Gc 974.702 PUBLIC LIBRARY N421V PORT WAYNE 8c ALLEN CO., IND. 1921 301064 SenhaloC^Y collection 02210 3862 .sormy.. 3 1833 aii»ntittt^^Mnttual nf Copyrig-ht, 1920 Press of The Chauncey Holt Company New York City 101064 Ea tl)[f Spatnration nf ; !%[ aittg l^all fark nnh tire lErrrtian nf tijp CONTENTS Page FIFTH AVENUE AND CENTRAL PARK, 1858 9 A retrospective comment on a rare view of the locality. SPLENDORS OF THE BATTERY IN 1835 20 A contemporary description from the N. Y. Mirror. "FRIENDSHIP GROVE" AND ITS MEMORIES 21 Recollections of Commodore E. C. Benedict. IMMORTALITY, "THE BUTTERFLY POEM," by Joseph Jefferson.... 25 RECORD OF SKATING DAYS, 1872-1887 46 DIARY OF A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD NEW YORK (Continued).... 47 Catherine Elizabeth Havens. CURIOUS OLD LETTER TO MR. ZENGER 70 EDGAR ALLAN POE IN NEW YORK CITY 71 From hitherto unprintcd papers in the possession of the Shakes- peare Society, by Dr. Appleton Morgan, President. NEW LIBERTY POLE AND REMOVAL OF THE POST OFFICE BUILDING 86 Action taken by the New York Historical Society and the Sons of the Revolution. LIBERTY POLES ERECTED AND CUT DOWN 90 AMERICA'S CUP 90 Commodore J. C. Stevens' account of ihe yacht race at Cowes, 1851. DEED OF TRUST OF THE AMERICA'S CUP TO THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB 94 POPULATION FIGURES OF NEW YORK CITY, 1615-1920 96 [xi] Page EARLY DAYS OF DEPARTMENT STORES 97 Incidents and characteristics of their beginnings and growth in New York and of the men who made them. John Crawford Brown. FULTON FERRY, IN 1836 148 A contemporary description. A GREAT MERCHANT'S RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD NEW YORK, 1818-1880. William Earl Dodge 149 EARLY DAYS OF THE TELEPHONE 183 JOHN BIGELOW, GENTLEMAN. Mrs. J. F. A. Clarke 186 CITY HALL PARK, 1849 192 OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK 1,93 Rise of Homer Ramsdell. Incident of the Great Fire of 1835. Aristocracy of Old New York. Old Grocery Houses. Beginning of Water Supply. Beginning of Gas Supply. Old Merchants of the Swamp. Mineral Spring :n the Swamp. James and Isaac Rooseveh. J. and J. Harper. Mercantile Library. LYDIA F. WADLEIGH 210 Initiator of Higher Education for Girls. REMINISCENCES OF THE OLD ELEVENTH WARD 211 Justice L. A. Giegerich. THE BELL OF ST. JOHN'S 219 HUNTER COLLEGE, 1870-1920 220 SCHOOLS OF 1850 222 FREE ACADEMY—COLLEGE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK 223 QUEEREST HOUSE IN NEW YORK 224 W. M. Van der Weyde. [xii] Page OLD MANSIONS OF THE BRONX (Second paper). Randall Comfort. 229 Child Homestead. De Lancey Mansion. Lorillard Mansion. Dominick Lynch Mansion. VVillett Residence. Wilkins Mansion. Old Ferris Mansion. Zerega Residence. Lcrillard Chalet. Hammond Mansion. Robert Mansion. Huntington Mansion. Westchester Country Club. Pell Manor House. Marshall Mansion. Bartow Mansion. Iselin Mansion. Ogden Mansion. Hunter's Island Inn. Vincent Halsey Mansion. SOME ASSOCIATIONS OF OLD ANN STREET (Second paper) 242 Aaron Mendoza. CASE OF WILLIAM HAMLIN CHILDS 248 OLD TIME MARRIAGE AND DEATH NOTICES 250 Compiled by A. J. Wall, Asst. Secy., New York Historical Society. QUAINT AND CURIOUS ADVERTISEMENTS IN OLD NEW YORK. From old New York papers 256 VERNACULAR OF THE DAY 259 [xiii] ILLUSTRATIONS List of Rare Old Prints, Engravings and Colored Lithographs Contained in this Volume. FRONTISPIECE, CITY HALL IN 1825 (IN COLOR). FOLDER CONTAINING THESE FOUR VIEWS OF THE SITE AT THE BATTERY (IN COLOR) 1 First picture of New York ever shown to the World. Government House, 1797. Steamship Row, 1880. New Custom House. PORTRAIT OF PRESIDENT MONROE 5 WATER GATE, FOOT OF WALL STREET, 1679 (IN COLOR) 8 Showing the original "wall" across the city. SAME LOCALITY AS IT APPEARS TODAY (IN COLOR) 9 A contrasting view. THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S BIRTHPLACE 12 Etching of the house in which the Great American was born. FOLDER, FIFTH AVENUE FROM 59TH to 63RD STREETS, 1858 (IN COLOR) 16 Showing this locality when the Park was being laid out. Now the site of stately houses and great hotels. A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, FIFTH AVE. AND 45th ST., 1859 (IN COLOR) 17 PRESIDENT CLEVELAND, MRS. CLEVELAND AND COMMO- DORE E. C. BENEDICT 21 A portrait group taken on board the Oneida. EAST RIVER SHORE AND SHIPYARD, FOOT OF MAIDEN LANE, 1679 (IN COLOR) 24 From a contemporary drawing. SAME LOCALITY AS IT APPEARS TODAY (IN COLOR) 25 A contrasting view. [XV] Opp. Page COMMODORE BENEDICT'S STEAM YACHT ONEIDA 28 At sea with his friend President Cleveland. NEW YORK FROM GOVERNOR'S ISLAND, 1825 (IN COLOR) 32 From the Hudson River Portfolio. RARE VIEW OF WALL ST. FERRY, 185S 27 Showing the shipping along South Street in those days. DOCK AND WHITEHALL, EAST RIVER, 1679 (IN COLOR) 40 From a contemporary drawing. A CONTRASTING VIEW OF THE SAME LOCALITY TODAY (IN COLOR) 41 ANDREW CARNEGIE IN HIS LIBRARY 44 Dictating Deed of Gift for the Branches of the Library. RESIDENCE OF PRESIDENT MONROE IN NEW YORK (IN COLOR) 49 ONE OF THE EARLIEST PICTURES OF WEST POINT (IN COLOR) 53 From a rare aquatint in the collection of Mr. Geo. A. Zabriskie. WORTH'S COAL YARD AT 26 BROADWAY, 1848 (IN COLOR).... 56 PRESENT ASPECT OF THE SAME SITE TODAY (IN COLOR).... 57 Standard Oil Company Building. CASTLE CLINTON, AFTERWARD KNOWN AS CASTLE GARDEN AND NOW THE AQUARIUM (IN COLOR) 60 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF EVACUATION DAY, NOV. 25TH, 1883 (IN COLOR) 64 Showing the old Astor residences on Fifth Avenue. THE HISTORIC ROBERT MURRAY HOUSE ON FIFTH AVENUE 69 BROADWAY, NORTH FROM 52ND STREET, 1865 (IN COLOR).... 72 A rare view by Rockwood. A CONTRASTING VIEW OF THE SAME SITE TODAY (IN COLOR) 73 Photographed by W. M. Van der Weyde. EDWIN FORREST HOUSE IN WEST 22ND STREET 76 Where the great actor died. NEW YORK, FROM THE HEIGHTS NEAR BROOKLYN, 1825 (IN COLOR) 81 From the aquatint in color by Hill. LIBERTY POLE TABLET IN THE POST OFFICE BUILDING 85 Marking the site of the first Liberty Pole. STREET CLEANERS OF NEW YORK, 1868 (IN COLOR) 88 A CONTRASTING VIEW, 1920 (IN COLOR) 89 AMERICA'S CUP—"THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE SEAS" 92 Won at Cowes Regatta, August, 1851. [xvi] Opp. Page FIRST KNOWN APPEARANCE OF A YACHT IN NEW YORK (IN COLOR) 94 NEW YORK, FROM WEEHAWKEN, 1825 (IN COLOR) 96 From the rare aquatint by Hill. SEVENTY-FIRST REGIMENT, N.G.N.Y, DEPARTING FOR THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR, 1898 101 BATHING BEACH AT CONEY ISLAND IN 1869 (IN COLOR) 104 A CONTRASTING VIEW OF THE BEACH IN 1920 (IN COLOR).... 105 ONE OF THE PARADES OF NEW YORK WOMEN IN THE GREAT WAR 108 The Red Cross Drive. AMERICA WINNING THE QUEEN'S CUP AT COWES, 1851 (IN COLOR) 113 Built by John Steers, New York. PRINCE OF WALES RECEIVING A WREATH TO PLACE ON THE JOAN OF ARC STATUE, NOV. 18, 1919 117 FIRST HOTEL BUILT IN NEW YORK (IN COLOR) 120 Afterward the first City Hall. BOWMAN GROUP OF HOTELS AROUND THE GRAND CEN- TRAL TERMINAL (IN COLOR) 121 Commodore, Biltmore, Belmont and New Murray Hill. OLD CLIPPER SHIP, JACOB A. STAMLER, AS A HOTEL 124 Fitted up by John Arbuckle for business girls. MACOMB'S DAM AS IT APPEARED IN 1850 (IN COLOk) 128 From a rare Currier lithograph. HETTY GREEN IN HER HOBOKEN APARTMENT 133 BROADWAY, FROM CEDAR TO PINE STS., 1865 (IN COLOR).... 136 Before the coming of the Equitable Building. A CONTRASTING VIEW OF THE SAME SITE TODAY (IN COLOR) 137 COLLAMORE HOUSE, ON BROADWAY, 1860 140 From a contemporary print. LAFARGE HOUSE, ON BROADWAY, 1860 140 From a print of that time. RARE VIEW OF THE FAMOUS GEM SALOON, BROADWAY AND WORTH STREET 145 Showing the Mayor of New York and other eminent citizens at the bar. STATUE OF WILLIAM EARL DODGE, MERCHANT AND PHIL- ANTHROPIST 149 CUSTOM HOUSE AND ADJACENT BUILDINGS, 1848 (IN COLOR) 152 SAME SITE TODAY (IN COLOR) 153 [xviij Opp. Page PORTRAIT OF MR. OGDEN MILLS AT HIS DESK IN THE MILLS BUILDING 1 56 QUAINT OLD TWO-STORIED HOME OF PETER COOPER, 1840... 160 OLD ASTOR HOUSE, OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK, 1842 (IN COLOR) 165 This beautiful site was entirely spoiled when the P. O. Building was erected. BOWLING GREEN AS A BEAUTIFUL PARK, ABOUT 1830 (IN COLOR) 168 Showing the handsome private residences fronting on it. RUINS OF THE PHELPS AND PECK WAREHOUSES (IN COLOR) 169 After the accident of May 4, 1832. FINE COLONIAL RESIDENCE OF HERMAN BOKER, 1858 (IN COLOR) 172 Thirty-seventh St. and Boston Road—one of the first of the Murray Hill settlers. OLD HOUSES ON CHATHAM ST.—NOW PARK ROW, 1859 (IN COLOR) 177 The World Building now occupies the site. COLUMBIA COLLEGE, PARK PL. AND COLLEGE PL., 1830 (IN COLOR) 181 From a contemporary drawing by A. J. Davis. HALFWAY HOUSE, BROADWAY AND FIFTY-NINTH ST.. 1862 (IN COLOR) 182 Favorite halting place for the stages from New York to Kings- bridge and Albany. DEPARTURE OF THE 69TH REGIMENT FOR THE WAR, 1861 (IN COLOR) 184 Marching past St. Patrick's Cathedral RETURN OF THE 69TH REGIMENT FROM THE GREAT WAR, 1919 (IN COLOR) 185 In parade at the Plaza. PALISADES AS THEY APPEARED ABOUT 1825 (IN COLOR).... 188 From the Hudson River Portfolio. HARLEM LANE AT llOTH STREET IN 1865 (IN COLOR) 192 Now St. Nicholas Avenue. PORTRAIT OF JOHN W. BARBER 197 Author of the well-known histories of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, etc. Making sketches to illustrate his work. UNION SQUARE IN 1849, BEFORE THE EVERETT HOUSE WAS BUILT (IN COLOR) 200 Showing residences of Daniel Drew, Ogden Goelet, Spingler Inst.