aT*%IT*%Is & ^ Y U THE WHISPER I NG ^ & VA U L T A N D O T H E R U SECRETS OF GR AND Y & CENTR AL TER MINAL ^ Y U hj ^ & Lesley M. M. Blume U Y & ^ thor n w illow Y U Broadside Library ^ & U Y z%IT*%IT*x
t h e w h i s p e r i n g vau lt and other secrets of grand central terminal
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ew york cit y’s regal Grand Central Terminal, built in 1 9 1 3 , has all sorts of hidden nooks, eccentricities, and secrets–but few are more delightful (and oen overlooked) than the building’s hallowed “whispering vault.” Located in the subterranean dining concourse ju outside the Oyer Bar & Reaurant, this gallery’s low ceramic arches can carry hushed tones with the clarity of a shout. Hear for yourself: and on one side of the entryway and prop a friend up in the opposite corner. Now, turn around, face the corner, and whisper away. Your friend should be able to hear your voice as though you were anding right next to him. The irony of exchanging whispers in one of the city's busi-
e hubs is what makes this ritual particularly enchanting: you have an audience of thousands, and yet total intimacy. And here’s the good thing: if you’ve whispered something amorous–such as a marriage proposal –you can ju kip up to the ation’s hioric Biltmore Room (known in the old days as “the kissing room”) or the romantic, hidden Campbell Bar to celebrate with a ngerbowl of Champagne. On the other hand, if you’ve whispered something terribly scandalous and need to make a hay getaway, a secret network of underground tracks webs out beneath the ation.
aT*%IT*%Is & ^ Y U ^ & U Y & ^ Y U ^ & U Y & ^ Y U ^ & U Y z%IT*%IT*x Visit our Library Gallery of
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