by Robin Furth
WOODSTOCK: V:527
NEW YORK CITY (CALLA NEW YORK, THE BIG APPLE)
The city of New York plays a central role in the Dark Tower series. All three of Roland’s human companions—EDDIE DEAN, SUSANNAH DEAN, and JAKE CHAMBERS—come from this late-twentieth-century metropolis. Although they all hail from New York, each of our friends was drawn from a slightly different version of the city. Roland brought Susannah from the New York of 1964; he took Jake from that of 1977, and Eddie from 1987. Although our tet-mates were drawn from their home places through magical DOORWAYS BETWEEN WORLDS (doors which were, in one way or another, derived from the magical substance of the PRIM), in the final book of th eDark Tower series, we learn that the city is absolutely lousy with mechanical doorways as well. These mechanized portals, which Roland often refers to as the OLD ONES’ doors, lead to multiple time periods and multiple worlds, and at least a score of them open onto parallel versions of New York City itself. Unfortunately, most of these mechanical portals are controlled by the servants of the CRIMSON KING.
New York City is important for other reasons as well. It is the home of the magical ROSE, which is the KEYSTONE WORLD’s manifestation of the Dark Tower. It is also the home of the TOREN family (custodians for the Rose), and the future corporate headquarters of the TET CORPORATION, the company whose job it is to guard that most sacred of flowers.
Although the New York City we know is alive and well, the Dark Tower series hints that it may have a less than happy future. In The Gunslinger, the subway system beneath the CYCLOPEAN MOUNTAINS reminds Jake of New York’s subways. Later, in LUD, the bridges and buildings of that war-torn city make our ka-tet think of Manhattan. If Lud provides a glimpse of what New York will look like in about two thousand years, then the technological and biochemical disasters which almost destroyed Roland’s world may yet happen to ours.
ACTION TAKES PLACE IN NEW YORK CITY ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES: I:79–84, I:123 (Jake’s when of 1977), II:45, II:50 (see JFK Airport entries), II:90–99, II:105–22, II:123–57, II:172–76 (Susannah’s when of 1964), II:185–201, II:202–9 (Susannah’s 1964), II:211–20 (Susannah’s 1959), II:220–23 (Susannah’s when), II:230, II:237–38, II:315–26 (New York 1977), II:339–59, II:360–86, III:11 (indirect), III:22 (state of), III:43, III:45, III:51, III:72, III:89–146, III:154–58, III:164, III:165–70, III:171, III:176–78, III:182–88, III:190–92, III:220, III:225, III:238, III:261, III:336, III:340, III:349, III:350, III:355, III:361, III:363, III:365, III:375, III:376, III:377, III:402, III:409, III:417 (Barony of), III:419, IV:7 (Barony of), IV:9–10, IV:20, IV:22, IV:36, IV:45, IV:46, IV:47, IV:48, IV:51, IV:52, IV:53, IV:63, IV:77, V:48–70 (todash), V:172–97 (todash), V:264–93 (Callahan’s story), V:423–43 (Callahan’s story), V:515–47 (through door), V:592–98 (through door), VI:47–58, VI:73–98, VI:119–25, VI:225–34, VI:256–61, VI:307–63 (characters move to the DIXIE PIG—entries in PORTALS), VII:3–5 (characters move to the DIXIE PIG—entries in PORTALS), VII:485–525, VII:724–25 (Susannah’s dream), VII:807–13
DIRECT REFERENCES: V:40, V:47, V:48–70 (todash), V:97, V:98, V:101, V:103, V:105 (New York in all its multiples), V:106, V:108, V:110 (Big A), V:131 (Calla New York), V:135, V:138 (Calla York), V:141, V:167, V:172–97 (todash, 179 as Lud), V:201, V:221, V:223, V:231, V:247, V:260, V:263, V:264–93 (Callahan’s story), V:296, V:298, V:308, V:309, V:314, V:321, V:338, V:352, V:360, V:377, V:382, V:383, V:393, V:394, V:395, V:400, V:427, V:494, V:502, V:503, V:508, V:509, V:511, V:512, V:513, V:514–48, V:549, V:550, V:558, V:561, V:573, V:593, V:622, V:631, V:633, V:646, V:648, V:649, V:687, VI:11, VI:12, VI:13, VI:14, VI:28, VI:31, VI:35, VI:42, VI:43, VI:47–61, VI:64, VI:65–98 (67–72 Susannah’s dogan), VI:102, VI:104, VI:107, VI:108, VI:117, VI:118–25, VI:147, VI:149, VI:163, VI:165, VI:180, VI:185, VI:188, VI:210, VI:223, VI:225–34, VI:238, VI:239, VI:243, VI:248, VI:256–61, VI:275, VI:288, VI:296, VI:300, VI:307–63, VI:405, VI:407, VII:3–5, VII:21 (todash), VII:36, VII:47, VII:56, VII:84, VII:87, VII:90, VII:93 (under it), VII:104, VII:105, VII:110, VII:111, VII:119, VII:121, VII:122, VII:133, VII:135, VII:146, VII:201, VII:208, VII:266, VII:297, VII:309, VII:325, VII:381, VII:396, VII:398, VII:399, VII:405, VII:424 (Jew York), VII:443, VII:477, VII:478, VII:485–525 (502—City of Lud in its prime; 526, 527, 521—young and vital Lud), VII:550, VII:555, VII:559, VII:586, VII:591, VII:601, VII:604, VII:652, VII:657, VII:676, VII:687, VII:689, VII:724–5 (Susannah’s dream), VII:728, VII:743, VII:747, VII:762, VII:802, VII:807–13, VII:818, W:4, W:8, W:19, W:306
BRONX: In the KEYSTONE WORLD, CO-OP CITY is located in the Bronx. However, in EDDIE DEAN’s New York, it is located in BROOKLYN. II:110, VI:43, VI:199, VI:200, VI:204, VI:271, VII:812
CO-OP CITY: In our where and when, Co-Op City is an ethnically diverse housing cooperative located in the northeasternmost corner of the Bronx. In Eddie’s version of New York, Co-Op City is located in BROOKLYN. (On II:110 it is said to be in the Bronx.)
CROSS BRONX EXPRESSWAY: V:264
BROOKLYN: For many years EDDIE DEAN lived in CO-OP CITY, which—in his version of New York—is located in Brooklyn. As he points out to JAKE when the two of them meet in a dream version of New York, Brooklyn also contains his world’s version of the portal of the BEAR. The mobster ENRICO BALAZAR also hails from Brooklyn. III:154, III:165, III:168, III:169, III:170, III:176–78, III:179, III:182–88, III:190–92, III:265, V:50, V:62, V:65, V:162, V:203, V:207, V:443, V:512, V:525, V:527, V:537, V:544, V:548, V:637, VI:150, VI:153, VI:154, VI:199, VI:200, VI:204, VI:206, VI:214, VI:271, VI:277, VI:312, VII:17, VII:305, VII:381, VII:668, VII:807, VII:812
BERNIE’S BARBER SHOP: BALAZAR plays poker here. V:537
BROOKLYN AVENUE: See also BROOKLYN AVENUE BEAT and MAJESTIC THEATER, both below. III:190
BROOKLYN AVENUE BEAT: BOSCO BOB, a slightly mad officer of the law, patrolled this beat when EDDIE DEAN was a boy. V:140
BROOKLYN BRIDGE: VI:96
BROOKLYN VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE: III:179
CASTLE AVENUE: JAKE travels along Castle Avenue while looking for MARKEY AVENUE. He thinks that his doorway into MID-WORLD will be there. It’s not, but it does lead him to the MAJESTIC THEATER and a thirteen-year-old EDDIE DEAN. III:176–78
CASTLE AVENUE MARKET: VII:102
CHURCH OF THE HOLY GOD-BOMB: Although the Reverend EARL HARRIGAN lives in Brooklyn, he often preaches on SECOND AVENUE in MANHATTAN. VI:312
COHOES STREET: Home of the BONDED ELECTROPLATE FACTORY. II:172
BONDED ELECTROPLATE FACTORY: EDDIE and HENRY DEAN smoked here. II:172
CONEY ISLAND: II:117 (mirror maze), II:169, III:350, III:372, V:37, V:443, V:701, VI:90, VI:157
CO-OP CITY: In EDDIE DEAN’s version of New York, Co-Op City is located in Brooklyn rather than the BRONX. (This is one of the many time/space variations found on different levels of the TOWER.) Eddie and his brother, HENRY, lived in this big cooperative located between CASTLE and BROOKLYN AVENUES. II:95, II:105–13, II:241, III:23, III:154, III:170, III:176–78, III:179, III:182–88 (Dean family apartment 187, 188), III:190–92 (Dean family apartment 192), V:203, VI:199, VI:200, VI:204, VI:214, VI:271, VI:277, VII:17, VII:102, VII:305, VII:807
DAHLIE’S (DAHLBERG’S): Dahlie’s, a shop located in EDDIE DEAN’s old neighborhood, was owned by Dahlie Lundgren. Dahlie’s sold great fried dough as well as Popsicles and hoodsie rockets, and its comic books were fairly easy to steal. The Dean brothers and their friends used to smoke cigarettes behind Dahlie’s back door. III:76, III:187, IV:43, IV:54, IV:60, V:187, V:257
DEAN FAMILY APARTMENT: VI:157
DUTCH HILL: Dutch Hill was the site of the infamously evil DUTCH HILL MANSION. When EDDIE DEAN was a boy, he was afraid of this place, and for good reason. Its reputation rivaled that of the MARSTEN HOUSE, found in ’SALEM’S LOT, MAINE. In The Waste Lands, JAKE CHAMBERS had to travel to this demon-infested house to reenter MID-WORLD. III:161–62, III:189, III:191–92, III:262, III:344, V:50, V:93, V:104, V:204, V:258, V:476, VII:143, VII:144–45, VII:249, VII:592
DUTCH HILL LITTLE LEAG
UE FIELD: III:204
DUTCH HILL PUB: III:204
DUTCH HILL USED APPLIANCES: III:192, III:204–5
HENRY’S CORNER MARKET: III:204
RHINEHOLD STREET: The terrible haunted MANSION (which JAKE enters in order to find his doorway into MID-WORLD) is located on this street. III:75, III:189, III:190, III:192, III:195, III:204, III:344
MANSION IN DUTCH HILL (DUTCH HILL MANSION): See DOORWAYS BETWEEN WORLDS, in PORTALS
GINELLI’S PIZZA (FOUR FATHERS RESTAURANT): Ginelli’s is a front for BALAZAR’s illegal empire. II:91
GRAND ARMY PLAZA: New York has two Grand Army Plazas—one in MANHATTAN and one in Brooklyn. Midtown Manhattan’s Plaza is located on Fifth Avenue, between Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth Streets. Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza is located at the main entrance to Prospect Park, near the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza is best known for the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, which is Brooklyn’s rival to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
In Wolves of the Calla, EDDIE DEAN saves CALVIN TOWER’s bacon by telling JACK ANDOLINI that if he and his nasty boss, BALAZAR, don’t leave Tower alone, Eddie will fill Grand Army Plaza with dead gangsters from Brooklyn. Whichever Grand Army Plaza Eddie is talking about, that’s a lot of carnage. V:528, V:536, VI:193
MAJESTIC THEATER: The Majestic movie theater is located on the corner of MARKEY and BROOKLYN AVENUES. EDDIE DEAN used to watch Westerns here. His brother, HENRY, liked to tease the ticket girl. III:182–84, V:152, V:209, V:257, VI:285
MARKEY AVENUE: On his travels through Brooklyn, JAKE travels along Markey Avenue. III:161, III:165, III:178
MARKEY ACADEMY: This place doesn’t actually exist. III:167, III:177–78
MARKEY AVENUE PLAYGROUND: EDDIE and HENRY used to play basketball here. It has since been replaced by the JUVENILE COURT BUILDING. III:161, III:165, III:185–88, VII:336
JUVENILE COURT BUILDING: III:161
NORWOOD STREET: Some kids from this street were mysteriously killed at the DUTCH HILL MANSION. III:187
PROJECTS: EDDIE, HENRY, and their mom lived in the projects when Eddie and Henry were young. II:68
RINCON AVENUE: Once upon a time there was a candy store on Rincon Avenue. EDDIE and HENRY DEAN filched comic books from it. II:172
ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: This was EDDIE DEAN’s elementary school. V:352
WOO KIM’S MARKET: V:140
EAST RIVER: III:102
EAST RIVER DRIVE: III:301
MANHATTAN: II:345, III:23, III:122, III:171, III:345, V:48–70 (todash, mentioned directly on 62, 68), V:93, V:96, V:97, V:99, V:172–97 (todash), V:264–93 (Callahan’s story), V:297, V:299, V:308, V:422, V:423–43 (Callahan’s story), V:451, V:512, V:515–47 (door), V:592–98 (door), VI:57, VI:225–34 (setting), VI:256–61 (setting), VI:307–63 (setting—directly mentioned on 338), VII:3–5 (setting), VII:33, VII:240 (Manhattan Project), VII:430, VII:486–525
ALPHABET CITY: VI:11
AVENUE B: VI:43
AMERICANO BAR: This is where PERE CALLAHAN fell off the wagon, even though he’d managed to stay sober during his months of employment at the HOME shelter, located on FIRST AVENUE. Despite the strain LUPE DELGADO’s death placed on him, Callahan did not return to the bottle until he saw some VAGS (or VAGRANT DEAD) walking along PARK AVENUE. V:285, V:444
BARCELONA LUGGAGE STORE: See SECOND AVENUE, below
BATTERY PARK: V:287
BELLEVUE: II:176, II:241
BLACK TOWER (2 HAMMARSKJÖLD PLAZA): See LOT, THE: 2 HAMMARSKJÖLD PLAZA, in PORTALS
BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES CAFÉ: The Blackstrap Molasses Café is located on Sixtieth Street and Lexington, not far from the DIXIE PIG. The young BUSKER who plays “Man of Constant Sorrow” for SUSANNAH DEAN and MIA, daughter of none, sits in front of this café. VI:350
BLARNEY STONE: V:283, V:444
BLEECKER STREET: As well as being known for its music, Bleecker Street houses one of New York’s many DOORWAYS BETWEEN WORLDS. This particular door connects the MULTIPLE AMERICAS to one another. In some versions of New York City, the door is located in an abandoned warehouse. In other New Yorks, it is located in an eternally half-completed building. III:118, III:155, V:169, VII:105
BLIMPIE’S: V:175, V:515
BLOOMINGDALE’S: III:45, III:103, III:106, III:107, V:53
BORDERS: During her lunch hour, TRUDY DAMASCUS carries her good shoes in a canvas Borders bag. Unfortunately for her, shoeless MIA (who is in control of SUSANNAH DEAN’s body) mugs her on SECOND AVENUE. She steals Trudy’s bag, shoes, and New York Times. VI:50, VI:65, VI:87, VI:97
BRENDIO’S: See FIFTH AVENUE, below
BROADWAY: V:283, VII:405
CENTRAL PARK: As she and Roland near the DARK TOWER, SUSANNAH DEAN begins to have repeating dreams about her two dead ka-tet mates, EDDIE and JAKE. The scenario she sees is always the same. Eddie and Jake stand in Central Park wearing two woolly hats, one of which says “Merry” and one of which says “Christmas.” Although they can’t give her many clues about how she can manage the transition, they want her to leave MID-WORLD and join them. (Otherwise, she will probably die like all of Roland’s previous companions.)
Traveling through the magical UNFOUND DOOR which PATRICK DANVILLE draws for her, Susannah abandons the quest. Riding HO FAT III, she idles into Central Park, where the HARLEM ROSES sing Christmas carols in the snow. As in her dreams, Eddie is there to greet her, a cup of hot chocolate in hand. II:187, II:189, II:200, II:237, IV:64, IV:67, V:290 (Central Park, west side of the Ramble), VII:208, VII:554, VII:555, VII:559, VII:581, VII:645–46, VII:724–25, VII:728, VII:743, VII:749, VII:807–13 (Susannah arrives in 1987), VII:818
CHEW CHEW MAMA’S (DENNIS’S WAFFLES AND PANCAKES): See SECOND AVENUE, below
CHRISTOPHER STREET STATION: In SUSANNAH DEAN’s version of New York (yet another level of the DARK TOWER) the fabled A train stops at Christopher Street Station. Unfortunately, ODETTA HOLMES/DETTA WALKER happened to be waiting at this stop at the same time as the evil JACK MORT. Mort pushed her in front of the train. Luckily Susannah (and her many selves) survived; however, her legs (or what was left of them) had to be amputated just above the knee. II:215–17, II:380–86, VI:221, VI:232 (indirect)
CITY HALL: V:517, V:520, VI:256
CITY LIGHTS BAR: After LUPE DELGADO’s death, but before he began to be actively hunted by the LOW MEN, PERE CALLAHAN spent a lot of time in this bar. It was located on Lexington Avenue. V:290
CLEMENTS GUNS AND SPORTING GOODS: This shop is located on Seventh Avenue and Forty-ninth Street. While occupying JACK MORT’s body, Roland visits Clements so that he can restock his dwindling supply of live rounds. Besides buying ammo, Roland causes general havoc. II:342–59, II:371–73
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: See COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, listed separately
DENBY’S DISCOUNT DRUG: See TIMES SQUARE, below
DENNIS’S WAFFLES AND PANCAKES: See SECOND AVENUE: CHEW CHEW MAMA’S, below
DIXIE PIG: See entry in PORTALS
DUNHILL’S: This shop sells expensive lighters. II:382
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING: III:350, V:286, V:321, VII:18, VII:47
FIFTH AVENUE: V:271, VI:41, VII:724, VII:811
BRENDIO’S: JAKE passes Brendio’s on his way to school. Some of the mannequins in the window are dressed in Edwardian clothes. Others are “barenaked.” I:82, III:103, VII:811
BRENTANO’S BOOKSTORE: VII:811
FIFTH AVENUE AND FORTY-THIRD STREET/THE PUSHING PLACE: On one level of the DARK TOWER, JAKE is killed here by a 1976 Sedan de Ville. JACK MORT (who pushed Jake in front of oncoming traffic) dubs it “The Pushing Place.” II:315–18, III:104–6
PLAZA HOTEL: During the day, LUPE DELGADO worked as part of the maintenance crew at the Plaza Hotel. However, his real calling was working with homeless people at the HOME shelter. V:271, V:280
FIRST AVENUE: V:266, V:429, V:433, V:531, VI:57, VI:74, VI:86
FIRST AVENUE POLICE SHOOTING RANGE: III:157
NEW YORK PLAZA–PARK
HYATT (U.N. PLAZA, U.N. PLAZA HOTEL, REGAL U.N. PLAZA): The Plaza–Park Hyatt is the First Avenue hotel where MIA takes a captive SUSANNAH once they land in 1999 New York. (Mia needs to find a telefung so that she can contact the evil RICHARD P. SAYRE, servant of the CRIMSON KING, who has promised to help her deliver her CHAP.) Although neither Mia nor Susannah has any money to pay for their room, Susannah uses her little CAN-TAH to mesmerize MATHIESSEN VAN WYCK into paying for their stay. She also uses it to hypnotize the EXOTIC HOTEL RECEPTIONIST into giving her the room key even though she has no identification. Later on in Song of Susannah, JAKE CHAMBERS and PERE CALLAHAN travel to the Plaza–Park Hyatt to retrieve BLACK THIRTEEN from the hotel room safe where Susannah has hidden it. According to the sign located in the Plaza–Park’s lobby, as of July 1, 1999, SOMBRA REAL ESTATE and NORTH CENTRAL POSITRONICS are going to rename the hotel the Regal U.N. Plaza. V:595, VI:57, VI:74, VI:86, VI:89, VI:90–98, VI:107, VI:109, VI:118–25, VI:219, VI:223–34, VI:251, VI:256–57, VI:297 (U.N. Plaza Hotel), VI:317, VI:320–33, VII:67, VII:143 (indirect), VII:145, VII:303, VII:689