When Grand Central Terminal opened to the public on February 2, 1913, the railroad barons who financed the $35 million project could have dedicated the stunning terminal to their board of directors, or to the city officials who cut through red tape to help make this third version of a central train station at 42nd Street on Manhattan’s East Side a reality.
They could have eschewed a dedication altogether, too. After all, do most rail terminals, or other major urban development projects, have dedications?
Instead, they decided to dedicate Grand Central to the people who actually labored to build it.
“To all those with head heart and hand toiled in the construction of this monument to the public service this is inscribed,” the dedication reads, above an entrance on the 42nd Street side and under one of the many spectacular clocks across all the halls of this city treasure.
Something about the modest inscription makes Grand Central even more of a spectacular place than it already is.
[Second image: MCNY, 1915, X2011.34.3570]
Tags: Grand Central Terminal Clocks, Grand Central Terminal Dedication, Grand Central Terminal Opening 1913, Grand Central Terminal secrets, Who Is Grand Central Terminal Dedicated To
Ephemeral New York 
April 21, 2022 at 6:48 am |
A week or so before Christmas a few years ago I was descending on the escalator with its grand view of the crowds on the floor from 200 Park behind a Scottish couple clearly tourists. When we got to the floor she put her arms out and spun once telling her mate “It’s like everyone is dancing.”
April 22, 2022 at 2:29 am |
A magical moment!
April 23, 2022 at 8:51 am |
mid week posts? that’s awesome
April 23, 2022 at 1:18 pm |
Trying to do more!
April 25, 2022 at 10:00 am |
Thank you so much for calling my attention to this splendid, unexpected and delightful tribute. I very much enjoy your posts — and your appearances on The Gilded Gentleman podcast.