USA > New York > New York City > The City of New York : a complete guide : with descriptive sketches of objects and places of interest > Part 2
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TOPOGRAPHY-LOCATION OF THE STREETS.
By referring to the map, the reader will see that the lower end of the city is very narrow, that the western shore of the island is free from indentations, while the eastern shore is quite irregu- lar. The island rapidly widens from the Battery to Corlear's Hook, near the foot of Grand street, where it is about two miles wide. It maintains this width to Harlem, eight and a half miles from the Battery. Then it di- minishes to less than a mile in width for the remainder of the distance to Spuyten Duyvil creek, thirteen and a half miles from the Battery. Broad- way, which begins at the Battery, runs northward through the centre and highest portion of the island, as far as Tenth street, where it bends to the westward, and finally runs close to and nearly parallel with the Hudson river bank. At Twenty-third street, Fifth avenue crosses Broadway to the east and continues in a straight line along the centre of the island. On the eastern side, commencing at the head of Chatham square, and ending at Fourth street, the main thoroughfare is the Bowery, the widest street in the city. Below Fourteenth street the
streets are somewhat irregularly laid out, this being the older portion of the city; but above that point the avenues and streets run at right-angles to each other, the direction of the former being nearly north and south, and the latter east and west, from river to river. From the commence- ment of Fifth avenue, at Waverly place, the streets are numbered from it in each direction, and are designated East and West, according to their po- sition relative to the avenues, e.g., East Fourteenth street being that por- tion of the street between Fifth avenue and the East river, and West Four- teenth that portion between Fifth avenue and the Hudson river. Atten- tion is called to this statement, as it is of especial interest to strangers, who, in the event of losing their way, have only to remember the facts mentioned to ascertain their bearings at once.
BROADWAY.
It would be impossible, in a book of the size of this, to take the reader through a minute exploration of the city, calling his attention to every point of interest. Only the more prominent can be mentioned, and perhaps the best introduction for a traveller visiting New York will be gained by a preli- minary walk or ride from the Battery to Madison Square.
THE BATTERY,
Situated at the southern extremity of the city, is a beautiful crescent-shaped plot of ground, containing ten and a half acres, and covered with large shade-trees. It derives its name from being the site of the battery and rave- I lins of old Fort George. Years ago it
was a place of resort for the citizens ; now it is little else than an emigrant depot. On its edge stands Castle Garden, originally a detached fort, surrounded by water, and called Castle Clinton, in honor of the first republican governor of the State. It was built in 1807 by the Federal Government as a fortification, and ceded to the city in 1823. Subsequently it was converted into a place of amusement, and was the opera-house of the city, and the scene of Jenny Lind's first triumph in this country. The grounds of the Battery have been extended to it, and at pre- sent it is used as an emigrant depot, where foreigners, landing in New York and intending to settle at the west or elsewhere, are provided with tickets and started on their way without any unnecessary expense, and are protected from the swindling and thievery by which they were beset in former years. It is under the management of com- missioners appointed and paid by the State. Nearly adjoining the Battery on the north is
THE BOWLING GREEN,
A small enclosure, around which were once the residences of the aristo- cracy. Prior to the Revolution it con- ained a leaden statue of George III., erected in 1770, which the people pa- triotically melted into bullets in July, 1776. Fronting this green, on the west, was formerly the " King's Arms Tavern," the headquarters of Gen. Gage, the commander of the British forces at the time of the breaking out of the Revolution; this tavern, it may be added, was built on the site of "Kriger's Tavern," the fash- ionable hotel of the earlier Dutch settlers.
TRINITY CHURCH
The next building of special public interest is Trinity Church, on Broad- way, at the head of Wall street. The corporation is the richest and one of the oldest in the United States. In 1696 an Episcopal Church was erect- ed upon the site of the old Trinity, which was enlarged in 1735, and again in 1737. In 1776 it was consumed in the great conflagration of that year, and rebuilt in 1790; the new church was torn down in 1839, and the present im- posing edifice begun ; it was finished in 1846. The structure is 192 feet long, 80 feet wide, with walls 60 feet high ; the height of the tower and spire is 284 feet. Visitors may ascend by an easy stairway to the height of 250 feet, where a commanding view of the city and bay can be obtained.
ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL.
Still strolling along, we come to St Paul's Chapel, on the western side of Broadway, between Fulton and Vesey streets. It was built in 1766 ; its length is 151 feet, its width, 73 feet, and its steeple is 203 feet high. In a niche in the front of the church is a white marble statue of St. Paul, and in the front part of the niche is a slab to the memory of Gen. Montgomery, who fell at Quebec, and whose remains were re- moved to this city in 1818. Directly opposite St. Paul's Chapel is the new building erected and occupied by the New York Herald. It was opened for occupancy on the Ist of May, 1867.
The highly ornate white marble structure on Broadway next below the Herald building is The Park Bank. It was built in 1868, at a cost of about $2,000,000, and is one of the most elaborate specimens of compo- site architecture in the city.
THE CITY HALL PARK.
We have now reached the City Hall Park, or the Park, as it is usually call- ed, since, next to the Battery, it was the first enclosure of its kind on the island. Until 1780 it was without the limits of the city, and was called the "Com- mons," or the " Fields." It was here that the first brigade of the American army was assembled to hear the decla- ration of independence, July 9, 1776. As may be seen by the map, it is nearly triangular in shape, and bounded by Park Row and Centre street on the east, Chambers street on the north, and Broadway on the west. It covers about ten acres, and in it are the City Hall, the new Court House, the Hall of Records, and the Rotunda.
THE NEW POST-OFFICE,
at the lower end of the Park, will be, when completed, the finest structure of its kind in the country. Its archi- tecture is of the renaissance order, and its interior accommodations are cal- culated to meet the demands of the postal service for many years to come. The building, throughout, is construc- ted in the most substantial manner.
THE CITY HALL.
This is the southernmost building in the park, and is one of the finest speci- mens of architectural beauty in the country. It was nine years in building, and was finished in 1810 at a cost of $583,734. It is 216 feet long, 105 broad, and 65 high. At the celebra- tion of the completion of the first At- lantic Telegraph, in 1858, the clock- tower was consumed by fire, but was speedily replaced. The mayor has his office in this building, and here the boards of Aldermen and Councilmen
hold their regular meetings. A special place of interest to strangers is the Governor's room, on the second story, wherein may be found portraits of many distinguished statesmen, and the desk on which Washington wrote his first message to Congress. In the aldermen's chamber are the chairs used in the first Congress, and in the mayor's room is the chair in which Washington was inaugurated first Pre sident of the United States. North- west of the City Hall is the
NEW COURT-HOUSE,
The eastern wing of which was opened for the first time in the spring of 1867 for the accommodation of the Court of Appeals, the highest tribunal in the State, which for several years previous had sat in Albany. This building, be- gun in 1861, is 250 feet long, and 150 feet wide, and when completed will be surmounted by a dome 170 feet high. Its estimated cost was $1,500,000, but more than that sum has already been expended upon it. When completed, it will be one of the finest buildings in the city. A little to the east of the New Court-House is the
HALL OF RECORDS,
A stone building, originally the city prison, then (1832) a cholera hospi- tal, and subsequently remodelled for its present uses. The British once used this as a provost jail for the con- finement of American prisoners cap- tured in this vicinity. Here Nathan Hale was incarcerated prior to his exe- cution on the site of what is now the United States Marshalls office in Chambers street, directly in the rear of the Park. The next building of interest is
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THE ROTUNDA,
A circular edifice, just south of the north-east angle of the Park, which is occupied by the Croton Aqueduct De- partment. It is 54 feet in diameter, and was erected in 1818 by John Vanderlyn, the noted painter, for the exhibition of panoramas. Upon his leaving this country, to reside in Europe, the building was purchased by the city. The two brown stone build- ings in the rear of the Rotunda are occupied by sundry courts, and muni- cipal officers.
THE BUILDINGS AROUND THE PARK,
Are of quite as much interest as those within it, mainly by reason of the his- torical associations which cluster about the grounds upon which they stand. The triangular block bounded by Park Row, Beekman and Nassau streets, is the site of the old Brick Church. The church was erected in 1767, was used by the British soldiers as a prison, and subsequently as a hospital, in 1776; it was torn down a few years since, and the congregation erected a new edifice on Fifth avenue, corner of Thirty- seventh street. The site of the old Brick Church is now occupied by the Times and World buildings, and just above them, on Printing House square, are the Tribune building, and on Park Row, between Beekman and Ann streets, was the old Park Theatre. This was built in 1798, burned in 1820, "rebuilt and reopened within a year af- terwards, and again burned in 1849, when its site was covered with ware- houses ; it was the theatre of the city in its day, and was the scene of the first performance of the Italian opera in this country, in 1825. At the corner
of Ann street and Broadway, where now stands the new Herald building. was the old American Museum, the first marble-front structure erected in the city ; it was built in 1824, in 1840 was purchased by P. T. Barnum, and was burned in 1865. The Astor House, occupying the entire block on Broad- way between Vesey and Barclay streets, was built nearly thirty years ago, and for a long time was the leading hotel in the city, and was always the favorite stopping-place of Daniel Webster. On the upper corner of Broadway and Barclay street was the American hotel, a noted public house, but used for business purposes many years prior to its destruction by fire in 1865. The elegant free stone front building, which was built in 1866 upon the site, is occupied by the North America Life Insurance Company, and other offices. At the north-east corner of Broadway and Chambers street is Stewart's marble store, now used ex- clusively for the wholesale branch of Mr. Stewart's business. In olden times the site was the negro burial- ground of the city. Directly opposite, on Broadway, was the Irving House, for a long time the hotel of the city ; a portion of the old hotel building is now occupied by one of the four restaurants kept by the Delmonico brothers, whose fame has extended not only over the United States, but to England as well, and within two years a restaurant com- pany has been incorporated in London under the name of the "Delmonico Restaurant Company."
FROM THE PARK TO UNION SQUARE.
As we continue our walk up Broad- way, the first object of interest above
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the City Hall Park is the NEW YORK HOSPITAL, on Duane street, a short distance west of Broadway. Only one building now remains where once stood a noble and stately pile sur- rounded by lofty elms and occupying the greater part of the square. The corner-stone of this institution was laid on September 12, 1773, but before the building was completed it was partially consumed by fire ; in 1783 the British used it for barracks for their soldiers, and it was not until 1791 that it was formally opened as a hospital. In 1807 a Lunatic Asylum was erected on the Hospital grounds, but in 1821 the pa- tients were removed to a new building at Bloomingdale. The Hospital was always admirably conducted, but as its sphere of usefulness increased its own resources were insufficient for its support, and for a number of years it received aid from the State. In 1868 it was decided to lease the property and remove the Hospital to Blooming- dale. The ground rent of the pro- perty lately occupied by the Hospital affords an ample income for the pres- ent necessities of the institution. On the east side of Broadway, between Pearl and Worth streets, stood the Broadway Theatre, the scene of Ed- win Forrest's earlier triumphs in this city ; and on the block above, on the same side of the street, was the old Tabernacle, in which, for so many years, were held great religious meet- ings. Both these places are now gone, and their places occupied by stores. On the same side of Broadway, be- tween Catherine Lane and Leonard street, is the magnificent marble build- ing of the New York Life Insurance Company. The groups of statuary over its portico and surmounting its
façade are noticeable features of archi- tectural elegance. Between Droome and Spring streets, on the western side of Broadway, is the St. Nicholas Hotel, erected in 1854, at a cost of $1,000,000 ; and the large brown stone building on the eastern side, between Prince and Houston streets, is the Metropolitan Hotel, which was built at a cost of $800,000. The large iron building occupying the block between Ninth and Tenth streets, is Stewart's retail store, and the impos- ing white marble edifice directly across Tenth street is Grace Church. It was built in 1845, and cost $145,000, an enormous sum for that time. A few steps more bring us to
UNION SQUARE.
bounded by East Fourteenth street on the south, Fourth avenue on the east, East Seventeenth street on the north, and Broadway on the west. In the centre of the Square is Union Park, an oval enclosure, filled with trees, and containing a beautiful foun- tain. The imposing equestrian statue of Washington in the south-eastern part of the Square is the work of Mr. H. K. Brown, of Brooklyn. It is fourteen feet high, and mounted on a granite pedestal of the same height. Its cost was $30,000, which sum was contributed by forty-six gentlemen of this city. The statue weighs four tons, and the metal of which it is made con- sists of eighty-eight parts of copper, nine of tin, two of zinc, and one of lead. . The lofty iron building on the lower corner of East Fifteenth street is the jewelry store of the Messrs. Tiffa- ny. It occupies the former site of the " Church of the Puritans," of which Dr. Cheever was for many years pas-
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tor. The Church is rebuilt on Fifty- third street, the same stones being used which composed the original structure. The yellow building on the north-west corner of Seventeenth street and Fourth avenue is the Ev- erett House. Still continuing up Broadway, we come to
MADISON SQUARE,
Bounded on the south by East Twenty- third street, on the east by Madison avenue, on the north by East Twenty- sixth street, and on the west by Fifth avenue and Broadway, which two latter thoroughfares here cross, as has already been noted. This is one of the newest public squares in the city, having been as late as 1845 an open common; it . covers ten acres. The Fifth Avenue Hotel, which occupies the entire block on Broadway between Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth streets, is built on the site of the fr nous hippo- drome, which was opened in 1853. A fine ornament to the square is the monument to Gen. Worth, erect- ed at the intersection of Broad- way, Fifth avenue, and Twenty-fourth street. On the corner of Madison avenue and Twenty-fourth street is the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, Rev. Wm. Adams, D.D., pastor. The white marble structure on the south-east corner of Madison avenue and Twenty-sixth street is the Union League Club-house, built by Mr. Leonard W. Jerome.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
A number of the leading public buildings in New York City have al- ready been noted ; there remain, how-
ever, others of equal importance. We begin with the
CUSTOM HOUSE,
Which occupies the old Merchants Exchange, having been purchased by the Federal Government during the late war for $1,000,000. It is located on the block bounded by Wall, Wil- liam and Hanover streets, and Ex- change place. The building, which was erected upon the site of the Ex- change that was burned in 1835, is 200 feet long by 171 wide ; its height is 77 feet to the cornice, and 124 feet to the top of the dome. On the front is a portico in which are eighteen Grecian columns, 38 feet high, and 4%% feet in diameter at the base, each of which is formed from a single block of granite, and weighs about forty-five tons ; their cost was $55,000 ; that of the building, including the ground, was $1,800,000. Open to visitors from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
THE U. S. TREASURY AND ASSAY OFFICE,
On the corner of Wall and Nassau streets, and running through to Pine street, is a massive white marble build- ing, 200 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 80 feet high, which is modeled after the Parthenon at Athens. At either end is a portico supported by eight Doric columns, 32 feet high, and 5 feet 10 inches in diameter. The cost of the building and the ground on which it stands was $1,195,000. Open to visi- tors from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M.
THE POST-OFFICE.
This was formerly the Middle Dutch Church, and was finished in 1726, three years having been occupied in building
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it. In 1776 the British tore out the pews and used them for fuel, prepara- tory for the confinement of American prisoners ; when no longer needed for that purpose they converted it into a riding-school for their cavalry. In 1784 it was refitted as a church, and continued unaltered until 1844, when it was purchased by the United States Government for a post-office, for which it will be used until the new post-office at the lower angle of the City Hall Park is erected. The present location is on Nassau street, between Liberty and Cedar streets.
OFFICE HOURS .- The post-office is open continuously night and day, ex- cept on Sundays, when it is open from 9 to 10 A. M., and from 1224 to 11% P.M. The Money Order Department is en- tered from Cedar street, and is open from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. on week days. There are five deliveries each day by carriers. Collections are made from each and every lamp-post box (585 in number) six times a day. On Sunday but one collection is made at 8.15 A.M.
U. S. MAIL STATIONS. Open from 6.30 A.M. to 9.30 P.M. Station A-100 Spring street.
B-382 Grand street.
C~W. Fourth street, corner W. Twelfth street.
D-Bible House.
E-368 Eighth avenue.
F-474 Third Avenue.
G-590 Sixth Avenue.
H-East Eighty-sixth street, near Third avenue.
J-Harsonville.
K-Manhattanville.
L-1922 Third Avenue.
M-Carmansville.
N-Tubby Hook.
O-Avenue C, corner Sixth st.
THE STOCK EXCHANGE.
The new Stock Exchange is a mag- nificent white marble building on the western side of Broad street, just south of Wall street ; it runs through to New street, and has an L-fronting on Wall street. It was opened in 1866, and is acknowledged to be the finest building for the purpose in the country.
THE HALLS OF JUSTICE AND CITY PRISON.
This building, fronting on Centre street, covers the entire block bounded by Centre, Leonard, Elm, and Frank- lin streets, and was completed in 1838. It is of Maine granite, and in the Egyp- tian order of architecture. From its gloomy appearance it is popularly known as "the Tombs." Its form is that of a hollow square ; in the front are police court-rooms, and fronting on the square within are cells to the num- ber of 173. There is a wing from the main prison which is used as a prison for females. Within this enclosure State criminals convicted in this city of capital offenses are executed. The building is open to visitors from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M.
THE POLICE HEADQUAR- TERS.
This building, situated on Mulberry street, between Houston and Bleecker streets, and running through to Mott street, was occupied December 19, 1862; it is 70 feet wide by 187 feet deep, and is five stories high, It is of Westchester white marble, and of a simple style of architecture. It con- tains rooms for the Police Commis sioners, the General Superintendent, the Detective force, a room for the trial of policemen, and all the conveniences
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necessary for the central office of the Metropolitan Police. In the basement are a number of cells in which prison- ers are temporarily confined.
THE ASTOR LIBRARY
Is situated on the eastern side of La- fayette place, near Astor place. The late John Jacob Astor founded it with an endowment of $400,000, which sum has been materially increased by his son, William B. Astor. It contains over 100,000 volumes, many of which are very rare, and is open to all per- sons over sixteen years of age, for consultation only, from 10 A. M. to 5%% P.M. in summer, and 4 in winter.
THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.
The library of the Mercantile Li- brary Association, founded in 1820, is located in Astor place, at the junction of Eighth street, a few steps east of Broadway. It was formerly located in Nassau street, but a few years since the Association purchased the Astor Place Opera-House for $140,000. This was the scene of the Astor-place riot, in May, 1849, on the occasion of the performance of "Macbeth," by the English tragedian, Macready. The reading-room of the Association is the best, and the library one of the largest in the city : both are open to all per- sons upon the payment of a small sum annually-three dollars by clerks, and five dollars by all others.
THE COOPER UNION
Occupies the block bounded by St. Mark's place (Eighth street), Fourth avenue, Seventh street, and Third avenue. It was erected by Peter Cooper, Esq., a few years since, at a cost of $630,000, and is under the
control of a Board of Directors. It contains a very large and well sup- plied reading-room, a library, art gal- lery, and a number of instruction and lecture rooms, all of which are free to all who choose to avail themselves of . the advantages therein offered. A por- tion of the building is rented for stores and one large hall and several small ones are let for public meetings ; the annual income from these sources is about $50,000. The building is of brown stone, and is five stories high. In the building are the rooms of the
AMERICAN INSTITUTE,
Incorporated May 2, 1829, for the pur- pose of encouraging and promoting domestic industry in this State and in the United States, and in disseminat- ing useful knowledge relative to agri- culture, commerce, manufactures, and the arts and sciences. Annual fairs, on a grand scale, are held in this city, and large sums of money dis- tributed in the form of premiums, medals, etc. This important Asso- ciation has become identified with the growth and prosperity of the city, and its annual fairs, which are held during October, in the best available quarters in the city, are of great and increasing interest, and attract large numbers of visitors to view the articles on exhibition. It has become the nu- cleus of several scientific departments, and has a section of Agriculture, and another of Machinery and the Arts and Sciences, called the Polytechnic Asso- ciation. Regular weekly meetings of great interest are held by the former on Tuesday afternoons, and by the latter on Thursday evenings, at the rooms in the Cooper Union Building. Strangers are invited to attend. Ad-
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mission free. Recently a section of Photography has been added, which will hold weekly meetings.
THE BIBLE HOUSE,
Occupying the block bounded by Fourth avenue, Ninth street, Third avenue and Stuyvesant street, was erected by the American Bible Society, at a cost of about $300,000. Here are printed all the Bibles and Testaments which bear the imprint of this Society. In this spacious building are the rooms of a number of the leading religious benevolent societies, which have their headquarters in New York.
N. Y. HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
This institution, founded in 1804, erected a few years since a very taste- ful edifice, on the south-eastern corner of Second avenue and Eleventh street. It has a very valuable library (open to members for consultation only), and a fine-art gallery. The society owns and has on exhibition, in its building, the Bryan Collection of the old mas- ters, the Abbott Collection of Egyp- tian Curiosities, and the Crawford Marbles. The building is not open to the general public, but strangers can visit it by obtaining a note of introduc- tion from a member of the society.
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