Not long ago, a jaw-dropping image flashed across my phone screen – a breathtaking shot of the Twin Towers in Manhattan, with a stunning beach right in the foreground.
People were lounging in the sand, as if they were on a tropical paradise. But could this really be true?
New York City’s forgotten beach oasis
Today, if you stroll along the waters near Battery Park, in the vicinity of where the Twin Towers once stood, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that a beach once stretched along the shore.
Now, the area is lined with sleek buildings and bustling streets, with the sound of the city filling the air. The water laps quietly against a modern promenade, offering views of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
But the truth is, people once sunbathed here, basking in the warmth of the sun and the shadows of the World Trade Center. A forgotten beach oasis with its very own sandy shoreline, where the bustle of the city seemed worlds away, and the waters of Manhattan’s harbor embraced those seeking a rare slice of tranquility.
But, this sandy haven wasn’t part of any grand plan – it was an accidental oasis born from the construction delays of the World Trade Center in the mid-1970s.
