1. In 1784, the first commercial bank in New York City, Bank of New York, was organized. It was founded by Alexander Hamilton and was the first American bank to open after the Revolutionary War.

2. On May 12, 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was established in New York City. The museum is one of the largest and most comprehensive art museums in the world, featuring over two million works of art from various cultures and time periods.

3. The New York City Subway system officially opened for the first time on May 12, 1904. It was the first subway system in the United States and consisted of just a single line, running from City Hall to 145th Street in Harlem.

4. In 1937, the iconic Empire State Building was officially opened. At the time, it was the tallest building in the world, standing at 1,454 feet tall. Today, it remains a beloved landmark of New York City's skyline.

5. On May 12, 2010, Times Square was evacuated due to a car bombing attempt. Shortly after a street vendor alerted police of smoke coming from a parked car, the attempted bombing failed and was foiled by the New York Police Department. There were no casualties, but the incident highlighted the ongoing threat of terrorism in the United States.