placed in the torch, but it was too weak to serve as a full-fledged navigation aid.

    The federal agency responsible for managing American lighthouses eventually removed the light from the torch, and since then, the Statue of Liberty has functioned only as a symbolic landmark.

15. An Island in New York Has Limited Public Access

    North Brother Island is an unassuming island in the East River that has been off-limits to the public for decades. In the mid-1890s, a quarantine hospital was built on the island to treat patients with infectious diseases.

    In the 1950s, the hospital was converted into a rehabilitation center for addiction treatment, but by the 1960s, all facilities on the island were abandoned. Today, North Brother Island is a ghost town, overgrown with vegetation and serving as a protected bird sanctuary. Access to the island is permitted only with special permission.

16. A Subway Station Was Built in New York But Never Used

    Deep beneath the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Manhattan, there lies Track 61 subway station, which was constructed in the early 20th century but never used. The station was intended to serve as a private entrance to the hotel for wealthy guests, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt. An elevator connected the subway directly to the hotel’s apartments, allowing VIPs to arrive in secret.

    President Franklin D. Roosevelt is said to have used it to discreetly enter the hotel, concealing the symptoms of his polio from the public. Track 61 still exists today but remains hidden from the public.

17. The Bronx Zoo Once Displayed a Human in a Cage

    The Bronx Zoo, in September 1906, exhibited a human in a cage for several days. Ota Benga, originally from the Congo, was placed in the monkey house as the “missing link” between humans and primates. The zoo justified the act as scientific curiosity at the time.

    Public protest eventually led to the release of Ota Benga, despite significant visitor interest. In a sign of modern sensitivity, the Bronx Zoo formally apologized for the incident in a press release in July 2020, 114 years later after the fact.

18. During the Cold War, New York Had a Secret Missile Launch Site

    During the Cold War, a classified missile launch site was stationed in New York, designed to defend against Soviet attacks. It was located at the now-defunct Fort Tilden base in Queens and housed Nike missiles capable of intercepting incoming Soviet bombers.

    The facility was camouflaged to blend into its surroundings, with missiles stored in an underground silo. In the late 1970s, the military abandoned the base, though it continued to be used by military reserve forces for several more years. Today, the former base is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.

19. A Whole Town Was Abandoned Due to Toxic Waste

    The neighborhood of Love Canal in the city of Niagara Falls near the famous waterfalls became a symbol of one of the greatest environmental disasters in the United States. In the 1970s, residents discovered that their entire neighborhood had been built atop 21,000 tons of toxic waste.

    Chemicals were dumped into Love Canal by the Hooker Chemical Company in the 1920s. In 1953, the same company covered the waste with dirt and sold the land to the city for a symbolic price of one dollar. The toxic waste caused severe health problems for the residents, including cancer and birth defects. The government later declared the area uninhabitable, and hundreds of people were forced to relocate. Most of the area remains abandoned to this day.

20. A 19th-Century Fortress Is Hidden in Central Park

    New York’s Central Park is largely a green space, but at its northern edge stands a little-known military structure. A small stone fort known as the Blockhouse was built during the War of 1812 to defend against British invasion.

    The Blockhouse is the smallest structure in Central Park, and interestingly, it predates the park itself. Unlike other fortifications in the area, it was never destroyed, making it a rare reminder of early U.S. military history.

21. The Empire State Building Has Its Own ZIP Code: 10118

    The Empire State Building, located in the heart of Manhattan, stands with more than 100 floors and thousands of offices, and thus was assigned the ZIP code 10118. Having its own postal code allows for more efficient mail delivery. This privilege is held by only a few buildings in the U.S.