On October 27, 1904 the first subway opened from City Hall to Harlem and launched an unprecedented era of growth and prosperity for the newly unified City of New York. The subway allowed New York City and its economy to grow and helped shape and connect its great neighborhoods. It is safe to say that nearly 100 years later, the city's reliance on its 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week rapid transit system has not diminished.
Over the next year, the MTA and all of New York City will celebrate the subway and its storied history with a series of events culminating with the centennial celebration on October 27, 2004. Planned events include a variety of “nostalgia” train runs, exhibits of historic subway materials, Music Under New York concerts, and a special reenactment of the first subway ride. A number of centennial events celebrating the subway’s past and its future will also be held in each of the five boroughs.
