Gnome Products Building roof, 1933. Following a facade and storefront redesign in the early 1930s, the building at 316 East 59th Street because the fairytale-esque 'Home of the Gnomes." The bakery, which sold bread (often in unique shapes) used nearly every inch of their building as advertising. The gnome sitting on the roof, chomping on a bread roll, was best viewed from the entrance roadway to the Queensboro Bridge. Alas the rooftop gnome was removed by 1935 after the business was taken over by new owners and converted from a retail to an industrial bakery.

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum ARCHITECT: Unknown DATE: 1799 STYLE: Federal The charm of this Federal style stone stable converted into a comfortable headquarters for the Colonial Dames is to be found in its superb masonry construction and its excellent proportions. The sharp profiles of the low pitched pedimented gable roofs cut a clean line that is both severe and pleasing to the eye. A smooth-faced stone belt-course separates the rock-faced masonry of the lower floor from that of the second story clearly defining the building’s perimeter.

Col. Smith House (also known as the Adams Mansion), 1924. This building was originally a carriage house on the estate of Colonel William S. Smith, aide-de-camp to Washington and husband of Abigail Adams, the daughter of President John Adams. The estate was known as "Smith's Folly." After his failure in business, about 1800, the buildings were brought by William T. Robinson and were said to have been completed by him. In 1826 the main house burned, and in 1830 the carriage house was bought by Jeremiah Towle, remaining in the possession of his family until 1906. It was later purchased by the Colonial Dames of America.

Schermerhorn Farmhouse ca. 1913 The Schermerhorn Farmhouse, built in 1747, was located on a peak overlooking the East River on the southern edge of the Schermerhorn Farm, which spanned from the East River to Third Avenue between 63rd and 68th Streets. The farmhouse was likely built by the Hardenbrook family, who owned the southern portion of the farm before it was purchased by Peter Schermerhorn. Tradition holds that the farm was once the country home of Governor George Clinton, who served as a member of Continental Congress, Governor of New York State, and Vice President of the United States for two terms under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The Schermerhorn estate was purchased by John D. Rockefeller in 1903 as the site for the Rockefeller Institute of Medical Research. The farmhouse was demolished in 1914 and the site is now home to the Rockefeller University campus.

We know there's a lot of stressful news in your timeline, so here's a round-up of calming images for a #MuseumMomentofZen.

Church of St. John the Evangelist ca. 1928 Philip DiFalco constructed this model of an East Side parish church over a period of years while he lived at 304 East 59th Street with his father and sisters. The Church of St. John the Evangelist stood at First Avenue and 55th Street from 1881 into the 1970s. The parish had been founded in 1840, on East 50th Street. News coverage of the church's dedication noted that the edifice was 14th-century Gothic in style designed by architect Arthur Crooks, with a campanile tower on the north end and 18 large stained glass windows imported from Munich.

Riverview Terrace at the foot of Sutton Square, ca. 1977. This iconic view of the East River and the Queensboro Bridge was made famous by Woody Allen's 1979 film, "Manhattan." Riverview Terrace itself (out of frame at left) is a private cobblestoned block, once part of an 1878 development of 24 townhouses, of which six remain.

Allan Stillman, the founder of "T.G.I. Fridays" unknowingly created what would become one of the most beloved and hated eating establishments of its era. Stillman, a perfume salesman, put down $5,000 (plus an additional $5,000 he borrowed from his mom) to turn a divey boy's bar into a hoppin' singles hangout, velvet ropes and all. Read on to learn the history of T.G.I. Fridays.

1 Sutton Place, July 6, 1927. Architect Rosario Candela and the firm Cross and Cross designed this 13-story Italian Renaissance building in 1927. The structure was funded by the Phipps family, former Pittsburgh steel barons. Though Phipps was known for funding lower- and middle-income housing, this building was created for the city's elite, who were moving east from their former massive mansions on Fifth Avenue. The large three- and four-bedroom apartments and private river-facing garden attracted wealthy residents, as the rest of Sutton Place became a street of exclusive addresses. Practicality and exclusivity came together in many Candela-designed buildings. The prime building in the Sutton Place enclave along the East River in midtown Manhattan, 1 Sutton Place South featured a porte-cochère for cars and people behind a trio of two-story arches.

Gnome Products Building, ca. 1935. The bakery at no. 316, right next to the Queensboro Bridge entrance, entered the city directories in 1932. By the next year, the building was in the midst of a major renovation. In the 1920s and 1930s, with the rise of large chain and department stores, many smaller businesses aimed to standout in the streetscape by shaking up storefront design. Here the architects created a new storefront, new steeply pitched roofs, and a third story. The new look included dramatic signage that announced the building as 'Home of the Gnomes," a multipaned storefront and, of course, some painted gnomes dancing around a stalk of wheat on numerous exterior walls. The figure of a giant gnome leaning against the chimney eating a loaf of bread (mentioned in some of the articles about the building) seems to have already been removed by the time of this circa 1935 photograph. Described as a ''a Hansel and Gretel cottage," the look didn't last long. The retail bakery went bankrupt within its first few years and the next business owner (Gnome Bakers, an industrial bakery) supposedly replaced the ground level shop with a truck bay. Later used by a framer, an exterminator, and a kitchen furnishings store, the building has been converted into a quirky private residence (sans any exterior gnome imagery, unfortunately).

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden, ca. 1939. Located on 61st Street between 1st and York Avenue, this plot was originally purchased by Colonel William S. Smith, a Revolutionary War veteran and politician. Smith found the property with his wife, Abigail Adams, the daughter of founding father and second U.S. President John Adams. The two bought the land with intentions to develop it into an estate called "Mount Vernon," named for George Washington's plantation in Virginia. The couple eventually sold the land, never beginning construction of their planned estate. Instead, William T. Robinson, who owned a house nearby, purchased the property to build a stone carriage house and stable. He continued to call the area "Mount Vernon." Unfortunately, Robinson's main estate was lost to a fire in the 1820s. In 1826, the former carriage house was converted into a hotel by Joseph Coleman Hart. Surrounded by rural lands, the stone house provided an easy getaway for Manhattanites looking to spend a day in the country. In an era with no public parks, the area provided New York City's elite with a place to roam free and participate in many activities, such as boating and hiking in proximity to the East River. Mount Vernon was more of a country club than a hotel, and many guests returned home to the city in the evenings by steamboat or stagecoach. The hotel closed in 1833, likely put out of business by nearby competitors. It was purchased by Jerimiah Towle and converted into a private residence for his family. As photographs indicate, by the early 20th century the Standard Light and Gas Company began building tanks in the vicinity of the property and eventually purchased the home in 1905. The building's ownership was eventually passed down to the Colonial Dames of America, a patriotic society, who converted the former hotel into their headquarters in 1924. Coinciding with the New York's World's Fair, the building was converted into the Abigail Adam Smith Museum, which was later renamed the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden to better reflect its history. The Colonial Dames of America still operate the Hotel Museum and Garden, which focuses on the history of New York City after the construction of the Erie Dam in 1925.

Anne Morgan House (second from right), now the official residence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Sutton Place; April 2, 1936. In 1921, newly-widowed Anne Vanderbilt sold her huge Fifth Avenue mansion and moved to a renovated townhouse on the corner of 57th Street and Sutton Place. She convinced her friend Anne Morgan, daughter of JP Morgan, to create a home next door at 3 Sutton Place. Architect Mott B. Schmidt transformed several existing Victorian style row houses into two neo-Georgian mansions. After Morgan’s death in 1952, the glass magnate and philanthropist Arthur A. Houghton, Jr. acquired the residence. In 1972, Houghton donated the building to the United Nations — and thereby received a hefty tax deduction — for use as the Secretary-General’s official residence. Until then, past UN leaders had leased homes for the duration of their terms.

The East 54th Street Baths opened in 1911 with 79 showers for men and 59 for women. In 1895 a New York State passed a law requiring that cities over 50,000 provided free public bathhouses. In the era of cramped tenement living (with no indoor plumbing), this socially progressive initiative allowed the city's working class a free sanitary facility. The neo-classical building also housed recreation activities such as a pool, gymnasium, jogging track, and basketball court. Despite its very functional purpose, the building featured unique and decorative interior and exterior details, including Guastavino tile vaulted ceilings and colorful brickwork patterns on the facade. Originally under the control of a newly formed city agency called the Public Recreation Commission, the baths and recreation center are now under the auspices of the Parks Department. And though the need for free public showers has changed, the building still houses recreational and athletic activities.

River House ca. 1932 The River House a luxurious 64-unit apartment building overlooking the East River. Designed by the architects Bottomley, Wagner and White in 1931 it has a 14-story U-shaped base creating a courtyard and a 26-story tower. This innovative grand gray brick and limestone building with elaborate detailing and terrace garden rooftop marked a turning point in the history of skyscraper housing; combining the courtyard with the tower. Vincent Astor, Archibald M. Brown, Edward B. Meyer and J. B. Patterson were among the residents in these exclusive accommodations located uncomfortably near dilapidated tenements. This very condition of extreme class distinction may have inspired Sidney Kingsley's play, Dead End.

Col. Smith House (also known as the Adams Mansion), 1924. This Federal style structure was originally built as the carriage house for the large 23-acres estate of John Adams' daughter Abigail and her husband, William Stephens Smith. Despite grand plans and an idea to name the estate after George Washington's home, the Smiths were forced to sell the estate due to financial troubles. This building was completed in 1799 by the next owner, William T. Robinson, a well-to-do merchant. By the 1820s the building and its nearby structures and land were purchased and converted in the Mount Vernon Hotel, which was a day hotel catering to a rising middle class looking to escape the crowding and congestion of downtown. The hotel would only stay open for seven years. For the rest of the 19th and early 20th century it was a private residence. The building was sold to Standard Gas and Light Company in 1905. The Colonial Dames of New York purchased it in 1924 (the year this photo was taken) and turned it into a museum. It has continued in that capacity into the 21st century.

The Queensboro Bridge, viewed from East 60th Street underneath the tracks of the Second Avenue El, 1937.

Abigail Adams Smith House, 1935.

Rosario Candela played a major role in shaping the architectural legacy of 20th-century Manhattan. Candela's elegant yet understated high rises created the look of New York urbanism between the world wars. This walking tour takes you through some of Candela's iconic buildings on the Upper East Side.

Billy's Bar, December 8, 1936. The first location of Billy's Bar, opened in 1870, was on First Avenue near 56th Street. The bar moved in 1880 to the southeast corner of that intersection and remained there until 1966 when it moved south a couple blocks to 948 First Avenue. This 1936 Berenice Abbott photo depicts the large mahogany bar and original gas lanterns of interior in its longest occupied location at 1020 First Avenue. Billy's was a neighborhood and, truly, a city institution. The red checkered tables cloths, friendly long-term staff, and pricey American steakhouse meals – which most people agreed were not that good – greeted patrons for decades. A bar most often filled with regulars, generations of families dined here, starting off their meals with the cole slaw that arrived when they sat down, likely delivered by a waiter who had been working there for more than two decades. The restaurant's tenure at the 52nd Street and First Avenue location (post-1966) came with new interiors a and few new menu items, including vegetables (!), likely sometime in the 1980s, and pasta in 1991. After a run of 134 years Billy's closed in 2004.

316 East 59th Street ca. 1935 The Gnome Products Company was a two story shop for “unusual bread and rolls” at 316 East 59th Street near the Queensboro bridge ramp. Renovated in 1933 by the American Architects Adams & Prentice, the building has a cottage charm complete with slanting pitched roofs, gingerbread details, timber columns, a medieval German Kitchen, and a large papier-mâché Gnome sitting on the roof welcoming passersby.