NYPL and NYHS

The morning of my racing to get to the New York Historical Society was a bad one. My class ended late, and I had to walk from Bowery to 6th Avenue and catch a train uptown. I wasn't thinking and took the next train that came to the station, the A train. I ended up getting off at 125th Street. It was a miserable experience. I made it to Central Park West but had no idea where the building was. I was so confused. I randomly ran into a friend who had just gone to the Museum of Natural History, and he couldn't help me out. Oh, also, I left my cell phone under my pillow. I was just about to give up when I walked right in front of the building. 15 minutes late, I finally made it. I never thought I would ever step foot in the New York Historical Society. Laid out on the table were many documents about Washington Square Park. It was all pretty fascinating. Our guides were very knowledgeable on each piece they presented to us. The piece I thought was most fascinating, was the drawing of the proposed roads through Washington Square Park. Robert Moses was a very powerful man, and was totally stopped in his tracks. I think that's remarkable. I liked visiting here, but I wish they had more for us to see, like the Fales Collection.

I have never been to the New York Public Library before. For some reason, I actually thought I'd never go there. I arrived, and saw no one that I recognized anywhere in front of the building. I walked in at the same time that another lecture-seeker did and we asked where it was being held. We followed the confusing directions to where the room actually was. The man I was walking with asked me why I was going to the lecture and I said that I was going for a class. I explained that I was taking a class on Washington Square Park. "What's Washington Square Park?" Take that for what it is.

I didn't quite expect there to be such a large group. I stood in the path of the doorway awkwardly while a chair was procured in the front-right of the room. I expected a general lecture on the Beat Generation, however, what was presented was something much more interesting. My knowledge of the Beats goes as deep as Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs; and I didn't know much about any of them until now. Two lesser known Beats were presented: Diane DiPrima, a woman, and Bob Kaufman, a black man. It was interesting to learn about their encounters with the well-known authors and poets of the generation. They all seemed to know and be aware of one another. Though I didn't get a copy of the packets that were distributed, at least I was able to hear Bob Kaufman's "Heavy Water Blues" being recited. That just might be one of the best pieces of writing I've ever heard. I say 'heard' because I can't seem to find a copy online anywhere. I'll probably end up tracking down a copy at Bobst to read it again. The lecture was somewhat stimulating. Maybe I was just tired. However, I became very excited when I entered the Kerouac exhibit. There is so much information and just weird objects at every turn. I think his fantasy baseball obsession is incredible. I was also very excited because there were many references to his living in Northport, which is one town over from mine in Long Island. I've walked past the bar, Gunther's, that Kerouac frequented, many times; I never knew its history.