Month: March 2015

John Matthews (1808-1870), known as “The Soda Fountain King,” is famous for popularizing carbonated beverages in the United States. Though others had attempted carbonation before him, Matthews was the first to create a process that was simple and economical. In 1832 Matthews patented his “apparatus for charging water with carbon dioxide gas.” The apparatus he designed could be kept on a countertop, making it possible for a pharmacist to easily dispense carbonated drinks to the masses. Matthews also introduced the first flavorings for carbonated beverages, contributing to their booming popularity. By the time of his death, more than 500 establishments in New York City alone were using his products.

Living in New York City in the early twentieth century, artist Henry Ives Cobb Jr. (1883-1974) was inspired by the energy of the City around him. Working primarily in watercolor and oil, Cobb painted scenes of life in and around Manhattan. Jumping Rope near Cleopatra’s Needle, Central Park, pictured here, is exemplary of Cobb’s style. He whimsically depicts a group of school girls at play in the park on an early spring day. Just beyond them is the New York City landmark “Cleopatra’s Needle,” an Ancient Egyptian obelisk erected in New York during the nineteenth century.

Henry Bergh (1813-1888) was an activist who advocated for the humane treatment of animals. He proposed the first laws protecting animal welfare in the United States. In 1866, just three days after the legislation passed in New York, Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA. Outraged by the blatant and horrific abuse of horses too weary to pull carriages, Bergh made it his mission to protect animals from suffering and injustice. His efforts raised awareness of animal welfare in the United States and by the time of his death 39 states had enacted laws prohibiting cruelty to animals.

Park Slope was one of the earliest residential neighborhoods to develop in Brooklyn, attracting New Yorkers who could easily commute to thriving Manhattan via ferry service. This course of development can largely be attributed to Edwin Clarke Litchfield (1815-1885). During the 1850’s he purchased large tracts of farmland in the area and sold them off to residential developers. His legacy lives on in Brooklyn through his mansion home, Litchfield Villa, located in Prospect Park. Litchfield’s elegant estate, designed by Alexander Jackson Downing, became city property after his death. Today it is the headquarters of the Brooklyn Parks Department and a beloved Brooklyn landmark.