Evolution of New York City - Part 1 (1490-1900)

[Mojo2]

Evolution of New York City - Part 1 (1490-1900)

Posted on November 19, 2012

Evolution of New York City - Part 1 (1490-1900) - Several months ago we discovered an incredible collection of images at New York's Department of Records. There are over 870,000 photos and etchings documenting New York's rich and rapidly changing history - far too many images for anyone to sift through in a day. So we bided our time, taking random breaks over the following months to curate a collection of what we felt were the most striking of the bunch, and stumbling across a few more from other sources. We hope that you draw as much amazement and inspiration from these images as we have - Evolution of New York City - Part 1 (1490-1900)

New York City. Just saying the name conjures up images of the world's most bustling metropolis. From the shimmering art deco towers of midtown, to the sprawling concrete jungles of the outer boroughs, the Big Apple has earned its diverse, and often gritty stripes with a rich history that has unfolded at an astonishingly frantic pace.

It's hard to believe that just a few centuries ago, this towering skyline was nothing but rolling hills and plains. For generations this amazing transformation remained buried in the shadows of history, allowing a mere peek only to bookworms and history buffs. But this too is changing. Thanks to the unified efforts of libraries, museums and historical societies these photos are all appearing online, opening a portal through time to anyone with internet access and an inkling of curiosity.

We invite you to dive into this fascinating tale of social metamorphosis, but be warned - exploring Gotham's past in pictures can be quite addictive, so consume responsibly! Without further ado we give you the genesis of New York's evolution.

Evolution of New York City - Part 1 (1490-1900)

These are some fantastic images.

Absolutely wonderful!

 

[Disir]

I love the history of New York City. The pictures are awesome.

 

[rightwinger]

The Erie Canal made New York what it is today

 

[Mojo2]

I love the history of New York City. The pictures are awesome.

I find myself mildly yet surprisingly intrigued by NYC of days gone by.

Surprisingly, because I don't know why it is of interest to me.



Why do you love it?

 

[Mojo2]

The Erie Canal made New York what it is today

Do tell.

 

[Mr Natural]

We took a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan a couple of years back.

I was surprised and amazed at how wooded the northern end (Inwood Park) of the island is.

 

[rightwinger]

The Erie Canal made New York what it is today

Do tell.

Up until the early 1800s, you could not get products from more than 30 miles from the major US cities (Boston, NY, Philly, Charlestown) there were no roads. Each of these cities was like a small pocket
With the opening of the Erie Canal, the Hudson River was connected to the Great Lakes. All of those furs and natural resources funneled through New York City. Immense wealth was processed through New York and New York became the financial capitol

 

[Mojo2]

The Erie Canal made New York what it is today

Do tell.

Up until the early 1800s, you could not get products from more than 30 miles from the major US cities (Boston, NY, Philly, Charlestown) there were no roads. Each of these cities was like a small pocket
With the opening of the Erie Canal, the Hudson River was connected to the Great Lakes. All of those furs and natural resources funneled through New York City. Immense wealth was processed through New York and New York became the financial capitol

Will wonders never cease?

Not FROM the facts you've brought to us, but THAT you've brought facts to us.

 

[Mojo2]

We took a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan a couple of years back.

I was surprised and amazed at how wooded the northern end (Inwood Park) of the island is.

I'm not familiar with Manhattan but I can imagine that area you speak of as being the area where Louis C.K.'s yacht ran aground in this great episode of Jerry Seinfeld's terrific Crackle online TV series, "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee."

Louis C.K. Comedy, Sex and The Blue Numbers - Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee by Jerry Seinfeld

 

[norwegen]

The Erie Canal made New York what it is today

Do tell.

Up until the early 1800s, you could not get products from more than 30 miles from the major US cities (Boston, NY, Philly, Charlestown) there were no roads. Each of these cities was like a small pocket
With the opening of the Erie Canal, the Hudson River was connected to the Great Lakes. All of those furs and natural resources funneled through New York City. Immense wealth was processed through New York and New York became the financial capitol

Interesting (although I'm not sure why you include NY as being unreachable from NY via waterway). I'd always considered the site of New York a prime piece of real estate, quickly becoming the largest colony in the Dutch colonies. Agricultural settlements grew up quickly to the east on Long Island, to the north along the Hudson, and to the west in present-day New Jersey.

I think, though, that Christianity and European capitalism served as a prelude to the desire for the Erie canal and any other future development of the landscape. I think the anthropocentrism implicit in Christianity encouraged a culture of capitalism in the New World, and unlike Spain, Portugal, and France, whose hybrid economic cultures were still inhibited somewhat by feudal traditions and powerful monarchs, the republicanism of the Netherlands allowed for a more fully developed capitalist society. That, combined with its location on the Atlantic seaboard and New Netherland's religious and ethnic tolerance led to New Amsterdam's initial population growth.

But then English economic policies were similar to those of the Dutch, and New York, as you say, would become a world financial capital.

 

[Disir]

I love the history of New York City. The pictures are awesome.

I find myself mildly yet surprisingly intrigued by NYC of days gone by.

Surprisingly, because I don't know why it is of interest to me.



Why do you love it?

It's brutal and there is just no way to sugar coat it or hide it. There is a very clear class division. John Livingston was all about the American Revolution and joined the Continental army up until it interfered with his cash flow. He was smuggling and involved in illegal trade with Britain. He bought a lot of property and added to the property owned by his family and by 1828 owned five brothels in Five Points.

The Civil War Draft Riots.

"I Seen My Opportunities and I Took 'Em.": An Old-Time Pol Preaches Honest Graft

These are just a few incidents that show this sense of entitlement by one class at the expense of another group of people.