Grant & Cuba

To Include or Not Include—A Decision

Steinway Hall

I have been on a trail for weeks. The trail is Cuba—is this really all that importantant on the Grant front? His administration certainly had to deal with immense pressure on the issue of whether to support (read invade) on behalf of the belligerents.

Oh how things never change!

I am not going to reveal this tidbit of the chapter I am writing, but instead speak about something on the outskirts of this controversy—such that it was. Cuba was a more important issue for Grant’s enemies. They thought it would deiminish his popularity. It didn’t.

The question over Cuba began well before the attempted overthrow of Spain on the Island in 1868—The South wanted Cuba before that time. I am sure you can guess why. Read the book!

I am interested in tidbits of history where people visited, and I have an interest in architecture from the standpoint of beauty. If you have subscribed to this substack, you know I frequently seek out the original buildings Grant stayed or frequented. The reason is I want to know if these places still exist. Often, they do not. I recently had accepted (and was published) a review on the topic of beauty in our towns and cities in Perspectives on Political Science. It is about teaching beauty in state & Local government classes. Most modern (read progressive Cathedral types) never consider beauty because, well, the left and historicists do not believe it is useful. Beauty is also discriminating. Horrors!

Steinway Hall

As you might surmise this post is about Steinway Hall. The building is gone. Stay tuned for what monstrosity took its place. If you are thinking Steinway like pianos, you are correct!

The Hall was built and then remodeled to include a grand concert hall in 1866—it was built upon the existence of the showroom building in 1864 at 109 E. 14th Street. You can see the magnificence of the Italianate architecture in the pictures.

This is what the concert hall looked like facing the front of the building: