Ten years ago, radical terrorists thought that they had taken out a piece of New York’s most memorable skyline. While they succeeded in eliminating two of New York’s finest buildings, they failed at destroying the spirit of those who made them great – New Yorkers and Americans alike. Not only did the loss of these two buildings fail to destroy American spirit, it did not even succeed in extinguishing the New York skyline. According to Dr. Mike Wallace, a prominent professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, New York has always been a city able and ready to adapt to change. 

Wallace visited UNC Wilmington’s Kenan Auditorium last Friday night, where he spoke of the evolution of five small boroughs into the greater city of New York. In 1898, the “urge to merge” swept through the regions, and their economies came together to integrate interests and funds. By 1903, industry after industry had joined together, and the forerunner of today’s New York City had emerged overnight. New Yorkers had efficiently “translated their plans into limestone reality,” said Wallace, and by 1908 there were nearly 366 skyscrapers in lower Manhattan – more than four times the amount of a decade earlier.

“Throughout the first decade of the twentieth century, the skyline had replaced the harbor as New York’s emblem,” said Wallace. These tall towers were the physical evidence and manifestation of New York’s corporate, political and economic merge. “Skyscrapers served as giant billboards to advertise to the world on Manhattan’s skyline,” he said.

New York’s success of unity is more closely examined in Dr. Wallace’s book, “Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898,” which he wrote in collaboration with his colleague Edwin G. Burrows.

Wallace chose history as his career choice after an extensive path in the medical field. He realized that he could indeed create a career doing something that he loved and encouraged students to do the same.

Dr. Wallace’s lecture provided historic background for UNCW students in the wake of the 10 year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. This generation has lived through one of New York’s most defining changes, but few know the history of its greatness. In honor of the anniversary, the city has recently opened a reflection pool for victims and visitors alike to pay their condolences.

Construction is also underway on five new skyscrapers despite the underlying threat of destruction. Everyone knows that New York is the city that never sleeps, but what we learned Sept. 11 is that it will never die.