Broadway Below Wall Street Pages: 509-514

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The improvement of this part of the street commenced about the year 1790, and first class residences took the place of those mentioned. Among the earliest occupants of the new buildings toward the close of the last century, were the following: No. 16, George Scriba, merchant; No. 24, Nicholas Low, merchant; No. 26, Gen. Alexander Hamilton; No. 30, John Delafield, merchant; No. 34, Dr. Charlton; No. 36, Peter Jay Munro, lawyer: No. 40 Widow Livingston; No. 42, Widow Allen; No. 44, Robert Troup, lawyer; No. 46, Dr. Bailey; No. 50, John Slidell, chandler; No. 52, Judge Lawrence; No. 52, Col. Aquilla Giles: No. 54, Daniel Ludlow, merchant; No. 66, Herman Le Roy, merchant; No. 68, Josiah Ogden Hoffman; No. 70, Cadwallader D. Colden, lawyer; No. 72, Joshua Jones; No. 74, Dr. Thomas Jones; No. 86, Dr. Tillery. It may be further mentioned that Governor Jay, in after years, erected in this vicinity a large stone house, then considered a great ornament to the street. In 1827 the Adelphi hotel, on the corner of Beaver street, a building six stories in height, was erected.

This portion of the street maintained its position as one of the most fashionable quarters for residence during many subsequent years, but finally gave way before the inducements which attracted the resident population toward the upper parts of the city. The boarding-house keepers enumerated in 1828, showed the gradual change then in progress. No. 24 was occupied by Mrs. Wood; No. 36 by Mr. Street; No. 40 by Mrs. Barker: No. 52 (formerly Governor Jay's residence) by Mrs. Keese; No. 56, (corner Exchange place), by Mr. Pearcy; No. 58 (opposite corner), by Mrs. Helme.

In respect to the general topography of Broadway below Wall street, it was found that the original surface was followed in the first buildings on the street, and that there was no alteration of the grade until a period shortly subsequent to the revolutionary war. The occasion of an alteration of the original grade arose apparently from the inconvenience of carrying off the surface water. In 1786, a surveyor, appointed for the purpose, reported a plan, by making the street descend from Wall street to Verlettenberg (by which name the present Exchange place was known), at which latter point the street was to be lowered three feet; and so, alo, below Verlettenberg, a similar descending grade was to be established as far as the house of Mr. Slidell (157 feet south), thus bringing the water from both directions to Verlettenberg hill, thence to flow down to Broad street. But objections on the part of residents prevented the adoption of this plan, and the permanent grade was established by lowering the hill near the Bowling green to an extent which afforded a gradual descent.

In 1806 an order was made removing the old wells and pumps, several of which stood in the middle of Broadway, and establishing others at the sidewalks. These ancient wells had been in existence about one hundred and thirty years.

In connection with the portion of Broadway now under review, it should be added that the Bowling green, which had in early Dutch times been the Parade and market-place, was, in 1732, enclosed, with walks therein, for the beauty and ornament of the city and the recreation and delight of the inhabitants thereof. A few years previous to the Revolution, a statue of King George III was placed with it, which, however, was destroyed in revolutionary times.

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