Friday, August 29, 2008

Prince Wilhelm plays tourist

August 30, 1907 Prince Wilhelm of Sweden "marveled at the magnificent panorama of New York," when he visited the twenty-ninth floor of the Singer Building, which is the world's tallest building. The Singer building is located at Broadway and Liberty Street.
For more than 30 minutes, the prince surveyed the sights of New York city and New Jersey. "It is simply magnificient. Beyond all doubt it is the grandest sight I have ever beheld in my life." The Prince seemed impressed with the skyline, and commented on the the Palisades and asked about New Jersey rock formations.

Several thousand Swedish-Americans were in the crowd and shouted a cheer for the grandson of King Oscar II.
Later in the afternoon, the prince visited an orphanage, where the young children sang in Swedish.

FYI: The Singer building was completed in 1908. It was the tallest building in the world until 1909, when the Metropolitan Life Insurance Tower building opened on Madison Avenue. The Singer building was demolished in 1968. This building is still extant The US Steel Building (also known as One Liberty Plaza) was built on the Singer building site, which is next to where the former World Trade site.

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