Historical Notes & Liberties
Part I: New York, 1904
The book takes place during the period immediately following the creation of New York City as we know it today. In the 1890s, Chicago began to redefine itself with an expanded footprint, and New York became worried about its claim to being the largest in the country. The consolidation vote in Brooklyn was very close and passed by a margin of just 277 votes. Brooklyn experienced a tough transitional period as it went from being the third-largest city in the country to a mere borough. The consolidation became effective in 1898 and grouped Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Western Queens into one municipality. The three towns of Eastern Queens became suburban Nassau County.
Much of the first section of the book takes place on Minet
