In 1932, the George Washington Bicentennial Planning Committee partnered with Sears, Roebuck and Company to construct a wood and plaster replica of Pierre Charles L’Enfants’s Federal Hall at Bryant Park. Few humans took interest in the structure, but it made the perfect home for a family of stray cats and a flock of pigeons.
Archive for the ‘Cat Stories’ Category
1933: Poor Mary Kane and The Federal Hall Felines of Bryant Park
Posted: 1st January 2021 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Stories, Cats in the MewsTags: Bryant Park, Cats of Old New York, Federal Hall, Grover A. Whalen, New York City History, Walter R. Herrick
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1922: Minnie, the the RMS Cedric Ship Cat Who Saved Her Christmas Kittens
Posted: 26th December 2020 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Stories, Feline MascotsTags: Cats of Old New York, G.R. Metcalfe, New York City History, RMS Cedric, Seafaring cats, White Star Line
On December 26, 1922, Minnie, the ship cat of the RMS Cedric, was honored for saving 36 lives (herself and her three kittens). The rescue took place during a severe storm in the Atlantic Ocean that disrupted Atlantic shipping and damaged or completely destroyed numerous steamships heading toward New York.
1854: The Cats of McSorley’s Old Ale House
Posted: 17th December 2020 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Men, Cat StoriesTags: Bill McSorley, Bouwerie #1, Cats of Old New York, John McSorley, New York City History, Nicholas William Stuyvesant
It’s been said that Bill McSorley was gruff with his customers, but he displayed plenty of kindness toward his cats. He owned as many as 18 feline barflies at once, and they reportedly had the run of the saloon.
1926: The Cat and Rabbits That Were Mailed to the Brooklyn General Post Office
Posted: 5th December 2020 by The Hatching Cat in Animal Stories, Cat StoriesTags: Albert B.W. Firmin, Brooklyn History, Brooklyn Post Office, Cats of Old New York, Joel C. Bunce, Morrisville, Ontario and Western Railway
In December 1926, a live cat was shipped from Morrisville, NY, to the Brooklyn General Post Office via the New York, Ontario, and Western Railway. Four wild rabbits also arrived at the post office on the same day, albeit, they were not as fortunate as the cat.
1922: Bill, the Champion Mouser of the Flatbush Post Office
Posted: 26th November 2020 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Men, Cat StoriesTags: Colonel James C. Church, Flatbush History, Flatbush Post Office, John F. McCarthy, Michael Schoonmaker, Richard A. Flannery, William Kuek
On August 1, 1922, employees of the Flatbush post office sent out a BOLO (be on the lookout) alarm for their chief mouser, Bill. Described as a big, fluffy Maltese cat, Bill was responsible for keeping all the mice and rats in check at the post office. Bill was not only a valued employee; he was also the beloved pet of the more than 100 employees on the postal staff.
