Broadway Below Wall Street Pages: 509-514

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The east side of Broadway, during the Dutch times, became quite thickly populated; but the class of buildings was of an inferior character, some of them, indeed, being little better, as far as can now be judged, than hovels, having not more than one room, with a fire-place. Yet others were of a better class, and were owned and occupied by thriving mechanics.

The lots attached to the premises, fronting on the east side of Broadway, extended in depth near two hundred and fifty feet to the marsh along Broad street, and, as the fronts were also wide, afforded sufficient ground for gardening purposes.

In our retrospect, therefore, of the condition of Broadway in the times of our Dutch forefathers, we find it to have been, on one side, quite an agreeable thoroughfare, with orchards, gardens and pleasant residences; while on the opposite side it was little other than a row of primitive structures, such as might be cheaply erected to form shelter for a poor population.

After the English acquired the country, in 1664, the Dutch names of the streets of the city were in most cases altered to conform to their language, and among other changes was that of the "Heere straas," as it was known in Dutch times, to Broadway. Up to that period there were no pavements in the street, nor any public wells. But these wants were supplied, not many years afterward, by paving the middle of the street (through which ran the gutter) with pebble stones; and to add to its attractions, the inhabitants were authorized to plant trees along the sides of the street. The sidewalks were not then paved, and the street, as it became enveloped in foliage of different varieties, presented an attractive appearance which has been noticed and commended by European travelers of the last century.

In this condition the street facing Bowling green grew old in years and appearance, with the edifices of the Dutch era still standing, until nearly ready to fall into ruins. The old tavern of Mrs. Kocks (originally erected by her husband, Pieter Kocks, an officer in the Dutch service, who was an active leader in the Indian war of 1643) on the site of No. 1 Broadway, had borne the buffets of time for a century, before it gave place to its successor, which still remains. The existing building on that site was erected by Archibald Kennedy, then Collector of the Port of New York, afterwards Earl of Cassilis, in the Scotch peerage. The historical associations of this edifice, which is now not far from a century old, are of an interesting character. In colonial times it was the seat of the highest fashion in the colony; and during the revolution it was the headquarters of the British General, Sir Henry Clinton. It was occupied at subsequent periods by several of our leading citizens, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Prime, an eminent banker, and Mayor Mickle. Of late years it has been converted into a hotel.

The tavern, known at one period of the colonial times as Burns' Coffee-house, and subsequently as "the Kings Arms," stood near or upon the site of the Dutch tavern of Burgomaster Martin Crigier. it had a considerable reputation as a public house, and also some historical interest in connection with public events in revolutionary times. From various advertisements of different early proprietors we learn that it had a large garden attached, where musical entertainments were given. It was kept, up to 1762, by Mr. Burns (Coffee-house), and in 1763, and for several years afterward by Mrs. Steele, a lady well known as hostess and caterer, who transferred to it the name of her former establishment in Broad street. "The Kings Arms," and was afterward (1768) conducted by Edward Barden. Its proprietor during the British possession is not known, but it is said that the traitor Arnold had his lodgings there after his desertion to the enemy. In modern times it had been a boarding-house, and a tavern, and public garden, by turns. Its latest designation, before its final demolition, being "the Atlantic Garden." It retained its original appearance, with trifling alteration, until it was taken down three or four years since. The premises are now vacant, and the grounds are used by one of the city railroad companies for depot purposes. The front of the house was of brick, the other parts of wood. The roof was partly tiled.

The old parsonage of Dominic Megapolensis became the property and residence of Balthazar Bayard, a relative of Governor Stuyvesant. He erected a brewery on the premises, near the river shore, the access to which was by a lane on the present line of Morris street. Mr. Bayard died in 1699. His representatives and heirs, in 1726, sold the property to Augustus Jay, ancestor of the distinguished family of that name.

Many noted citizens of New York have, in colonial times, lived on Broadway, opposite the Bowling green, among whom may be mentioned John Watts, Judge Chambers, Mayor Minvielle, Mrs. Alexander, mother of the Earl of Stirling, William Peartree Smith, and various members of the Livingston, Verplanck, and Van Cortland families. The ante-colonial appearance of the locality was preserved until a comparatively recent period, a circumstance peculiar to that block, it having escaped the destruction which fell upon others in that vicinity by the great fire of 1776. We are thus enabled to present a view of the street as it appeared about forty years ago.

After the Revolution, and before the commencement of the present century, we find the following residents on that block: No. 1, Mrs. Loring; No.3, John Watts; No. 5, Chancellor Livingston; No. 7, John Stevens; No. 9, Elizabeth Van Cortland; No. 11 (Atlantic Garden), widow Mansfield; No. 13, Mary Ellison.

This once fashionable locality has at present, however, lost many of its former characteristics, though most of the old buildings remain, some with additions and improvements, thus enabling it to retain memorials of its former state to a greater extent than are possessed by other parts of the same street.

Above Morris street comparatively little is known of the appearance of the street in the English colonial times, the great fire of 1776 having destroyed every vestige of its former appearance. It is known, however, to have been among the fashionable quarters of the town, and to have been the place of residence of several eminent citizens, among whom may be mentioned Governor Clarke, whose house was on the west side of Broadway, south of Exchange place. William Sharpas, the veteran city clerk, also lived in the same vicinity.

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