My name is Keith. I’m 20-something years old and I live in New York City. I find this city endlessly fascinating, and believe that the stories behind its people, places, and things should be shared and understood as much as possible. Each little story is a piece in the puzzle that is New York.
I’m always interested in new and interesting topics, so if you have any suggestions for a post, feel free to drop me a line at keithyorkcity@gmail.com – I’ll try to use as many ideas as I can!
If I fail to correctly cite any photos, please trust that it was unintentional! Let me know of my error and I’ll correct it to the best of my ability.
But most importantly, I hope all my readers enjoy the stories I share. And I hope you learn something new about this incredible city!
Cheers,
Keith
Keith York City 
fantastic blog, Keith!! Truly enjoyable in its detail and effort. Will be visiting often!
Best!
Vas
Thank you Vas! I’ve fallen behind on my updates lately, but will try to catch up soon!
Please do Keith. Please!
Keith, I just discovered your wonderful blog while researching Audrey Munson. My guess is that you live in the Heights–and I enjoyed your posts on Dr. Paterno, the murder in Griffin, etc. Hope you will consider reviving your blog and adding new posts. Thank you so much for your wonderful research and writing.
Love your blog. I have only visited NYC for not more than 3 days. Someday I hope to go back and definitely check out some of the places you’ve posted about. Thanks so much for sharing!
Haven’t had enough time to look into the site, in depth, but I know I’ll be back! What a cool site, Keith. Keep writing!
I found your site after hearing a mention of Evelyn McHale’s “beautiful suicide” photograph and although the tragedy of her death is so sad, your sensitivity to it and your site in general is wonderful!
I really like this site. I’m moving to NYC next year, and learning about the city makes me even more excited to be living there soon. I know the last post was back in April but I hope you haven’t quit for good! Come back soon 🙂
Hi Kristin! Thanks for your kind words! New York is a great town – it’ll take a while to get used to life here, but if you give it a chance, I’m sure you’ll love it. I know I’ve been MIA lately – a new job has me much busier than I used to be. But I’m thinking of changing the format to something less research-intensive and more photo-oriented so I can post more often. Thanks for reading!
This is useful, beneficial and edutaining. Kudos, Keith. I have a podcast for English learners and everyone (all foreigners) LOVES New York City. Would you be available for an interview at your convenience?
Hi Shane, sorry for the late reply. I’d love to do an interview if you’re still interested. Just let me know what I would need to do and I’ll do my best!
Very much enjoyed perusing your blog today. I, too, am endlessly fascinated with the city, its people and its history. I visit as often as financially possible (which sadly is only 3-4 times a year). As someone who is working on an M.A. in American History, I appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into your blog.
Thank you for the kind words, Gina! They are very much appreciated. I’m hoping to begin work on my Master’s soon as well, so I wish you the very best of luck!
Thank you. Best of luck to you, too. You couldn’t be in a better place to study!
Just subscribed via Netvibes as I really enjoy reading your blog!
I wonder if you’ve read this Tumblr Photo Blog too: http://nycpast.tumblr.com/ ~ could be useful for your next writings tho!
You should also consider to have Twitter and Facebook so more people would visit your wonderful blog here.
Keep posting good stuffs Keith 🙂
Hi and thank you for your kind words! I’ve toyed with the idea of pushing the social media presence of KeithYorkCity, but fear I don’t have the time to commit to it at present. However, you’ve revived the idea in me and I’ll definitely give it further consideration. I appreciate the push!
-Keith
I really enjoyed what I’ve read of your blog so far. I’ll admit I first came here and read the story of Evelyn McHale, but I stayed and read a few other ones as well. I will be back.
I sincerely hope that I misinterpreted something you wrote–that you weren’t posting anymore(?). This is a delightful blog, and I really do hope you will continue with it. You must know enough of the culture (such as it is) of the internet to know that it’s (sadly) full of people who will snipe, criticise, and display paranoia of various stripes at the slightest provocation–the downside of the ‘net’s openness and anonymity is that such people, who lack the courage to speak up when people can see and identify them, will always skulk in the corners. IGNORE them–just do your thing! You’re a lovely writer and write about many interesting things. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you as well! While I don’t write as often as I’d like to any more (work and holidays have been occupying much of my schedule as of late), I do fully intend to continue writing posts! It can be difficult, since a decent article can take multiple days to research, write, edit, format, and illustrate. Heck, I even struggle to figure out what to write about sometimes! There are so many topics available in the annals of New York’s history that it’s often hard to pick just one subject. Anyway, I thank you for reading and for your kind words. I’ll try to have a new post up soon!
Dear Keith;
My name is Sepehr, a 24 years old student of history in university of Tehran, Iran. I came to your blog by chance, but your blog is in my favorite list now intentionally. Please update your blog regularly.
P.S: Are you interested in history of Iran and Persian empire?
Greetings Sepeher, and thank you for reading! I’m so glad you stumbled upon my blog and have enjoyed it. I will try to update more regularly – a blog like this is a very time-consuming thing and I’ve had very little of it to spare as of late! But I will do my best to get some new posts – even short ones – published very soon.
Great blog! I stumbled on this while looking at that damn Evelyn post. After reading the update…I dug deeper! It’s fantastic!!! Do you have a Facebook and Twitter? Want to follow your stories!!!
Sierra
Hi Sierra, thank you for reading! I do not have a Facebook or Twitter page (social media detox for 2014) but I am on InstaGram at @keithimus – it’s not always just historical or architectural photos, but that’s the main theme. Follow me if you’d like!
-Keith
What a fantastic site!! I lived in NYC from ’77 – ’83, it’s dog days (to say the least). Although English, my dad was born and bred in Brooklyn during the Great Depression, and I was raised on tales of it before we ended up there when I was 17. I never really took advantage of living there as much as I should, and these days it seems like a dream. I’ve been back a couple of times and don’t recognise the place. Last time, two years ago, a couple of friends took me down Avenue C and we reminisced about how we could never have done that “back in our day”. Your site is just fascinating, and I wish my dad were alive so I could show it to him – I know he’d love it!
One minor cavil, though, when you write about the Helen Hayes theatre – did I read right, that you give the date of its destruction as 1973? Is that a typo? I seem to remember it coming down in my time there, and a friend of mine saying “America is the only place an actress can have a theatre named after her AND torn down in her life time”. As well as that, I remember the radio ads for the last show to run there, the notorious “The Moose Murders”. Anyway, I’m still catching up with all your old blogs. There’s just so much fascinating stuff there! Thank you so much for all your fascinating work.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s amazing how much the city has changed just in the 4 years since I moved here. I currently live in Washington Heights in far northern Manhattan, a neighborhood my mother (who grew up in NYC in the 60s and 70s) wouldn’t set foot in if I paid her! And it seems every month there’s a new “hot spot” being gentrified in Brooklyn. But that’s one of the things I love about New York: there’s always something new.
As for the Helen Hayes, I’ll have to double-check my article. I believe it was demolished in 1982, but I could easily have mis-typed it. I tend to crank out these articles quickly in between projects at work, so it’s very easy for me to overlook mistakes like that.
Again, thanks for writing and thanks even more for reading!
Keith
Thanks, Keith. I enjoy history and murder mysteries and enjoy your blog. 🙂
Your blog breathes a new perspective on New York, beyond that of the bustling overcrowded city imagined by someone who has never visited. Your attention to detail is gripping, and has me coming back often to read new posts.
Comments like yours remind me of why I started this blog in the first place. (And they make me feel endlessly guilty for not finding enough time to write lately!) I appreciate you stopping by and promise I’ll try to post more soon!
-Keith
Sorry Keith, I too got here via the Evelyn story. I’m going down the list and reading each post and I love them. I sent your link to my dad, who loves history. You have a very interesting and mature writing style. Thanks!
-Carolyn
No need to apologize! Thanks for reading and for your kind words. I’ll try to have some new posts up soon!
-Keith
Fantastic stuff. I was inspired by your entreaty to keep on reading–and I sure am glad I did. Wonderful storytelling of fascinating history–looking forward to your name in (glowing) headlines.
Thank you for a really interesting and well-written blog Keith. I got quite absorbed in many of your posts when I should have been going to sleep!
New York is a fascinating city. I have only visited for a week and I really loved it. I hope to come back one day.
Best wishes,
Anne (Newcastle, UK)
Keith! Would you add a follow button to your blog when you get the time? That’s how I keep being happily reminded of interesting places like yours. Thanks!
Fascinating Blog. I recently saw a post on Facebook of ‘ Must see 40 photos from the past’ that included the Photo of Evelyn McHale, hence my coming across your blog through wanting to read more on her story. If you do find the time, perhaps look up the photos on ‘Pulptastic’ there may be some images on there that have a story behind them for you to write about 🙂 Your blog is brilliant, well written, fascinating and gives me more enthusiasm to cross the seas and visit New York. Keep up the good work!
Kellie
My God, this is a fantastic blog you have! As another history obsessed 20-something, I must tip my hat. I live in DC (which has a ton of it’s own wacky history) and have just started with my historical 1900s-70s NYC studies. I’ve only recently found your blog but I truly hope you’ll continue writing and researching!
I like your blog, Keith! It’s very interesting, even though I’m from the Netherlands and have only visited New York once (hoping for a second opportunity).
Keith, I love your blog!
I’m considerably older than you and was born in Astoria, Queens back in the 1950’s. All of my relatives are from NYC. My family moved from NY back in the 1960’s but NYC is still very much a part of me (as is my NY accent after all these years). The story about Evelyn McHale is what brought me to your blog and after reading your other posts, I’ve become a fan.
Please keep writing, you have a talent!
A fascinating blog…
I too came across this because of the Evelyn story. I’m glad that you were right that your other posts are written better and have more content. My boyfriend and I have been searching for fun history blogs to try and follow and he’s obsessed with NYC for some reason so we are steadily getting through and enjoying your posts. Hope you keep it up.
Thanks for reading and for your kind words. I’ll try to get some new posts up soon!
-Keith
Great blog! Just discovered this and am now reading all your older posts. Thanks for all the info!
Thanks for reading!
Hi Keith, I have an original Evelyn Nesbit photo. Are you interested? I would like to see it get into the right hands. I’ve had it for over 30 yrs.
Hi Keith, I enjoyed reading your posts and love the choice of stories. I’m working on a New York history/architecture project and would love to connect with you. Is there a way to reach you?
I just discovered your blog when looking into the Collyer brothers story. I hope you continue to write! I think I’m about half-way through your articles and I am enjoying every one. I lived in NYC for five years in the ’80’s; it was an amazing time in my life. New York will always be a part of me and I enjoy reading about your chosen historical events. Please keep writing!