Questions About Landmarks

The Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood, Los Angeles, is built in the Googie architectural style. Located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, the distinctive white tower designed by Louis Naidorf was completed in 1956 and its cylindrical shape with window awnings on each level and a spike emerging from the top resembles a stack of records on a turntable. The Googie style of architecture was common in Southern California from the late 1940s and characterized by futuristic geometric designs influenced by car culture, the space age and jet travel.

Use of the name Ajax for Aspen Mountain became common in the latter half of the 2oth century, after the development of Aspen into a skiing resort started. Geologic maps from Aspen’s period as a silver-mining town in the late 1800s denote the point on Aspen Mountain where the original octagonal 1946 Sundeck later stood, as Ajax Hill. The name is likely derived from the Ajax mine nearby. When the first chairlift was constructed in 1946, it carried riders up Aspen Mountain to a point near Midway, from where a second lift carried passengers to the top of Ajax Hill. Over the years that followed, people would refer to Aspen Mountain as Ajax Mountain and the names were used interchangeably. In 2000, the Aspen Skiing Company tried to formally change Aspen Mountain’s name to Ajax to avoid marketing confusion with the other three Aspen ski mountains, but the idea was abandoned after meeting with local opposition.

Cars are allowed on Lombard Street in San Francisco although the iconic ‘crooked’ section is one-way only, downhill between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. To drive down the famous zigzag section you will need to approach from the west on Lombard Street, or alternatively head north on Hyde Street and turn left at Lombard Street to access the top of the hill. Note that vehicles traveling south on Hyde Street are not allowed to turn right onto Lombard Street. Bear in mind that it is a popular tourist attraction and in summer months, particularly at weekends, there can be long lines of cars backed up on Lombard Street waiting their turn to drive down. Mornings are generally the least busy time.

Pfeiffer Beach at Big Sur, California, has distinctive areas of purple sand, which are mostly grains of reddish-purple manganese garnet crystals. Garnet is a commonly-found mineral in beach sand, but usually at relatively low quantities. Pfeiffer Beach is notable because of the abundance of garnet minerals in the sand which give it a distinctive purple color. These garnets likely originated in the rocks of the nearby Santa Lucia mountains. Over thousands of years, erosion caused rock fragments to break away and be transported to the ocean by the rivers. Erosion over time will have worn these rock granules down until only tiny grains of the most erosion-resistant hard minerals, such as garnet, remain. Waves and currents wash these garnets onto Pfeiffer Beach, and as it is a relatively heavy mineral it tends to settle in concentrated patches on the beach.

MTA operates the following subway trains across the Manhattan Bridge: B Sixth Avenue Express on weekdays only, at all times except late nights. D Sixth Avenue Express at all times. N Broadway Express at all times except late nights. Q Second Avenue/Broadway Express/Brighton Local at all times. For B and D trains, the stops on either side of the Manhattan Bridge are Grand Street in Manhattan, and DeKalb Avenue on the Brooklyn side. For N and Q trains crossing the bridge, the first Manhattan stop is Canal Street. On the Brooklyn side, Q trains stop at DeKalb Avenue, while most N trains bypass DeKalb Avenue and stop at Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center.

You can walk across the Bear Mountain Bridge and there are pedestrian footpaths on both sides of the bridge. The Bear Mountain Bridge carries the Appalachian Trail over the Hudson River and there are interpretive panels at various points on the bridge. There is roadside parking available at the eastern end of the bridge on Route 9D although it can be busy on weekends.

The main parking lot for upper Kaaterskill Falls is on Laurel House Road, reached by taking North Lake Road off Route 23A in the village of Haines Falls. From there, a wide, flat trail leads to the upper viewing platform less than half a mile away. The trail continues down to the foot of the upper falls and onwards to the base of the lower falls, although this section is more challenging and includes steps. There is a second parking area further along North Lake Road at Scutt Road, near the entrance to North-South Campground, from where the Escarpment Trail leads to Kaaterskill Falls. Do not park on the road if the lots are full as you are likely to get ticketed or towed, but consider using the daily parking for $10 at the campground when open. A third parking lot, known as Molly Smith’s, off Route 23A can be used for going directly to the trailhead for the lower Kaaterskill Falls via the Bastion Falls. However, reaching that trailhead requires walking along, and crossing, a busy stretch of Route 23A.

Water Light Public Plaza is located behind the Lyric apartments on Locust Street at Bonanza Street in downtown Walnut Creek, California. The courtyard-style parklet was designed by artist Jason Middlebrook and features a large abstract wall mosaic created from hand-cut glass and ceramic tiles, with arcs of mirrored glass. The patterns are emulated in a water feature spraying arcs of water in front of the mosaic. Water Light Plaza is open to the public, with small tables and seating available for use and the space occasionally hosts pop-up events and holiday celebrations.

On the evening of October 30th, 2002, Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay of the hip hop group Run-DMC, was shot and killed, aged 37, at his recording studio in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. Ronald Washington was identified by prosecutors in April 2007 as an accomplice in the murder, although it was alleged that he was accompanied by another individual who shot and killed Mizell. In 2018, almost sixteen years after the incident, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. were indicted for Mizell’s murder, which the indictment alleges was linked to a disagreement over a cocaine deal. Mizell was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York, following a funeral service at the Greater Allen Cathedral in Queens.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is nicknamed the Brickyard because the track was once paved with bricks. In 1909, paving bricks were laid on top of the Speedway’s original surface of crushed rock and tar, and was the racing surface for many years. From the 1930s onwards, asphalt was overlaid on certain sections, and by today the entire track surface is asphalt except for a 36-inch strip of the original bricks which remains visible at the start/finish line. A tradition of Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 winners kissing this Yard of Bricks was started by NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett after his Brickyard 400 victory in 1996.

Pennsylvania Station in New York City is owned by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, also known as Amtrak. Amtrak is a US government-owned corporation operating intercity passenger rail services in the United States and to certain cities in Canada. Ownership of Penn Station passed to Amtrak in 1976 when it assumed control of the 457-mile Northeast Corridor (NEC) railroad linking Boston and Washington DC following the Penn Central Transportation Company bankruptcy.

Manchester United’s Aon Training Complex at Carrington, Manchester, is a secure facility and access is restricted to players, staff and authorised visitors only. Training sessions cannot be viewed by the general public. Birch Road leading to the complex is a private road, but fans wanting to catch a glimpse of Manchester United’s players arriving in their cars for training stand at the entrance or near the barrier where Isherwood Road turns into Birch Road. Sometimes players will stop for photographs and autographs, but to discourage profiteering, signs make it clear that merchandise will not be signed. Some players arrive through the second entrance off Sinderland Lane, but the club has prohibited any stopping there to avoid road safety issues.

The highest natural point of land in Manhattan is in Bennett Park at 265.05 feet (or 81 meters) above sea level. Bennett Park is located at Pinehurst Avenue and West 183rd Street in the Hudson Heights neighborhood of Washington Heights in upper Manhattan. A stone plaque on an outcropping of Manhattan schist rock on the west side of the park reads: THE HIGHEST NATURAL POINT ON MANHATTAN 265.05 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL

The two white towers on Uppingham Road in Corby, Northamptonshire are the Beanfield Water Towers which are used as potable water storage tanks by Anglian Water. The smaller tower, Beanfield No 1, was constructed in the 1960s and holds 1.14 million litres of water. The bigger tower, Beanfield No 2, was added in the 1970s and has a capacity of 3.41 million litres.

The Las Vegas Raiders NFL football team plays its home games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team was formerly known as the Oakland Raiders and played at Oakland Coliseum until 2019 before moving to Las Vegas and changing its name to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Allegiant Stadium was purpose built for the team’s relocation and as a new home for UNLV football. Construction of the stadium was completed in July 2020 and the Raiders played their first regular season home game there on September 21st, 2020 against the New Orleans Saints.

San Quentin State Prison is located in the town of San Quentin in Marin County, some 13 miles (or 21 kilometers) north of San Francisco. It is the oldest prison in California and holds only male inmates. The state’s only execution chamber, located at San Quentin, was closed in 2019 following Governor Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty in California. The last execution at San Quentin occurred in 2006. Notable San Quentin prisoners include Charles Manson, Hans Reiser, Merle Haggard, Scott Peterson, and Eldridge Cleaver.

Baker Beach in San Francisco has a clothing-optional area at the very north end of the beach. It is a public beach that attracts mostly clothed visitors, but nude beachgoers frequent the northernmost part nearest the Golden Gate Bridge, so be warned if visiting with children.

Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City’s mayor is located in Carl Schurz Park, at East End Avenue and 88th Street in Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood. The house was built by Archibald Gracie in 1799 and first used as a mayoral residence in 1942 by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. Only the mayor’s family and visiting public officials may reside with the mayor at the mansion. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in office from 2002 to 2013, elected not to live at Gracie Mansion, using it only to host meetings and events and as accommodation for visiting officials. Parts of Gracie Mansion are open for public exhibits, and free guided tours are offered most Mondays with advance reservations. Photo ID is required for admission.

Trucks and commercial vehicles are allowed to cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York City. Tolls are charged in both directions and the toll rate is dependent on the number of axles. During high winds, for safety reasons there may be restrictions placed on high profile vehicles such as box trucks and tractor-trailers using the bridge.

The Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center is situated in the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park in Richmond, California. Located in the old Oil House of the adjacent former Ford Assembly Plant, there are displays and interactive exhibits exploring the contribution made by American civilians on the home front, women in particular, during the Second World War. The park also commemorates the contribution the Richmond area made to the war efforts, and among other points of interest is the last surviving cargo ship built at the Kaiser Richmond shipyards, the restored SS Red Victory, moored nearby and open to visitors. For the Rosie the Riveter Memorial outdoor public art sculpture follow the San Francisco Bay Trail east from the Visitor Center for 1 mile (or 1.5 kilometers) to Marina Bay Park.