1. Acknowledgements
Jeff Zeitlin's core New York document, and general advice, have been invaluable in getting a feel for New York, a place I have never visited.
2. Geography
Maps from 1920:
http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/history-us-city120.html http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/history-us-city121.html
3. History
3.1. Private cars
Road access to Manhattan Island is via several bridges and tunnels:
3.1.1. West Side (Hudson River), south to north:
Lincoln Tunnel - not opened, due to shift from ground to air traffic.
3.1.2. East Side (East River), south to north:
Queens-Midtown Tunnel - not opened, due to shift from ground to air traffic.
Triborough Bridge - not opened, due to shift from ground to air traffic.
3.2. Air
3.2.1. Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is in use for its original intended purpose: as a zeppelin mooring. In spite of the updrafts, the convenience of debarking from a transatlantic voyage into the heart of New York is held to make up for the difficulties that the crews experience.
3.2.2. Floyd Bennett Field
Barren Island, near Gerritsen Beach; opened 1931. Pressure from LaGuardia to shift operations from Newark.
3.2.3. Great Neck Landing
Even Emperor LaGuardia isn't quite egotistical enough to have an airfield named after himself... yet. But the airport at Great Neck Landing, which has been in operation as a private field since 1929, is becoming unofficially known as "LaGuardia" even so.
3.2.4. Other airfields
Newark; long distance travel