I recently learned that there is a large cat colony on Rikers Island, where hundreds of feral cats have been living for many years (most of the original cats had been dumped on the island by employees of the large correctional facility there). The cats are cared for by volunteers with a group called Rikers […]
Archive for the ‘Dog Tails’ Category
1931: Christmas for Toby Wendel, the Millionaire Dog of Fifth Ave. and 39th Street
Posted: 24th December 2024 by The Hatching Cat in Christmas Animal Tales, Dog TailsTags: 442 Fifth Avenue, Ella Wendel, John Daniel Wendel, John G. Wendel, John Taylor, New York City History, Toby Wendel
Many years ago, I wrote about Toby Wendel, the French Poodle who lived in the old Wendel mansion on Fifth Avenue and 39th Street. I recently came across this story about a Christmas celebration for the dog, while doing some extra research about the Wendel family for an upcoming presentation.
1900: The Dogs (and Cats and Rabbits and Squirrels and Parrot) of Governors Island
Posted: 11th May 2024 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Mascots, Dog TailsTags: Castle Williams, Cats of Old New York, Dogs of Old New York, Governors Island Dogs, James Franklin Wade
In my last two posts, I wrote about the Army cats of New York City’s Army Building on Whitehall Street and the black cat mascot of the New York Tank Corps. This next story for Military Appreciation Month goes to the dogs. The military dogs of Governors Island.
1913: Don, the Talking Dog Who Saved a Life at Brighton Beach
Posted: 7th November 2023 by The Hatching Cat in Dog Heroes, Dog TailsTags: Brighton Beach, Don the talking dog, Hammerstein's, Hotel Shelburne, John Y. McKane, Martha Haberland, Riccadonna
In December 1910, the New York Times ran a large article who could speak and form sentences up to four words long. The talking dog lived in a small village in Germany with a game warden named Herman Ebers.
The dog, who had a very Germanic name–Don (ha ha)–spoke in German. Which is probably why he refused to speak with the press when he arrived in New York in 1913 to start his American vaudeville tour.
A fun doggie tale, with some fascinating history about Brighton Beach and the Hotel Shelburne.
1918: The Grisdale Hotel for Dogs, Where Lincoln Center Now Stands
Posted: 11th October 2023 by The Hatching Cat in Dog TailsTags: 132 West 65th Street, David Geffen Hall, Emma Grisdale, John Gottsberger, Lincoln Center, Philharmonic Hall, Thomas Grisdale
In 1918, a prominent dog dealer and exhibitor established a hotel for dogs at 132 West 65th Street. Today, this is the address of the David Geffen Hall (formerly Philharmonic Hall and Avery Fisher Hall) at Lincoln Center.
