The 4-Foot Ditch That Built New York City

The history of New York City comes into focus from one fixed camera above Manhattan. Over 400 years a 13.4-mile island bought for 60 guilders in 1626 becomes the densest city on Earth. It traces the 1811 grid of 2,028 blocks, the 363-mile Erie Canal that cut freight costs by 90% after October 26, 1825, and the Manhattan schist just 18 feet down in Midtown that split the skyline in two. From Robert Moses's 40M Cross Bronx Expressway that erased 159 streets to Jane Jacobs saving Washington Square in 1958 and One World Trade Center opening at 1,776 feet. 🔔 Don't forget to subscribe to GeoHistory Secrets for more cinematic historical documentaries and deep dives into the stories that shaped our world! ❤️ #NewYorkHistory #Manhattan #Documentary #HistoricalDocumentaries #ErieCanal #NYCHistory #history #usa #radio #radioshow