Happy Birthday, Grand Central!! 100 years to this day, the keys to Grand Central were first given to the stationmaster. Lots of people are celebrating but I think the Daily Beast's 100 Facts have some the most interesting details. Here are a few:
• The terminal has 44 platforms. And 67 tracks.
• 150,000 people walked through the doors for its inauguration. Now, 750,000 visitors pass through daily.
• Perhaps the terminal’s best-known feature, the celestial ceiling of the main concourse depicts the zodiac. The view is of the Mediterranean winter sky. The stars number 2,500. Unfortunately, the view is backwards. Some say that’s because it’s from God’s vantage point.
• That clock has four faces made of opal, estimated at a value of $10-20 million.
• Proud that it was the first all-electric station, architects filled it with light bulbs (a novelty at the time).
• 93% of GCT commuters are college graduates. Their mean household income is $95,800.
• About 19,000 items wind up in the lost and found each year. Of those, more than half are reunited with their owners.
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