Welcome to step two of our Old New York & New Amsterdam series. In this episode we explore the Customs House and its open secrets waiting to be read in the very materials and form of the building. We discuss just what messages were meant to be transmitted in to visitors and passersby and just what these strange statues of four giant women out front are trying to tell us. Join us!

CLICK “MORE” TO SEE MAPS, SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN:

LISTEN:

Come join us through the iTunes podcast app (click here! or just search for “city between”) and at Google Play here (you’ll need to sign in to your gmail account) and Stitcher here.. Remember there are three ways you can enjoy City Between:

1. Just listen as you go about your day as you would any other podcast!

2. Armchair tour:

If you are enjoying this podcast from the comfort of your home or office or coffee shop and want to follow along visually, here’s the link to the Google Street View of step 2 – Customs House Secrets of the Old New York & New Amsterdam series.

3. Visit and take the steps yourself:

If you are in New York and would like to do these steps on your own this episode’s step and the other ones in this series can serve as an audio guide for you as gift from us. Spend an hour or two roaming the streets of New Amsterdam with us. To follow along first make sure you are moving on from the previous “Bowling Green” step. Now, turn around and, and look for the large Beaux Arts civic building with four large statues out front, opposite Bowling Green Park. Here is a handy map of the tour you can use in your smart phone/tablet or print it out as you like (Please note, we will add each step as the episode is released, so this series may not be complete yet):

Further Reading:

As always, Russel Shorto’s book about New Netherland is indispensable: The Island at the Center of the World.

For more on the Customs House and other architecture wonders in NYC, there is none better than the AIA Guide to NYC.

Hear those Dutch bells…