9 Things You Never Knew About New York

New book details hidden spots and little-known facts about the metropolis.

ByABC News
April 14, 2014, 11:37 AM
Road traffic moves at Columbus Circle roundabout near Central Park, Dec. 1, 2011 in New York.
Road traffic moves at Columbus Circle roundabout near Central Park, Dec. 1, 2011 in New York.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

April 14, 2014— -- intro: New Yorkers, particularly those who were born and raised in the Big Apple, tend to think they know everything, especially when it comes to the city they love. But there are places and facts many don't know, and that's why they might want to read Christopher Winn's new book.

His "I Never Knew That About" series' just-released book about New York reads as a walking guide from New York Harbor through Manhattan's many neighborhoods, from "Wall Street to Chelsea, Times Square to Central Park and everything in between."

But for now, click through the next eight pages and see how many of these tidbits you knew about New York.

quicklist: 1title: Columbus Circletext: On a tour of New York City, you might as well start in Columbus Circle. According to Winn, it's the point from which all official distances to and from New York are measured.media: 23316334

quicklist: 2title: Central Parktext: Central Park, Winn said, has been filmed more often than any other location in the world.media: 23316114

quicklist: 3title: Flatiron Buildingtext: The phrase "23 skidoo," said Winn, referred to NYPD officers' shouting at onlookers to skedaddle. Young men would gather on 23rd street as they watched ladies' skirts rise up from the wind caused by the Flatiron building's unusual shape.media: 23316444

quicklist: 4title: The New-York Historical Societytext: There are many museums to visit on a trip to New York City, but The New-York Historical Society is a can't miss. It's the oldest museum in New York; erected in 1804 when New York was commonly spelled with a hyphen.media: 23316745

quicklist: 5title: Waldorf-Astoria Hoteltext: The first Tony Awards were presented in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in 1947.media: 23316687

quicklist: 6title: Great White Waytext: And speaking of the Great White Way, did you know the original "Great White Way" referred to the section between 23rd and 42nd Streets, where most of the theaters were located at that time? It now refers to the area between 42nd and 53rd Streets.media: 23316531

quicklist: 7title: Lombardi's Pizzatext: It's safe to say every visitor to New York City wants to try a slice of the Big Apple's famous pies. Thanks Lombardi's. Lombardi's, America's first pizzeria, opened as an Italian grocery store in 1897. Lombardi finally acquired a license to run a full-time pizzeria in 1905 and later introduced the pizza slice, for those who couldn't afford or didn't want a whole pizza.media: 23316847

quicklist: 8title: Statue of Libertytext: The statue's real name is "Liberty Enlightening the World." Statue of Liberty is a nickname.media: 23316632

quicklist: 9title: First Skyscrapertext: In New York, real estate keeps going up and up, literally. According to Winn's book. New York's first skyscraper stood at 39 Broadway. The Tower Building was erected in 1888-89, but torn down in 1911 shortly after the architect's death.media: 23316581