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Unknown New York: An Artist Uncovers the City's Hidden Treasures
An intrepid and gifted artist uncovers and illustrates more than 100 surprising, enchanting, and sometimes downright bizarre nooks and crannies that make New York such a compelling city.
It’s no surprise that New York City is the most visited destination in the U.S., and has proved itself to be an endlessly fascinating exploration ground to visitors and natives alike. Unknown New York walks readers through the vibrant, hidden, and forgotten worlds churning beneath the surface of the city. From the oldest bridge -- a footbridge described as a “red sidewalk through the sky” -- to a quirky and little-known Superhero Supply Store in Brooklyn to the original and abandoned Hall of Fame in the Bronx, the author takes us on a magical mystery tour through the city many people think they know.
Each entry presents a brief and compelling description of a hidden park, historical site, niche shop, etc and is accompanied by a charming four-color illustration by the author.
Locations
Hidden History
New-York Historical Society, Daily Planet, Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, Grant’s Tomb, 23 Skidoo, Roosevelt Building, The Cable Building, The High Bridge, City Reliquary, The Fire Museum, The Shinran Statue, Ukrainian Museum, St. George’s Church, Poster House, Winnie-the-Pooh, Morris - Jumel Mansion, Justice & Authority, Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument, Cutler Mail Chutes, 7B, Edgar Allen Poe & Batman, The First Hall of Fame, Fraunces TavernCentral Park
Glen Span Arch, The Ravine, The Pilgrim, Hernshead, The Conservatory Garden, The Italianate Garden, The English-Style Garden, The French-Style Garden, 36 Arches, USS Maine Monument, Harlem Meer, The Last BoltHumble Parks
Wagner Park, Pier 62 Carousel, Father Demo Square, Greenacre Park, Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain, Domino Park, Stuyvesant Square, Sea Glass Carousel, Teardrop Park, Prospect Park Boathouse, The Real World, Glick Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, West Harlem Piers, Bella Abzug Park, Elizabeth Street Garden, Sutton Place Park, Stuyvesant Cove, Fort Tryon, Evangeline Blashfield Fountain, Peter Detmold Park, South CoveOn the Street
Waterfall Tunnel, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, New York Yacht Club, Stone Street, The Silk Clock, Water Towers, Joralemon Street, Harriet Tubman, Mosaic House, Green Tunnel, Block Beautiful, Haunted House, Freeman Alley, The Pink House, Delancey Station, 6½ Avenue, Elevated Station, Bushwick Street Art, Bond Street, City Subway Grate, First Street Green Cultural ParkShopping Spree
Albertine, Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., The Old Print Shop, Kalustyan’s, The Drama Book Shop, Zoltar, Jeweled Gardens, Kinokuniya, Economy Candy, Chartwell, Bowne & Co. Stationers, Rice to RichesQuiet Realms
Morgan Library, 2nd Avenue Subway, The Rubin, The Earth Room, Roerich Museum, Elevated Acre, Tudor City, Beekman Place, Japan Society, City College, Sutton Place, The Met’s Astor Court, Waterside, Green-Wood Cemetery, 191st Street Tunnel, Ford Foundation, Noguchi Museum, Cooper Hewitt Design MuseumExcursions
Pier C, Louis Armstrong House, Governor&rsq
It’s no surprise that New York City is the most visited destination in the U.S., and has proved itself to be an endlessly fascinating exploration ground to visitors and natives alike. Unknown New York walks readers through the vibrant, hidden, and forgotten worlds churning beneath the surface of the city. From the oldest bridge -- a footbridge described as a “red sidewalk through the sky” -- to a quirky and little-known Superhero Supply Store in Brooklyn to the original and abandoned Hall of Fame in the Bronx, the author takes us on a magical mystery tour through the city many people think they know.
Each entry presents a brief and compelling description of a hidden park, historical site, niche shop, etc and is accompanied by a charming four-color illustration by the author.
Locations
Hidden History
New-York Historical Society, Daily Planet, Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, Grant’s Tomb, 23 Skidoo, Roosevelt Building, The Cable Building, The High Bridge, City Reliquary, The Fire Museum, The Shinran Statue, Ukrainian Museum, St. George’s Church, Poster House, Winnie-the-Pooh, Morris - Jumel Mansion, Justice & Authority, Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument, Cutler Mail Chutes, 7B, Edgar Allen Poe & Batman, The First Hall of Fame, Fraunces TavernCentral Park
Glen Span Arch, The Ravine, The Pilgrim, Hernshead, The Conservatory Garden, The Italianate Garden, The English-Style Garden, The French-Style Garden, 36 Arches, USS Maine Monument, Harlem Meer, The Last BoltHumble Parks
Wagner Park, Pier 62 Carousel, Father Demo Square, Greenacre Park, Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain, Domino Park, Stuyvesant Square, Sea Glass Carousel, Teardrop Park, Prospect Park Boathouse, The Real World, Glick Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, West Harlem Piers, Bella Abzug Park, Elizabeth Street Garden, Sutton Place Park, Stuyvesant Cove, Fort Tryon, Evangeline Blashfield Fountain, Peter Detmold Park, South CoveOn the Street
Waterfall Tunnel, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, New York Yacht Club, Stone Street, The Silk Clock, Water Towers, Joralemon Street, Harriet Tubman, Mosaic House, Green Tunnel, Block Beautiful, Haunted House, Freeman Alley, The Pink House, Delancey Station, 6½ Avenue, Elevated Station, Bushwick Street Art, Bond Street, City Subway Grate, First Street Green Cultural ParkShopping Spree
Albertine, Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., The Old Print Shop, Kalustyan’s, The Drama Book Shop, Zoltar, Jeweled Gardens, Kinokuniya, Economy Candy, Chartwell, Bowne & Co. Stationers, Rice to RichesQuiet Realms
Morgan Library, 2nd Avenue Subway, The Rubin, The Earth Room, Roerich Museum, Elevated Acre, Tudor City, Beekman Place, Japan Society, City College, Sutton Place, The Met’s Astor Court, Waterside, Green-Wood Cemetery, 191st Street Tunnel, Ford Foundation, Noguchi Museum, Cooper Hewitt Design MuseumExcursions
Pier C, Louis Armstrong House, Governor&rsq
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2024
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Jesse Richards
4 books14 followersJesse Richards is an artist and explorer of New York City's urban landscape. For nearly 20 years, he's led one of the city's largest drawing groups, sketching in parks, museums, and hidden sites all over New York. He also volunteers with Big Apple Greeter, sharing favorite NYC neighborhoods with visitors. He lives in New York City with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 9, 2024
4.5* Absolutely charming!
Having been to NYC many times, I am well aware of many of the interesting and unusual things the city has to offer. Unknown New York could have been written specifically for me.
Jesse Richards leads a painting group in the city where strangers link up through social media, meet somewhere interesting, and paint. The book highlights interesting monuments, museums, parks, etc where the group have previously gone. Everything in the book is organized into groups, each quick painting or sketch is accompanied by a paragraph or two describing the site with easily accessible words and major points. Super easy to get through and the sites are interesting and quirky. History should always be this fun.
I took note of the walking guides near the end of the book, and I am looking forward to doing the hidden Central Park walk. New York is a fabulous city and Jesse Richards has shown it so much respect with this charming book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Having been to NYC many times, I am well aware of many of the interesting and unusual things the city has to offer. Unknown New York could have been written specifically for me.
Jesse Richards leads a painting group in the city where strangers link up through social media, meet somewhere interesting, and paint. The book highlights interesting monuments, museums, parks, etc where the group have previously gone. Everything in the book is organized into groups, each quick painting or sketch is accompanied by a paragraph or two describing the site with easily accessible words and major points. Super easy to get through and the sites are interesting and quirky. History should always be this fun.
I took note of the walking guides near the end of the book, and I am looking forward to doing the hidden Central Park walk. New York is a fabulous city and Jesse Richards has shown it so much respect with this charming book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 12, 2025
This is a delightful compilation of descriptions of odd little spots in New York city (mostly Manhattan), each accompanied by a water color sketch by author, who's led a NYC drawing club for many years. I think this is more for New Yorkers (I am a transplanted one) who like the idea of exploring beyond their own beaten paths more than it for tourists. I'd guess that I knew about roughly half of the parks, buildings, monuments, quirky museums and stores Jesse Richards highlights, but I'm eager to discover some of the others for myself, and have made lists, grouped roughly by neighborhood. I could certainly show him a few spots in Queens...
April 24, 2025
Wow, what an amazing book! Makes me want to visit NYC again. (Getting me -an old fart- out of my house is quite a feat, so this is saying a lot.)
January 26, 2026
Now I have so many more places I want to visit on my trip to NYC.
September 8, 2024
Unknown New York: An Artist Uncovers the City's Hidden Treasures
by Jesse Richards
Art by the author/artist
Workman Publishing
A division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
2024
240 pages
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Jesse Richards discovers Manhattan and becomes a New York aficionado, exploring interesting places on her weekend walks. Always an artist at heart, she starts an art group to sketch in Central Park. As her group grew, she began to look for new places to sketch and found that many members kept returning because of the new locations she found. The group grew to over 8,000 member and Richards found that she loved to delve into the history of the places she found.
In chapters like "Hidden New York," she includes The Daily News Building with its rich history and iconic placement in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s as The Daily Planet where Clark Kent meets Lois Lane. She includes the facades of buildings like the Cable Building and the Roosevelt Building and the Shinran Shonin Statue which was gifted to New York in 1955 by a Japanese industrialist. The statue has red burns marks on it from the atomic bomb at Hiroshima in 1945.
The art and historical details give rich descriptions of each choice in the book. Anyone going to New York should take notes from this gem of a book. Even New Yorkers will discover places they've never heard about or visited.
An interesting tidbit is there are still buildings in New York that use mail chutes: over nine hundred, in fact. A pneumatic tube system connected all of Manhatten across the Brooklyn Bridge and all of Brooklyn. It was too expensive to run and by 1953, the city began using cars and carriers to move the mail.
Other chapters include Humble Parks, On the Street, Central Park and Excursions. A section at the back of the book includes walks were you can see all the places mentioned in the text. For the seasoned adventurer or new New Yorker, Hidden New York is a treasure trove of information and unlikely places to visit.
Highly recommended for anyone planning to visit or live in New York and those who love to read about travel and history.
by Jesse Richards
Art by the author/artist
Workman Publishing
A division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
2024
240 pages
Publication Date: September 10, 2024
Jesse Richards discovers Manhattan and becomes a New York aficionado, exploring interesting places on her weekend walks. Always an artist at heart, she starts an art group to sketch in Central Park. As her group grew, she began to look for new places to sketch and found that many members kept returning because of the new locations she found. The group grew to over 8,000 member and Richards found that she loved to delve into the history of the places she found.
In chapters like "Hidden New York," she includes The Daily News Building with its rich history and iconic placement in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s as The Daily Planet where Clark Kent meets Lois Lane. She includes the facades of buildings like the Cable Building and the Roosevelt Building and the Shinran Shonin Statue which was gifted to New York in 1955 by a Japanese industrialist. The statue has red burns marks on it from the atomic bomb at Hiroshima in 1945.
The art and historical details give rich descriptions of each choice in the book. Anyone going to New York should take notes from this gem of a book. Even New Yorkers will discover places they've never heard about or visited.
An interesting tidbit is there are still buildings in New York that use mail chutes: over nine hundred, in fact. A pneumatic tube system connected all of Manhatten across the Brooklyn Bridge and all of Brooklyn. It was too expensive to run and by 1953, the city began using cars and carriers to move the mail.
Other chapters include Humble Parks, On the Street, Central Park and Excursions. A section at the back of the book includes walks were you can see all the places mentioned in the text. For the seasoned adventurer or new New Yorker, Hidden New York is a treasure trove of information and unlikely places to visit.
Highly recommended for anyone planning to visit or live in New York and those who love to read about travel and history.
July 24, 2024
4.5*
This is a delightful book that offers the quirky, the unusual and the hidden treasures to be found in New York City. The sketches and simple descriptions are perfect for showcasing places and things that the typical traveler, or even the seasoned resident, might not be unaware of. Richards started taking a group of artists to spend time in Central Park to capture the unique sights and sounds. This led him to expand his investigation and to take the group all over the city to discover other little-known or unheard-of gems.
The book is broken down into categories such as hidden history, hidden parks, street, shopping, quiet spots, central park, excursions, and walks. Richards took his love of hiking and exploration to heart as he explored America’s largest city to find the nooks and crannies that most don’t know exist. These are spots that people might walk right by or never discover, unless someone points them out. He includes quiet parks, rare museums, unique streets, statues, artwork, rare bookshops, stores and decorations. Some are more known such as Grant’s tomb and the Morgan Library, but there’s also the oddities like the “earth room,” the Superhero Supply Company and the Peter Plaques.
Richards’ illustrations add to the fascination and his brief narrative gives readers a taste for the exotic and extraordinary places and sights in a city known for its memorable sights. These out-of-the-way spots are presented in a simple fashion that whets the appetite and makes one want to return to the city and explore these hidden treats.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a delightful book that offers the quirky, the unusual and the hidden treasures to be found in New York City. The sketches and simple descriptions are perfect for showcasing places and things that the typical traveler, or even the seasoned resident, might not be unaware of. Richards started taking a group of artists to spend time in Central Park to capture the unique sights and sounds. This led him to expand his investigation and to take the group all over the city to discover other little-known or unheard-of gems.
The book is broken down into categories such as hidden history, hidden parks, street, shopping, quiet spots, central park, excursions, and walks. Richards took his love of hiking and exploration to heart as he explored America’s largest city to find the nooks and crannies that most don’t know exist. These are spots that people might walk right by or never discover, unless someone points them out. He includes quiet parks, rare museums, unique streets, statues, artwork, rare bookshops, stores and decorations. Some are more known such as Grant’s tomb and the Morgan Library, but there’s also the oddities like the “earth room,” the Superhero Supply Company and the Peter Plaques.
Richards’ illustrations add to the fascination and his brief narrative gives readers a taste for the exotic and extraordinary places and sights in a city known for its memorable sights. These out-of-the-way spots are presented in a simple fashion that whets the appetite and makes one want to return to the city and explore these hidden treats.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 27, 2025
This book features art and short descriptions about unique, little-known places in New York City. The artist introduces readers to a variety of different historical locations, cultural centers, shops, and other places that give a flavor for NYC or have special importance, but which aren't typical tourist stops.
The descriptions are usually paragraph-length, and appear opposite the author's illustration. The illustrations sometimes show an entire structure, and other times highlight a particular feature up close. In some cases, I would have liked to see photographs as well, but one can of course look all of these places up on online. Overall, I enjoyed the art, and the short descriptions are informative without giving too many details. I like that the author mentions if and when certain places do tours.
This is a cool art and culture book, as well as a helpful guide for locals and tourists who want to visit unique places off the beaten path. I enjoyed this, and I would recommend it to people for just the art and information, and for the travel suggestions.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The descriptions are usually paragraph-length, and appear opposite the author's illustration. The illustrations sometimes show an entire structure, and other times highlight a particular feature up close. In some cases, I would have liked to see photographs as well, but one can of course look all of these places up on online. Overall, I enjoyed the art, and the short descriptions are informative without giving too many details. I like that the author mentions if and when certain places do tours.
This is a cool art and culture book, as well as a helpful guide for locals and tourists who want to visit unique places off the beaten path. I enjoyed this, and I would recommend it to people for just the art and information, and for the travel suggestions.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
September 10, 2024
The origins of this book is that the author started a group to lead artists around NYC to explore and sketch. I have visited NYC many times but have not seen the majority of these places. The title is certainly fitting! There are some that I immediately wrote down to go explore on my next visit -- such as The High Bridge, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden, the Roosevelt Building (and the chocolate restaurant!), the Fraunces Tavern, as well as many parks and bookstores. The illustrations work very well with the text. At the end of the book are some suggested self-guided walking tours and I look forward to going on these as well. This book would make a nice gift for someone traveling to NYC and is looking for things to see off the typical tourist path.
Thank you to Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
October 13, 2024
I've known Jesse a long time through his Central Park Sketching & Art Meetup Group. He's a wonderful artist and I was so excited about his book.
Not only is it a collection of his sketches (many I remember from Meetup), but it's a NYC guidebook. What makes this different from other run-of-the-mill guidebooks is that it highlights places off the beaten path (hence the title) and it's a beautiful art book. It's nice to have a collection of Jesse's work saved in print.
You'll feel like a real New Yorker with this in your hands. Take it from me, who was born and raised in the boroughs of New York City. I too learned new things, historically and presently, about my city. I made some bookmarks and want to explore the neighborhood walks Jesse included.
5 out of 5 Hidden Treasures.
Not only is it a collection of his sketches (many I remember from Meetup), but it's a NYC guidebook. What makes this different from other run-of-the-mill guidebooks is that it highlights places off the beaten path (hence the title) and it's a beautiful art book. It's nice to have a collection of Jesse's work saved in print.
You'll feel like a real New Yorker with this in your hands. Take it from me, who was born and raised in the boroughs of New York City. I too learned new things, historically and presently, about my city. I made some bookmarks and want to explore the neighborhood walks Jesse included.
5 out of 5 Hidden Treasures.
September 7, 2024
This book absolutely makes me want to visit (move to) New York City. If you’re planning a trip yourself, make sure to checkout this book to find some hidden gems you may be interested in visiting. I especially liked the author’s suggested walking tours at the end of the book. The artwork throughout is really stunning, my only criticism is that I wished there were photos of locations included as well. As beautiful as the sketches are, they’re often a closeup depiction of a location and I just wanted to see MORE to get a better context for the location. Overall, a great love letter to New York.
Note: I received an early finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received an early finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2024
This book is such a cool idea.
Unknown New York by Jesse Richards is a compilation of personal sketches of hidden gems in NYC that aren’t in your typical guide book. The art is divided into different location “genres” (so to speak), so whether you’re in a history mood or a park mood, there’s a place somewhere in the city for you to discover.
This would make a great gift for a NY lover or someone who’s about to travel there for the first or fiftieth time!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unknown New York is available now.
Unknown New York by Jesse Richards is a compilation of personal sketches of hidden gems in NYC that aren’t in your typical guide book. The art is divided into different location “genres” (so to speak), so whether you’re in a history mood or a park mood, there’s a place somewhere in the city for you to discover.
This would make a great gift for a NY lover or someone who’s about to travel there for the first or fiftieth time!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unknown New York is available now.
October 3, 2024
I've only been to New York a few times and I spent both trips feeling like I didn't have enough time. It's obviously a city someone could spend a lifetime exploring and never get bored. What I liked about this book was that it gave many wonderful and sometimes unusual suggestions for things to see in New York, mostly for free. I was trying to keep track of which ones I wanted to see the most, and then at the end, there were some self-guided walks that will help me see several sights in a short period of time. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to travel to New York City or who just enjoys traveling from home in your imagination.
September 4, 2024
A wonderful exploration of forgotten or lesser known nooks and crannies of New York City. For the most part, these are not the iconic sites but the hidden gems that bring the city to life and make it sparkle. A lovely book recommended for the armchair traveller or anyone planning a visit to the Big Apple.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2024
I really enjoyed reading about obscure and little-known places in New York that I didn't know about, along with all sorts of interesting trivia/tidbits about places I pass by every day in the city. The sketches and drawings are full of life, and added a lot of color (pun intended) to the reading experience as well. Reading about all of these fascinating locales has really motivated me to get out and visit some of these hidden gems!
Read
December 13, 2025Places to visit:
In the Polonsky Exhibition Room in the main branch of NYPL, in a big glass box in front of a blown-up map of the Hundred-Acre Wood, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends are on display. These are the real deal-the original Pooh and Piglet and Kanga and more, owned by author A. A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne, more than a hundred years ago.
Greenacre Park
The Old Print Shop
The New York Earth Room
In the Polonsky Exhibition Room in the main branch of NYPL, in a big glass box in front of a blown-up map of the Hundred-Acre Wood, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends are on display. These are the real deal-the original Pooh and Piglet and Kanga and more, owned by author A. A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne, more than a hundred years ago.
Greenacre Park
The Old Print Shop
The New York Earth Room
August 14, 2024
New York City, distinct and unique, merges the many layers of culture that have called this place home. Unknown New York is a guidebook that unlocks these hidden treasures, carefully described and illustrated to enliven one’s curiosity and share gems both old and new.
Read the full review: https://travelnitch.org/unknown-new-y...
Read the full review: https://travelnitch.org/unknown-new-y...
September 13, 2024
One of my favorite pastimes is going on walking tours all over the 5 boroughs of NYC. So I been on hundreds of walks. I thought for sure that I would therefore be familiar with the vast majority of the approximately 100 "hidden treasures" that Jesse has selected for his book. Yes I have only experienced about 60% of them. Thanks to Jesse for inspiring me to do lots more exploring!
November 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this! The illustrations are beautiful and this was very informative. If you are moving to/visiting New York City or just enjoy books about cities I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Jesse Richards,Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2024
This treasure of a book features lovely watercolor sketches along with short descriptions of New York City's hidden wonders. It's a gentle plea to put the brakes on looking at the big and famous stuff and instead pay attention to the fascinating bits waiting to be found. I'm eager for my next trip to see some of them for myself. Actual rating; 4.75
September 10, 2024
If you like New York (and who doesn't), you will definitely find this book appealing. It gives you both historical and practical information about the city, filled with beautiful illustrations. Thank you to Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for this ARC.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews