Grand Central Station, New York City, c. 1900
Suggested Teaching Instructions
Just twelve years later, the old Grand Central Depot was demolished in 1910 and replaced with the current Grand Central Terminal, which opened to the public in 1913. The new Grand Central is the largest train station in the world based on the number of platforms and tracks it services. These platforms and tracks are on two underground levels, with forty-one tracks on the upper level and twenty-six on the lower.
Grand Central Station has a few unique characteristics. One is the unusual ceiling, which shows an array of constellations. Another is the beautiful four-sided clock, which sits on top of the information booth in the center of the main concourse. This clock has become the meeting place for many travelers.
Over the years, Grand Central Station has declined and deteriorated. In the 1930s, the ceiling was covered over because some of the plaster was falling off; it was easier and cheaper to cover the ceiling then to repair it. However, in 1998, a twelve-year restoration revealed the true beauty of the original building, including the ceiling. When restoration of the ceiling began, many people thought the original ceiling was covered with coal or diesel smoke, but tests showed that the entire ceiling was concealed with tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke. A single dark patch remains; it was left untouched by renovators to remind visitors of the grime that once covered the ceiling. If you ever visit, look for this little patch on the ceiling.