New York: Our Nation's Capitol?

This weekend, our team, or 5-man wolf pack, traveled from the capitol of the United States to the “capitol of the world,” New York City. The others and I talked a lot about how different New York was from D.C., and some even said that they may prefer Washington over the Big Apple (myself included). I still love NY and could even live there one day if given the opportunity (and the money, of course :-) ). Of course, as a native of the state, I think I am predisposed to love the city, even if my hometown of Rochester, NY is almost as far away from NYC as Washington, D.C. (It’s only a difference of 40 miles.) While taking pictures of Federal Hall on Wall Street, I had a thought. What if Washington, D.C. was not chosen to be the nation’s capitol? What if, perhaps, New York, the capitol of the United States from 1785 to 1790, was chosen instead? What would a New York capitol city be like?

As I walked down Constitution Avenue on my way to work today, I was enjoying the wonderful weather and scenery. The Capitol Hill neighborhood is definitely one of my favorites because of its beauty and awe-inspiring views of the Capitol, Supreme Court, and the Washington Monument. The green space and trees accompanying the sidewalk provide an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re not necessarily in a “real” city when in reality, you are. Juxtaposed against scene is midtown Manhattan. It’s loud, smelly, and dirty. There are a few trees and green space here and there, but nothing compared to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The sounds of car horns and screams for taxis, accompanied by the smells from food carts, known as “street meet” to New Yorkers, fill the air. Occasionally, a person who may very well be crazy will approach you for money or food, as Dara knows all too well. Instead of monuments and green space, there are towers and skyscrapers. Instead of flower boxes filled with tulips and pansies, there are street vendors selling the latest knock-off handbags, watches, and sunglasses.

While some might characterize my depiction of Manhattan as skewed because I pointed out what some might call “negative” aspects of the city, I would have to disagree. While it is true that New York is not as aesthetically pleasing as Washington, I think that is what makes New York so distinctive. I would also point out that there are many places around Washington that are not as pretty as Capitol Hill. The Southeast quadrant of Washington is known for having a high crime rate and the city in general has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the United States. There are many things about New York that make it truly amazing, which is why it is a destination spot for tourists from all over the world. The amount of diversity and culture in the city is astounding. You may here 6 or 7 different languages spoken a day in Manhattan, or in any of the other Burroughs for that matter. Because of the cultural diversity, the city has so many things to offer in terms of restaurants, things to do or see, or places to visit. Of course Washington, being a major metropolitan city in its own right, offers a similar experience, but New York surpasses it, in my opinion, because of its massive population.

My point is that both cities are different and distinctive in their own right. New York has its culture, its reputation for being the capitol of the world, the center of business and economy, and the center for the arts. Washington has its politics and law, its ambitious people, its impressive monuments, memorials, and buildings, and its surplus of interns. I love both cities simply for these reasons: they are so vastly different. So what of New York as the nation’s capitol? I think that it could have been a great capitol. It had the population, the location, and in the future, the reputation for being the capitol of the world, and as the greatest nation in the world, why not have an amazing capitol like the Big Apple? The city would have developed differently, of course, to include the sites that are necessary in running the federal government. Perhaps Central Park would have been the National Mall, the Federal Hall would have been part of the Capitol building, Times Square would have been home to monuments and memorials instead of MTV, Toys R Us, and Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Co, and Park Avenue would have been the home of the Supreme Court. This is pure speculation, of course, and interesting to think about how that may have changed the future of our nation. But the fact is New York was not chosen to be the capitol, and I think it’s probably for good reason. Aside from the fact that Manhattan Island and the surrounding Burroughs would have been too sprawling for practicality sake, a city founded solely for the purpose of a national capitol makes sense. It is the people’s city. The mall, the monuments, even the Capitol building, is for the people. That doesn’t mean New York is not a “people’s city,” it just means they’re different.

I have loved my time living in Washington, and I was happy to be back in the District this morning. But New York is amazing, too. I guess this is my chance to stick up for my fellow New Yorkers everywhere to say that yes, New York is loud, smelly, dirty, and crowded. Maybe some New Yorkers are rude and angry. But really, we’re just misunderstood, and I would be proud to call myself a “New Yorker” if I ever lived in the city one day. Maybe you’re crammed into a small apartment with no yard, but that’s what central park is there for. Perhaps Washington is more “livable” than New York, but what does “livable” really mean anyway? Maybe Washington is too obsessed with politics. And perhaps Washington is a bit “uppity,” aren’t most major metropolitan cities? Maybe there are too many lawyers, bureaucrats, and politicians in Washington. But I know many people that would say there are too many of these types of people anyway, regardless of where they come from. Honestly, I wouldn’t have New York be any other way. And honestly, I wouldn’t have our nation’s capitol be other place than Washington, either.

-Katie Contino