Wall Street Walking Tour
The southernmost tip of Manhattan that we now call Wall Street was where it all began for the settlers of New York. Take a walk through the canyons of downtown Manhattan as we trace its history from the Lenape Indians to the Dutch, the English, and the one-percenters.
We start our walk at Bowling Green, as we exit the Bowling Green station of the 4 or 5 subway. Walk to the right side of the large building facing the plaza and look south towards the water and Battery Park.
See the embedded Google Map at the bottom of the page with all of the stops. Click on the link below the map to expand to full size.
We start our walk at Bowling Green, as we exit the Bowling Green station of the 4 or 5 subway. Walk to the right side of the large building facing the plaza and look south towards the water and Battery Park.
See the embedded Google Map at the bottom of the page with all of the stops. Click on the link below the map to expand to full size.
History: 12,000 years ago the Ice Age ended, nomadic hunters hunted bear and caribou. 6,500 years ago Lenapes (“Men” or “People”) (len-uh-pee) made seasonal campsites here hunting smaller forest animals. Their group names survive today in the towns surrounding NYC: Raritans, Tappans, Hackensacks, Rockaways, Merricks, Massapequas, Maspeth. The main trail the Lanapes used for hunting was the path that Broadway takes today. The last of the Lenapes died in Canarsie in 1803. The name of the island, Manhattan, comes from “Manna-hata,” Lenape for hilly island. Manhattan used to be very wet and hilly, unlike today. It was leveled for landfill and streams rerouted underground. It was very lush with trees and full of wildlife, but also mosquito ridden.
In March 1524 the French ship La Dauphine anchored in the Narrows between Staten Island and Brooklyn, and the crew marveled at the teeming plant and animal life. A large storm blew up, and they were forced to leave the next day. The Florentine navigator on La Dauphine was Giovanni da Verrazzano, and the 1962 bridge over that mooring spot was named for him - the Verrazano Bridge. In the intervening 438 years the second "z" was dropped.
On September 2, 1609 the Dutch ship Halve Maen (Half Moon) sailed into the harbor looking for a shortcut to the Pacific Ocean, the Northeast passage to China via the Arctic, north of Russia. Ice blocked their way so they turned south past Greenland. Entering NY Harbor, the English captain followed the river to Albany until it became clear that it didn't lead to the Pacific. On the way back they were attacked several times by Lenapes, whom they fought off, mooring near Washington Heights. Years later the river was named for that captain, Henry Hudson.
In the early 1600s the East India Company was the Hedge Fund/Private Equity Fund of its day, trading spices, slaves, and sugar. In 1610 it declared a 329% dividend and sent its first ship to the island. In 1613 the first East India Corporation ship sent to NY burned, but the crew stayed on as the Lenapes helped build a new ship (big mistake for the Lenapes...). By 1623 the East India Corporation trading post was in full gear, and Fort Amsterdam was planned for the tip of Manhattan (now the site of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian at Bowling Green). The outpost had 270 inhabitants.
In June 1626 the East India Company “bought” Manhattan from the Lenapes for 60 guilders worth of cloth, tools and wampum, or strung mother of pearl (where the story of “beads and trinkets” came from). Another problem in this story is that the famous $24 valuation came from a conversion rate calculated 220 years later, in 1846. In truth, the Lenapes had no concept of ownership of land. They believed that men simply existed on the land, and that it belonged to no one. It was far more likely that they saw the payment as a peace offering or the sealing of an alliance against other Indian tribes rather than the outright purchase of land.
Turn around and walk across the subway station plaza to the wrought iron fence at the top of the plaza.
In March 1524 the French ship La Dauphine anchored in the Narrows between Staten Island and Brooklyn, and the crew marveled at the teeming plant and animal life. A large storm blew up, and they were forced to leave the next day. The Florentine navigator on La Dauphine was Giovanni da Verrazzano, and the 1962 bridge over that mooring spot was named for him - the Verrazano Bridge. In the intervening 438 years the second "z" was dropped.
On September 2, 1609 the Dutch ship Halve Maen (Half Moon) sailed into the harbor looking for a shortcut to the Pacific Ocean, the Northeast passage to China via the Arctic, north of Russia. Ice blocked their way so they turned south past Greenland. Entering NY Harbor, the English captain followed the river to Albany until it became clear that it didn't lead to the Pacific. On the way back they were attacked several times by Lenapes, whom they fought off, mooring near Washington Heights. Years later the river was named for that captain, Henry Hudson.
In the early 1600s the East India Company was the Hedge Fund/Private Equity Fund of its day, trading spices, slaves, and sugar. In 1610 it declared a 329% dividend and sent its first ship to the island. In 1613 the first East India Corporation ship sent to NY burned, but the crew stayed on as the Lenapes helped build a new ship (big mistake for the Lenapes...). By 1623 the East India Corporation trading post was in full gear, and Fort Amsterdam was planned for the tip of Manhattan (now the site of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian at Bowling Green). The outpost had 270 inhabitants.
In June 1626 the East India Company “bought” Manhattan from the Lenapes for 60 guilders worth of cloth, tools and wampum, or strung mother of pearl (where the story of “beads and trinkets” came from). Another problem in this story is that the famous $24 valuation came from a conversion rate calculated 220 years later, in 1846. In truth, the Lenapes had no concept of ownership of land. They believed that men simply existed on the land, and that it belonged to no one. It was far more likely that they saw the payment as a peace offering or the sealing of an alliance against other Indian tribes rather than the outright purchase of land.
Turn around and walk across the subway station plaza to the wrought iron fence at the top of the plaza.
Bowling Green: In 1732 this was the first park in NY, Common Council of NY leased space fronting what was then the fort as a park with a “Bowling Green” and walks. By the 1760s the best homes were built there.
The original iron fence was erected in 1771. Look at the tops of each of the fence posts and notice that the tops are sheared off. There used to be decorative crowns on the top of each of the fence posts (a reference to King George III) but were snapped off by patriots celebrating after the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. They also melted down the statue of King George III which used to stand in the center and (as the story is told) turned it into bullets.
The original iron fence was erected in 1771. Look at the tops of each of the fence posts and notice that the tops are sheared off. There used to be decorative crowns on the top of each of the fence posts (a reference to King George III) but were snapped off by patriots celebrating after the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. They also melted down the statue of King George III which used to stand in the center and (as the story is told) turned it into bullets.
Customs House: 1899. Actually the second Custom's House (the first was in Federal Hall at the top of Broad Street). Now the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. Go inside, free admission, stunning interior. There was no federal income tax until 1913, so the primary federal revenue source was customs duties. The grandeur of the building reflects the power of its financial collection strength. Embellished by WPA murals.
This was the site of Ft. Amsterdam, then Ft. James, then Ft. George. After the Revolutionary War it was the site of Government Houses, where the plan was to house all three branches of the new government on this site: Congress, the Supreme Court, and the President until Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton cut a deal to federalize the State War Bonds in exchange for moving the new capitol to the "South" (Washington, D.C.). It served as executive mansion for a year 1790-91, and the governor lived here until 1797.
This was the site of Ft. Amsterdam, then Ft. James, then Ft. George. After the Revolutionary War it was the site of Government Houses, where the plan was to house all three branches of the new government on this site: Congress, the Supreme Court, and the President until Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton cut a deal to federalize the State War Bonds in exchange for moving the new capitol to the "South" (Washington, D.C.). It served as executive mansion for a year 1790-91, and the governor lived here until 1797.
Castle Clinton: Built in 1808 as a gun emplacement called the West Battery for what became the War of 1812. Combined with the East Battery on what is now Governor's Island (look to ten o'clock across the water) it guaranteed the destruction of any enemy ship attempting to sail through the Verazzano Narrows and enter the harbor. Was originally 300 feet offshore. Landfill later joined it to mainland. Was the Emigrant Landing Depot 1855-1890 where 7.7 million immigrants, including many who were pressed into the Union Army. Immigration transferred to the Federal Govt. from the state after the Civil War. It was NY Aquarium 1896-1941, now the ticket booth for the Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty ferry.
Rectory of the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Built in the 5th year of George Washington’s presidency, 1793. Original façade. Now Rectory of the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Was the James Watson House. He was a CT lawyer who moved to NY and served in a variety of legislative roles, lost in run for governor.
Federal style. Mother Seton born on Staten Island, Episcopalian, converted to Catholicism after husbands bankruptcy and death in 1805. Founded NY Sisters of Charity and took care of children of the poor. America’s first saint in 1975. Peter Stuyvesant’s Mansion stood next to it.
Federal style. Mother Seton born on Staten Island, Episcopalian, converted to Catholicism after husbands bankruptcy and death in 1805. Founded NY Sisters of Charity and took care of children of the poor. America’s first saint in 1975. Peter Stuyvesant’s Mansion stood next to it.
Stadt Hayes (original seat of Dutch government: Located at what is now 71 Pearl St., between Broad St. and Coenties Alley. Look at the 1650 drawing to the left to see the foul canal that used to run up the center of Broad Street with paths for mules to pull barges up the canal. The end of the island used to be at Pearl St., named after mother of pearl from all of the oyster shells. Landfill extended the island (and its valuable real estate) several block s further.
Bridge Street: