Discover the whos, the whats, the whys and hows of social history that make the city come alive.

• A sarcophagus sits in a public park

• Stones from the dungeon that imprisoned Joan of Arc support a statue of her

• A Star of David adorns a Baptist church

• A fire-breathing salamander decorates a firehouse

• A stained-glass window relates an architect’s frustrations

These are the details that guidebooks usually ignore and passersby ordinarily overlook. Curious readers will delight in revelations of history hidden in plain sight, alongside stunning photography of Manhattan’s overlooked treasures.