85-466: The Alexander Macomb House at 39–41 Broadway in Lower Manhattan , New York City, served as the second U.S. Presidential Mansion. President George Washington occupied it from February 23 to August 30, 1790, during New York City's two-year term as the national capital. The building was demolished in 1940, the last former U.S. presidential mansion to be demolished. Alexander Macomb (1748–1831)
170-685: A 10-year period while the permanent national capital was under construction in the District of Columbia . Washington vacated the Macomb House on August 30, 1790, and returned to Mount Vernon, stopping in Philadelphia to examine what was to become the third Presidential Mansion, the Masters–;Penn–Morris House at 190 High Street . In 1821, the Macomb House was converted into Bunker's Mansion House Hotel: "Bunker's Mansion House,
255-498: A 12-story building at 80 Pine Street, a 26-story building at 123 William Street, and a few others were built in 1957. By the end of the decade, Lower Manhattan had become economically depressed, in comparison with Midtown Manhattan , which was booming with the continued march uptown . David Rockefeller spearheaded widespread urban renewal efforts in Lower Manhattan, beginning with constructing One Chase Manhattan Plaza ,
340-509: A county in themselves, or are completely separate and independent of any county. Each borough is represented by a borough president . Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island each have a Borough Hall with limited administrative functions. The Manhattan Borough President's office is situated in the Manhattan Municipal Building . The Bronx Borough President's office used to be in its own Bronx Borough Hall but has been in
425-487: A county. When the western part of Queens County was consolidated with New York City in 1898, that area became the Borough of Queens. In 1899, the remaining eastern section of Queens County was split off to form Nassau County on Long Island , thereafter making the borough and county of Queens coextensive with each other. The term borough was adopted in 1898 to describe a form of governmental administration for each of
510-435: A famous hotel, was situated at No. 39 Broadway, and was a large double-brick house, erected in 1786 by General Alexander Macomb as a residence for himself. It was a most comfortable and well-conducted hotel, and was patronized largely by Southern families. Bunker, who was noted for his affability to his customers, grew rich rapidly, and eventually sold the property and retired from business." In 1861, Daniel Huntington painted
595-799: A fanciful depiction of the interior. "Mr. Huntington has in his famous painting of the Republican Court made the Macomb home on Broadway the background of his picture. This was a much more commodious house, to which the President and his family removed in the spring of 1790." In 1939, the Daughters of the Revolution erected a bronze plaque at 39 Broadway. The house was demolished in 1940. Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan , also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York City ,
680-621: A higher percentage than in Philadelphia or Boston . The 1735 libel trial of John Peter Zenger in the city was a seminal influence on freedom of the press in North America. It would be a standard for the basic articles of freedom in the United States Declaration of Independence . By the 1740s, with expansion of settlers, 20% of the population of New York were slaves, totaling about 2,500 people. After
765-615: A mile north of Chambers Street, and 23rd Street , roughly half a mile north of 14th Street. Lower Manhattan's central business district forms the core of the area below Chambers Street and includes the Financial District , commonly known as Wall Street after the name of its primary artery, and the World Trade Center site . At the island's southern tip is Battery Park , near the Bowling Green ; City Hall
850-552: A new Independence Plaza, Washington Market Park , and other developments. Lower Manhattan retains the most irregular street grid plans in the borough. Throughout the early decades of the 1900s, the area experienced a construction boom, with major towers such as 40 Wall Street , the American International Building , Woolworth Building , and 20 Exchange Place being erected. Many new water crossings into Lower Manhattan were built at this time, including
935-525: A peace treaty on August 29, 1645. On May 27, 1647, Peter Stuyvesant was inaugurated as director general upon his arrival. The colony was granted self-government in 1652, and New Amsterdam was formally incorporated as a city on February 2, 1653. The first mayors ( burgemeesters ) of New Amsterdam, Arent van Hattem and Martin Cregier , were appointed in that year. In 1664, the English conquered
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#17327795397841020-783: A result of Alexander Hamilton 's policies and practices as the first Secretary of the Treasury and, later, with the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, which connected the Atlantic port to the vast agricultural markets of the North American interior. Immigration resumed after being slowed by wars in Europe, and a new street grid system, the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 , expanded to encompass all of Manhattan. Early in
1105-416: A series of fires in 1741, the city became panicked that blacks planned to burn the city in a conspiracy with some poor whites. Historians believe their alarm was mostly fabrication and fear, but officials rounded up 31 blacks and 4 whites, all of whom were convicted of arson and executed. City officials executed 13 blacks by burning them alive and hanged 4 whites and 18 blacks. In 1754, Columbia University
1190-669: Is also used by politicians to counter a frequent focus on Manhattan and thereby to place all five boroughs on equal footing. In the same vein, the term outer boroughs refers to all of the boroughs excluding Manhattan, even though the geographic center of the city is along the Brooklyn–Queens border. All five boroughs were created in 1898 during consolidation, when the city's modern boundaries were established. The Bronx originally included parts of New York County outside of Manhattan that had previously been ceded by neighboring Westchester County in two stages; in 1874 ( southern Yonkers , and
1275-666: Is delineated on the north by 14th Street , on the west by the Hudson River , on the east by the East River , and on the south by New York Harbor . Its northern border is designated by thoroughfares about a mile-and-a-half south of 14th Street and a mile north of Manhattan 's southern tip around Chambers Street near the Hudson River east of the entrances and overpass to the Brooklyn Bridge . Two other major arteries to Lower Manhattan are Canal Street , roughly half
1360-591: Is north of the Financial District. South of Chambers Street are Battery Park City and South Street Seaport . TriBeCa straddles Chambers Street on the west side; at the street's east end is the giant Manhattan Municipal Building . North of Chambers Street and the Brooklyn Bridge and south of Canal Street is the Chinatown neighborhood , home to the largest concentration of Chinese people in
1445-516: Is the southernmost part of the New York City borough of Manhattan . The neighborhood is the historical birthplace of New York City and for its first 225 years was the entirety of the city. Lower Manhattan serves as the seat of government of both Manhattan and the entire City of New York. Because there are no municipally defined boundaries for the neighborhood, a precise population cannot be quoted, but several sources have suggested that it
1530-622: Is used in Connecticut , New Jersey , and Pennsylvania , where a borough is an independent level of government, as well as with borough forms used in other states and in Greater London . New York City is often referred to collectively as the five boroughs , which can unambiguously refer to the city proper as a whole, avoiding confusion with any particular borough or with the Greater New York metropolitan area . The term
1615-969: The Bronx County Courthouse for decades. Since the abolition of the Board of Estimate in 1990 (due to a 1989 ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court ), the borough presidents have minimal executive powers, and there is no legislative function within a borough. Executive functions in New York City are the responsibility of the Mayor of New York City , while legislative functions reside with the New York City Council . The borough presidents primarily act as spokesmen, advocates, and ceremonial leaders for their boroughs, have budgets from which they can allocate relatively modest sums of money to community organizations and projects, and appoint
1700-401: The Brooklyn Bridge in Lower Manhattan. Municipal governments contained within the boroughs were abolished, and the county governmental functions, housed in Lower Manhattan after unification, were absorbed by the city or each borough. Washington Market was located between Barclay and Hubert Streets, and from Greenwich Street to West Street . It was demolished in the 1960s and replaced by
1785-466: The East Village , and Downtown Brooklyn and on par with Downtown Jersey City and Williamsburg . In June 2015, The New York Times wrote that Lower Manhattan's dining scene was experiencing a renaissance. There are over 400 casual dining and more than 100 full-service dining restaurants in the area. The Village Voice , based at 80 Maiden Lane in the Financial District and historically
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#17327795397841870-629: The Flatiron District , Gramercy , and Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village . The area that would eventually encompass modern-day New York City was inhabited by the Lenape people. These groups of culturally and linguistically identical Native Americans who spoke an Algonquian language now referred to as Unami . European settlement began with the founding of a Dutch fur trading post in Lower Manhattan, later called New Amsterdam ( Dutch : Nieuw-Amsterdam ) in 1626. The first fort
1955-823: The New York Stock Exchange , the Federal Reserve Bank of New York , and other major financial institutions. A center of culture and tourism , Lower Manhattan is home to many of New York City's most iconic structures, including New York City Hall , the Woolworth Building , the Stonewall Inn , the Bull of Wall Street , and One World Trade Center , the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere . Lower Manhattan
2040-532: The New York metropolitan area as well as in other states, U.S. territories , and foreign countries. In 2011, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg referred to the city's waterfront and waterways as a composite sixth borough during presentations of planned rehabilitation projects along the city's shoreline , including Governor's Island in the Upper New York Bay . The Hudson Waterfront , in
2125-716: The Port Authority decided to build the World Trade Center on a site along the Hudson River and the West Side Highway , rather than the East River site. When building the World Trade Center , 1.2 million cubic yards (917,000 m ) of material was excavated from the site. Rather than dumping the spoil at sea or in landfills, the fill material was used to expand the Manhattan shoreline across West Street, creating Battery Park City . The result
2210-608: The September 11 attacks in 2001, two of four hijacked planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center , and the towers collapsed. The 7 World Trade Center was not struck by a plane but uncontrolled fires that were caused by falling debris resulted in the building's collapse; a first in the history of steel framed skyscrapers. The 3, 4, 5, and 6 World Trade Center buildings were damaged beyond repair or destroyed, and soon after demolished. The collapse of
2295-631: The U.S. state of New Jersey , lies opposite Manhattan on the Hudson River , and during the Dutch colonial era , it was under the jurisdiction of New Amsterdam and known as Bergen . Jersey City and Hoboken , in New Jersey's Hudson County , are sometimes referred to as the sixth borough, given their proximity and connections by rapid transit PATH trains to the city. Fort Lee , in Bergen County , opposite Upper Manhattan and connected by
2380-614: The Western Hemisphere . Many court buildings and other government offices are located in this area. The Lower East Side neighborhood straddles Canal Street. North of Canal Street and south of 14th Street are SoHo , the Meatpacking District , the West Village , Greenwich Village , Little Italy , Nolita , and the East Village . Between 14th and 23rd Streets are lower Chelsea , Union Square ,
2465-640: The Williamsburg Bridge in 1903 and the Manhattan Bridge in 1909. The Holland Tunnel to New Jersey opened in 1927, while the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel to Brooklyn opened in 1950 and was the last major fixed crossing to be built to Lower Manhattan. Despite these road connections opening, the economic center of New York City began to shift from Lower Manhattan to Midtown with the opening of many commuter rail terminals at
2550-653: The Woolworth Building , 40 Wall Street (also known as the Trump Building), 26 Wall Street (also known as the Standard Oil Building), and 70 Pine Street (also known as the American International Building ). In 1966, the commercial district of Radio Row on Cortlandt Street was demolished to make way for construction of the former World Trade Center. Downtown in the context of Manhattan, and of New York City generally, has different meanings to different people, especially depending on where in
2635-427: The World Trade Center area and the Financial District . The phrase Lower Manhattan may apply to any of these definitions: the broader ones often if the speaker is discussing the area in relation to the rest of the city; more restrictive ones, again, if the focus is on business matters or on the colonial and early post-colonial history of the island. New York City borough The boroughs of New York City are
Alexander Macomb House - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-671: The 'blight' of many tenement areas, by demolishing slums, factories, and working-class neighborhoods through public works such as the High line , the West Side Highway and FDR Drive , built housing projects, expanded new parks, rebuilt streets, and zoning controls , especially in Lower Manhattan. The zoning changes were intended to displace the industrial workforce by removing zoning protection for industrial space and incentivizing upscale residential and clerical redevelopment. The port of New York, despite its physical suitability for berthing and its close proximity to Europe, began to deteriorate due to
2805-401: The 19th century, the landfill was used to expand Lower Manhattan from the natural Hudson shoreline at Greenwich Street to West Street . In 1898, the modern City of New York was formed with the consolidation of Brooklyn (until then an independent city), Manhattan and outlying areas. The borough of Brooklyn incorporated the independent City of Brooklyn, recently joined to Manhattan by
2890-586: The British in North America for the remainder of the war and a haven for Loyalist refugees. Continental Army officer Nathan Hale was hanged in Manhattan for espionage. In addition, the British began to hold the majority of captured American prisoners of war aboard prison ships in Wallabout Bay , across the East River in Brooklyn . More Americans died from neglect aboard these ships than died in all
2975-566: The Downtown Lower Manhattan Association contributed to a city plan calling for the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. The plan included recommended zoning changes, tax incentives to encourage new tenants, and the conversion of commercial buildings into apartments. It also called for the creation of a business improvement district, called The Alliance for Downtown New York, to help spur the area's renewal. Between 1995 and 2014, 15.8 million square feet of office space
3060-638: The Twin Towers also caused extensive damage to surrounding buildings and skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan. A total of 2,753 people, including those on the planes, were killed in New York. About 400,000 people, including rescue workers and residents of the area were exposed to toxic dust and debris; many developed serious respiratory illnesses, cancers, and other harms arising from the attack, and 3,496 died. Following September 11, Lower Manhattan lost much of its economy and office space but has since rebounded significantly. Private sector employment reached 233,000 at
3145-513: The United States . The Osgood House (demolished 1856) was in the most congested part of Manhattan, near the port along the East River , and Washington found it cramped for his presidential household. The Macomb House was significantly larger, located in a neighborhood just north of the Bowling Green . The presidential household functioned with a staff of about 20, composed of wage workers, indentured servants and enslaved servants. Slavery
3230-747: The World Trade Center, brought many new residents to the area. Gateway Plaza, the first Battery Park City development, was finished in 1983. The project's centerpiece, the World Financial Center , consists of four luxury highrise towers. By the turn of the century, Battery Park City was mostly completed, with the exception of some ongoing construction on West Street. Around this time, Lower Manhattan reached its highest population of business tenants and full-time residents. These developments struggled to become fully occupied at desirable rents, with relatively high vacancy rates. In 1993,
3315-529: The area and renamed it " New York " after the Duke of York and the city of York in Yorkshire. At that time, people of African descent made up 20% of the population of the city, with European settlers numbering approximately 1,500, and people of African descent numbering 375 (with 300 of that 375 enslaved and 75 free). While it has been claimed that African slaves comprised 40% of the small population of
3400-556: The area of Manhattan south of Canal Street. Within business-related contexts, many people use the term Downtown Manhattan to refer only to the Financial District and the corporate offices in the immediate vicinity. For instance, the Business Improvement District managed by the Alliance for Downtown New York defines Downtown as south of Murray Street (essentially South of New York City Hall ), which includes
3485-539: The battles of the war. British occupation lasted until November 25, 1783. George Washington triumphantly returned to the city that day, as the last British forces left the city . Starting in 1785, the Congress met in New York City under the Articles of Confederation . In 1789, New York City became the first national capital of the United States under the new United States Constitution . The Constitution also created
Alexander Macomb House - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-469: The city at that time, this claim has not been substantiated. During the mid-1600s, farms of free blacks covered 130 acres (53 ha) where Washington Square Park later developed. The Dutch briefly regained the city in 1673 , renaming the city " New Orange ", before permanently ceding the colony of New Netherland to the English for what is now Suriname in November 1674. The new English rulers of
3655-463: The city grew northward, it began annexing areas on the mainland, absorbing territory from Westchester County into New York County in 1874 ( West Bronx ) and 1895 ( East Bronx ). During the 1898 consolidation, this territory was organized as the Borough of the Bronx, though still part of New York County. In 1914, Bronx County was split off from New York County so that each borough was then coterminous with
3740-468: The city they reside. Residents of the island or of The Bronx generally speak of going "downtown" to refer to any southbound excursion to any Manhattan destination. A declaration that one is going to be "downtown" may indicate a plan to be anywhere south of 14th Street —the definition of downtown according to the city's official tourism marketing organization —or even 23rd Street . The full phrase Downtown Manhattan may also refer more specifically to
3825-607: The city's unwillingness to invest or modernise the port and the deindustrialization zoning policy. However a large number of small scale, dynamic, and highly specialized industries persisted despite the city's efforts such as the garment industry which was closely tied to the fashion industry in Midtown, or the printing industry; linked with the publishing industry. In the 1950s, a few new buildings were constructed in Lower Manhattan, including an 11-story building at 156 William Street in 1955. A 27-story office building at 20 Broad Street,
3910-555: The city. In some document collections the boroughs used to be designated with a one-letter abbreviation: K for Brooklyn, M for Manhattan, Q for Queens, R for Staten Island (Richmond County), and X for the Bronx. The term "sixth borough" is used to describe any of a number of places that have been metaphorically called a part of New York City because of their geographic location, demographics (they include large numbers of former New Yorkers), special affiliation, or cosmopolitan character. They have included adjacent cities and counties in
3995-520: The colonies. After the major defeat of the Continental Army in the Battle of Long Island , General George Washington withdrew to Manhattan Island , but with the subsequent defeat at the Battle of Fort Washington the island was effectively left to the British. The city became a haven for loyalist refugees, becoming a British stronghold for the entire war. Consequently, the area also became
4080-519: The counties are considered to be arms of the state government), rather than officials of the city government, they are not subject to the term limitations that govern other New York City officials such as the mayor, the New York City Public Advocate , members of the city council, or the borough presidents. Some civil court judges also are elected on a borough-wide basis, although they generally are eligible to serve throughout
4165-489: The creation of modern New York City in 1898, when New York County (then including the Bronx), Kings County, Richmond County, and part of Queens County were consolidated within one municipal government under a new city charter . All former municipalities within the newly consolidated city were dissolved. New York City was originally confined to Manhattan Island and the smaller surrounding islands that formed New York County. As
4250-428: The current Congress of the United States , and its first sitting was at Federal Hall on Wall Street. The first United States Supreme Court sat there. The United States Bill of Rights was drafted and ratified there. George Washington was inaugurated at Federal Hall. New York City remained the capital of the U.S. until 1790, when the role was transferred to Philadelphia. New York grew as an economic center, first as
4335-601: The departing Minister with his own money, including American-made furniture in the French style. Some of these items survive at Mount Vernon and elsewhere. The first Presidential Mansion was the Samuel Osgood House at 1 Cherry Street in Manhattan , which Washington occupied from April 23, 1789, to February 23, 1790. He had been living there a week prior to his April 30, 1789, inauguration as first President of
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#17327795397844420-447: The discussion of constructing seawalls and other coastal barriers around the shorelines of Manhattan and the New York City metropolitan region to minimize the risk of destructive consequences from another such event in the future. Lower Manhattan has been experiencing a baby boom , well above the overall birth rate in Manhattan, with the area south of Canal Street witnessing 1,086 births in 2010, 12% greater than 2009 and over twice
4505-592: The end of 2016, the highest levels since the end of 2001. This was largely due to growth and diversification in the local workforce with gains in employment sectors like Technology, Advertising, Media and Information, as well as Hotel, Restaurants, Retailing, and Health care. As of 2016, Lower Manhattan's business district is home to approximately 700 retail stores and 500 bars and restaurants. The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation has consummated plans to rebuild downtown Manhattan by adding new streets, buildings, and office space. The National September 11 Memorial at
4590-487: The first half of the 20th century, New York became a world center for industry, commerce, and communication . Interborough Rapid Transit , the first New York City Subway company, began operating in 1904. The area's demographics stabilized, labor unionization brought new protections and affluence to the working class, the city's government and infrastructure underwent a dramatic overhaul under Fiorello La Guardia , and his controversial parks commissioner, Robert Moses , ended
4675-505: The five fundamental constituent parts of the newly consolidated city . Under the 1898 City Charter adopted by the New York State Legislature, a borough is a municipal corporation that is created when a county is merged with populated areas within it. The limited powers of the boroughs are inferior to the authority of the government of New York City , contrasting significantly with the powers of boroughs as that term
4760-482: The five major governmental districts that compose New York City . They are the Bronx , Brooklyn , Manhattan , Queens , and Staten Island . Each borough is coextensive with a respective county of the State of New York : The Bronx is Bronx County, Brooklyn is Kings County, Manhattan is New York County, Queens is Queens County, and Staten Island is Richmond County. All five boroughs of New York came into existence with
4845-481: The focal point for Washington's espionage and intelligence-gathering throughout the war. In 1771, Bear Market was established along the Hudson River shoreline on land donated by Trinity Church , and replaced by Washington Market in 1813. New York City was greatly damaged twice by fires of suspicious origin during British military rule. The city became the political and military center of operations for
4930-499: The formerly Dutch New Amsterdam and New Netherland renamed the settlement back to New York. As the colony grew and prospered, sentiment also grew for greater autonomy. In the context of the Glorious Revolution in England, Jacob Leisler led Leisler's Rebellion and effectively controlled the city and surrounding areas from 1689 to 1691, before being arrested and executed. By 1700, the Lenape population of New York had diminished to 200. By 1703, 42% of households in New York had slaves,
5015-421: The freewheeling iconoclasm, pioneering spirit, and do-it-yourself mentality that characterized the pre-gentrification era, still draw patrons from throughout the city and the surrounding region. In the early 21st century, the Meatpacking District , once the sparsely populated province of after-hours BDSM clubs and transgender prostitutes, gained a reputation as New York City's trendiest neighborhood. During
5100-407: The largest alternative newspaper in the United States, announced in 2017 that it would cease publication of its print edition and convert to a fully digital venture . On October 31, 2017, a man drove a pickup truck into the Hudson River Park 's bike path between Houston Street and Chambers Street , killing eight people and injuring at least 15. Most of those who were hit were bicyclists. It
5185-405: The media, they are technically and legally the district attorneys of New York County and Kings County, respectively. The same goes for Staten Island. There is no such distinction made for the district attorneys of the other two counties, Queens and the Bronx, since these boroughs share the respective counties' names. Because the five district attorneys are, technically speaking, state officials (since
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#17327795397845270-522: The members of the 59 largely advisory community boards in the city's various neighborhoods. The Brooklyn and Queens borough presidents also appoint trustees to the local public library systems in those boroughs. Being coextensive with an individual county, each borough also elects a district attorney , as does every other county of New York State. While the district attorneys of Manhattan and Brooklyn are popularly referred to as "Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance, Jr. ", or "Brooklyn D.A. Kenneth P. Thompson " by
5355-444: The mid-1970s largely at two Lower Manhattan venues, CBGB on Bowery in the western edge of the East Village, and Max's Kansas City on Park Avenue South . At the same time, the area's surfeit of appropriated industrial lofts, played an integral role in the development and sustenance of the minimalist composition, free jazz , disco , and electronic dance music subcultures. The area's many nightclubs and bars, though mostly shorn of
5440-420: The name of the county unchanged. There are hundreds of distinct neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of New York City, many with a definable history and character to call their own. Since 1914, each of New York City's five boroughs has been coextensive with a county of New York State – unlike most U.S. cities , which lie within a single county or extend partially into another county, constitute
5525-441: The new headquarters for his bank. He established the Downtown-Lower Manhattan Association (DLMA) which drew up plans for broader revitalization of Lower Manhattan, with the development of a world trade center at the heart of these plans. The original DLMA plans called for the "world trade center" to be built along the East River , between Old Slip and Fulton Street . After negotiations with New Jersey Governor Richard J. Hughes ,
5610-434: The number born in 2001. The Financial District alone has witnessed growth in its population to approximately 43,000 as of 2014, nearly double the 23,000 recorded at the 2000 Census. There are currently 61,000 residents in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan south of Chambers Street and more than 62 percent of the population is between 18 and 44. Lower Manhattan is home to more young professionals than Greenpoint ,
5695-405: The original Five Points neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, was born in the 1850s and continues to be the epicenter of culture for the Chinese diaspora . Lower Manhattan contains many more historical buildings and sites, including Castle Clinton , Bowling Green , the old United States Customs House (now the National Museum of the American Indian ), Federal Hall National Memorial commemorating
5780-426: The rear of the main rooms glass doors opened onto a balcony giving an uninterrupted view of the Hudson River. On entering, one found a large hall with a continuous flight of stairs to the top of the house. On each side of the hall were spacious, high-ceilinged rooms, used for the levees and dinners and always referred to by Washington as "public rooms." President Washington purchased furniture, mirrors and draperies from
5865-461: The site was opened to the public on September 11, 2011, while the National September 11 Museum was officially inaugurated by President Barack Obama on May 15, 2014. As of the time of its opening in November 2014, the new One World Trade Center , formerly known as the Freedom Tower , is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and the sixth-tallest in the world , at 1,776 feet (541 m); while other skyscrapers are under construction at
5950-425: The site where George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. President, Fraunces Tavern , New York City Hall , the Museum of American Finance , the New York Stock Exchange Building , South Street Seaport , the Brooklyn Bridge , South Ferry (the embarkation point for the Staten Island Ferry ), and Trinity Church . Lower Manhattan is home to some of New York City's most spectacular skyscrapers, including
6035-632: The site. The Occupy Wall Street protests in Zuccotti Park , formerly known as Liberty Plaza Park, began in the Financial District on September 17, 2011, receiving global attention and spawning the Occupy movement against social and economic inequality worldwide. On October 29 and 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy ravaged portions of Lower Manhattan with record-high storm surge from New York Harbor, severe flooding, and high winds, causing power outages for hundreds of thousands of Manhattanites and leading to gasoline shortages and disruption of mass transit systems. The storm and its effects have prompted
6120-490: The skyline of Lower Manhattan. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum at the former World Trade Center site has become a popular draw for visitors. New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world, and the epicenter of LGBT culture and its catalyst as a continuing cultural force in modern society has been the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village . Similarly, Chinatown , which was spawned just east of
6205-406: The three eastern towns of Queens County that had not joined the city the year before—the towns of Hempstead , North Hempstead , and Oyster Bay —formally seceded from Queens County to form the new Nassau County . The borough of Staten Island, coextensive with Richmond County, was officially the borough of Richmond until the name was changed in 1975 to reflect its common appellation, while leaving
6290-487: The towns of Kingsbridge , West Farms , and Morrisania ) and then following a referendum in 1894 (towns of Westchester , Williamsbridge , and the southern portion of Eastchester ). Ultimately in 1914, the present-day separate Bronx County became the most recent county to be created in the State of New York. The borough of Queens consists of what formerly was only the western part of a then-larger Queens County. In 1899,
6375-609: The turn of the 20th century. The original Penn Station opened in 1910, the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (now PATH) extension to 33rd Street was completed in 1910, and Grand Central Terminal opened in 1913. On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Greenwich Village took the lives of 146 garment workers, which would eventually lead to great advancements in the city's fire department, building codes, and workplace regulations. Throughout
6460-469: Was a 700-foot (210-m) extension into the river, running six blocks or 1,484 feet (452 m), covering 92 acres (37 ha), providing a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) riverfront esplanade and over 30 acres (12 ha) of parks. Through much of its history, the area south of Chambers Street was mainly a commercial district, with a small population of residents—in 1960, it was home to about 4,000. Construction of Battery Park City , on landfill from construction of
6545-659: Was also one of the primary bases of the American folk music revival of the 1960s. Many art galleries were located in SoHo between the 1970s and early 1990s; today, the downtown Manhattan gallery scene is centered in Chelsea. From the 1960s onward, Lower Manhattan has been home to many alternative theater companies, constituting the heart of the Off-Off-Broadway community. Punk rock and its musical derivatives emerged in
6630-549: Was an Irish-born American merchant and land speculator. He built the four-story city house on the west side of Broadway in 1786–1788. Macomb leased it to the French Minister Plenipotentiary , the Comte de Moustier , who occupied it until his return to Paris in early 1790. It was one of a block of three houses erected in 1787 and was four stories and an attic high, with a width of fifty-six feet. From
6715-433: Was built at The Battery to protect New Netherland . In approximately 1626, construction of Fort Amsterdam began. The Dutch West Indies Company subsequently imported African slaves to serve as laborers; they helped to build the wall that defended the town against English and native attacks. Early directors included Willem Verhulst and Peter Minuit . Willem Kieft became a director in 1638 but five years later
6800-504: Was converted to residential or hotel use. As a result, Lower Manhattan's residential population rose from 14,000 to 60,000. Since the early-20th century, Lower Manhattan has been an important center for the arts and leisure activities. Greenwich Village was a locus of bohemian culture from the first decade of the century through the 1980s. Several of the city's leading jazz clubs are still located in Greenwich Village, which
6885-646: Was embroiled in Kieft's War against the Native Americans. The Pavonia Massacre , across the Hudson River in present-day Jersey City , New Jersey resulted in the death of 80 natives in February 1643. Following the massacre, Algonquian tribes joined forces and nearly defeated the Dutch. The Dutch Republic sent additional forces to the aid of Kieft, leading to the overwhelming defeat of the Native Americans and
6970-486: Was founded under charter by George II of Great Britain as King's College in Lower Manhattan. The Stamp Act and other British measures fomented dissent, particularly among the Sons of Liberty , who maintained a long-running skirmish with locally stationed British troops over Liberty Poles from 1766 to 1776. The Stamp Act Congress met in New York City in 1765 in the first organized resistance to British authority across
7055-575: Was legal in New York, and Washington brought 7 enslaved Africans from Mount Vernon to work in his presidential household: William Lee , Christopher Sheels , Giles, Paris, Austin, Moll, and Oney Judge . Two of Martha Washington's grandchildren were part of the First Family: Nelly Custis (born 1779) and "Wash" Custis (born 1781). Under the July 1790 Residence Act , the national capital moved to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , for
7140-487: Was one of the fastest-growing locations in New York City between 2010 and 2020, related to the influx of young adults and significant development of new housing units. Despite various definitions of Lower Manhattan, they generally include all of Manhattan Island south of 14th Street . Anchored by Wall Street and the Financial District in Lower Manhattan, New York City is the leading global center for finance and fintech . The Financial District houses Wall Street,
7225-474: Was the first deadly terrorist attack in Manhattan since 9/11. Since 2010, a Lower Manhattan community known as Little Australia has emerged and is growing in the Nolita neighborhood. Before the September 11 attacks , the Twin Towers were iconic of Lower Manhattan's global significance as a financial center . The new office towers built since the attack (including One World Trade Center ) have transformed
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