Financial District, NYC

[nycgirl]

I recently paid a visit to the Financial District in lower Manhattan. The first thing I saw when I popped out of the Wall Street subway station was the Trinity Church. It was founded in 1696 and is a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture. The churchyard is a small, peaceful space, fenced off from the hustle and bustle surrounding it.

This marble monument marks the grave of the churchyard’s most illustrious person, Alexander Hamilton. The first treasurer of the U.S. and one of its Founding Fathers, Hamilton was shot to death by Vice President Aaron Burr in an infamous duel. Hamilton's son, who was also killed in a duel three years before his father, is buried nearby. His long-suffering wife Eliza is buried beneath the modest marker in front of his.



The churchyard is full of poignantly dilapidated headstones, some of them dating from the 17th century.









Next to the church stands the Trinity Root, a two-ton bronze sculpture created by artist Steve Tobin. He was inspired by an uprooted sycamore tree that shielded St. Paul’s chapel from debris on 9/11.

[bixaorellana]

Lovely and unexpected, NYCG!

It looks as though the Trinity church yard is no longer used as a burial ground. Any idea if that is true?

Can't wait to see more of this thread.

[Deleted]

Trinity Church and the graveyard have always struck me as being totally inappropriate in the Wall Street area -- but of course it is the opposite that is true. It was totally inappropriate to build the financial district around the church.

[lola]

Oh, thank you, nycg! We wandered through there a few weeks ago, and I wondered what that root was all about. Fine photos.

The churchyard has an ancient feeling, doesn't it? I like that there are tables and chairs around.

[tod2]

My word those photos were an eye-opener for me Nycgirl! The big red Trinity Root immediately brought back where I had see it before - in a very minor way of course..... Right here in my city!
Folks have been making chandeliers and table legs from roots. I will try and snap a photo or two.
I won't put them here as it will disrupt the theme - maybe under a new heading somewhere.

Your photos are wonderful and I hope to see lots more!

[nycgirl]

Feb 3, 2012 17:55:08 GMT bixaorellana said:

It looks as though the Trinity church yard is no longer used as a burial ground. Any idea if that is true?

I believe so, but Trinity Church has a cemetery and mausoleum elsewhere, so folks can be buried or interred on regular, non-historic ground.

Feb 3, 2012 20:39:50 GMT kerouac2 said:

Trinity Church and the graveyard have always struck me as being totally inappropriate in the Wall Street area

It does feel out of place, doesn’t it? But I like that the Financial District has a few places of interests unrelated to finance. All those banks and office skyscrapers start to get boring after awhile (for me).

Feb 3, 2012 21:22:15 GMT lola said:

Oh, thank you, nycg! We wandered through there a few weeks ago, and I wondered what that root was all about. Fine photos.

The churchyard has an ancient feeling, doesn't it? I like that there are tables and chairs around.

Sounds like you covered quite a lot of ground. Might we hear more about your trip?

Yes, the place is very visitor-friendly. Seems like a nice spot for a harried office worker to take a lunch or read a book.

Thanks for reading, everyone!

[nycgirl]

Wall Street began in the 1600s, when the colonists and African slaves of the Dutch West India Company erected a protective wall on the boundary of the New Amsterdam settlement. Traders would gather at various spots on the wall to buy and sell shares and bonds. It wasn’t up for very long before the British took over and dismantled it, but the name stuck.



Back when New York was the nation’s capital, Wall Street was the site of the U.S.’ first presidential inauguration. George Washington was sworn in office on the balcony of the Federal Hall in 1789.



1 Wall Street is an Art Deco giant that stands on Wall Street and Broadway, one of the most expensive corners in the world.



This flatiron-like building houses the historic restaurant Delmonico’s, the birthplace of the famed Delmonico steak and reputedly America's first fine dining establishment. The original restaurant was lost in the Great Fire of 1835 fire that ravaged lower Manhattan for two days and destroyed 700 buildings. Two years later, the restaurant re-opened in this building constructed for the restaurant, featuring columns that were allegedly imported from Pompeii (yeah, right).



Mill Lane, named for a long-gone mill, is one of the shortest streets in Manhattan.



I walked from South William Street through Mill Lane and onto Stone Street, named for its cobblestone paving. It features some lovely ironwork, like this curlicued fire escape, and old fashion-style streetlights.





Wandering around, I noticed that even with the presence of chain fast food joints, neon signs, and other modern touches, a great deal of buildings in the area retain an early-20th century charm.

[nycgirl]

I took a walk on Maiden Lane, a gently curving street that follows the course of a now-underground stream. Notice the buildings are slightly curved as well. Maiden Lane is possibly named for the young Dutch women who would gather to wash their laundry in the stream.



On the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane there is a working clock from 1899 embedded in the sidewalk. It has been stepped on by countless millions over the course of its 100-plus lifespan, but it keeps on ticking. The clock pays homage to William Bartham, who established his shop in the financial district in 1884. Bartham Jeweler’s is still in business to this day. Manhattan’s diamond district got its start downtown, but as it thrived and expanded, it was moved to midtown on 5th Ave.



On the wall of Batham’s original shop is this plaque from 1928, depicting what Maiden Lane looked like in the 1880s.



Things are quite different today. Looking across the street, you can see one of the buildings of the new World Trade Plaza under construction. I have a few more photos of that project here.



Just north of Maiden Lane is 63 Nassau, built in the 1830s.



On the building are two bas-reliefs of Benjamin Franklin. The two empty spaces next to him once held bas-reliefs of George Washington, but these were inexplicably removed.



Here is a glimpse of the yellow and grey William Beaver House, named for its two intersecting streets. Beaver Street was named for the New Amsterdam colony’s first major export. The beaver pelt industry was so booming that the poor animal was nearly wiped out from the entire state.

The William Beaver House is a luxury residential high-rise that boasts top-of-the-line amenities. Still, it’s pretty ugly. What do you think?

[mickthecactus]

Yes! Found Maiden Lane in my New York Encounter book which I have in my office.

William Beaver house doesn't look so bad in a picture but might well stick out like a sore thumb amongst the other buildings - I don't like the gherkin in London for that reason.

Must say I didn't get there on my visit other than to pass through en route to Ellis Island.

[bixaorellana]

Yay -- more pics & story!

The Wm. Beaver building makes good architectural sense in terms of its shape in blending with the other buildings around it. It's the addition of color that's meaningless and jarring. It reminds me of those hats Prince Andrew's daughters wore to the royal wedding.

[Deleted]

I've been to NYC enough to know and appreciate all of the old smaller brick buildings and such, which help the city to retain its unique character with the amazing mix of high tech modern, art deco and "old New York" before the invention of the Empire State. I am always slightly surprised that so many of the brick buildings have not been spiffed up yet. When I look up at a lot of the windows, I can see that a lot of the old offices had their last renovation in 1954 or 1966. And yet so many amazing things could be done to those buildings. Of course it is a huge city and not as overcrowded as one might imagine -- otherwise the Bronx would have not been turned into such a creepy empty lot for so many years.

I believe that the Bronx is beginning to revive. Any hope of a report about that?

[lola]

Oh, nice. Oh, this makes me miss it.

Great photo details and history.

When we recently stumbled upon Delmonico's, I didn't know whether that was the original. We did peer in, looking for ghosts of Diamond Jim and Lillian Russell.

You didn't happen to stop at the Financier Patisserie down at the end of Mill Lane, between Stone and Pearl? That turned out to be the only eating establishment we visited twice last month. I know it's a chain and all, but it was an oasis for us.

Good point, kerouac, about the evidently untenanted windows. My feeling, on the contrary, was that Manhattan in general is being gentrified like crazy. Nice for us tourist types, but...

[nycgirl]

The William Beaver building looks so cheesy in person. I don't mean cheesy as in sappy, but cheesy as in the exact color of cheese.

Feb 10, 2012 18:09:29 GMT kerouac2 said:

I believe that the Bronx is beginning to revive. Any hope of a report about that?

Good idea, I should head up there sometime.

Feb 10, 2012 23:59:36 GMT lola said:

You didn't happen to stop at the Financier Patisserie down at the end of Mill Lane, between Stone and Pearl? That turned out to be the only eating establishment we visited twice last month. I know it's a chain and all, but it was an oasis for us.

No, I haven't been, but I'll keep my eyes open for it. I have nothing against chains, as long as they're decent. Unfortunately, there are chains like Subway Sandwiches, seen in one of my pictures, that are wildly successful and extremely bland.

[sojoh]

Thanks for a fascinating read and the beautiful photos, nycgirl! The origin of the name for "Wall St" was completely new to me.

I'm not quite sure why, but the headstones in the Trinity churchyard don't look as grim as those in Boston - it could be because they're made out of a different kind of stone. Did you notice if they had death heads on them?

[nycgirl]

Thanks, Sojoh! No, I didn't see any death heads because I didn't stay long, unfortunately, but they are there. Later when I was doing research online I saw that some of the headstones had strange Masonic symbols. Wish I had gotten pictures of those.

[barbara]

Well, I really enjoyed your Financial District piece. I think I need to be more observant of my surroundings. Thanks for the wake up!

[nycgirl]

Thank you, glad you liked it! I've been meaning to add more, but haven't gotten around to it.

Just wanted to mention that for the little-known stuff, I borrowed heavily from this site. It has tons of historically fascinating stuff.

forgotten-ny.com/2010/05/lower-manhattan/

[nycgirl]

I recently paid another visit to the Financial District, here's a few more pics.

The New York Stock Exchange, the largest stock exchange in the world.





The NYSE began in 1792 when 24 stockbrokers and merchants signed the Buttonwood Agreement under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street. Here's a diorama depicting the signing of the agreement.



Battery Park, located at the southern tip of Manhattan, is named for the artillery batteries positioned to protect the surrounding settlement. Today, the Battery provides a welcome bit of greenery to the crowded skyscrapers of downtown. Here, people relax in the park's Gardens of Remembrance, planted in honor of the victims of 9/11.



The park is home to many monuments and memorials. This one, called "The Immigrants," pays tribute to the slaves, refugees, and other immigrants who came to America.



Castle Clinton was built in anticipation of the War of 1812. The fort held 28 cannons but never saw any action. The building had many uses over the years, most importantly as the country's first immigration depot- over 8 million people entered the U.S. for the first time through here. Today, it serves as a visitor's center.



You can spot a familiar sight not far away.



Located near the Liberty Island Ferry is the very moving American Merchant Mariner's Memorial. The sculture, created by artist Marisol Escobar, is based on a WWII incident in which a Nazi U-boat attacked a merchant marine vessel. As the mariners clung to their sinking vessel, the Germans photographed their victims and left. Although Escobar was inspired by a specific event, her work pays homage to all of America's mariners who have died at sea.



It's a very dynamic piece- one figure strains desperately to rescue his fallen comrade, who is either partially above the water or completely submerged, depending on the ebb and flow of the tide.

[Deleted]

I have a photo of that guy!

[nycgirl]

Yes, I remember. Yours is better.

[lola]

Nice ones, NYCgirl. The NYSE draped in flag is even more impressive, isn't it?

Really like those merchant marine photos.

[lola]

I have a coworker who's taking her family of 4 kids to NYC in August, was looking for tips. She said someone told her to spend as much time as possible in Central Park. As in, come from a place with lots of trees and grass, go (one of) the cultural capital(s) of the world and go where there's a lot of trees and grass?

[nycboy]

Central Park is definitely worth a visit but I wouldn't spend my whole time there. I don't have kids myself and I'm not a tourist so I'm not sure I can give the best advice but I'll give it a go:

In a city of skyscrapers you'll probably want to get a view from the top of the Empire State Building but every person I've ever talked to has told me that they liked the view from the Top of the Rock better (Rockefeller Center). They like being perched up in the center of mid-town with buildings all around (viewing the ESB rather than from it).

Nearby is the FAO Schwartz store, a nice place to let the kids have a look around. It has the big piano on the floor from Tom Hank's Big.

Times Square is another iconic spot, one that I avoid since its an absolute madhouse, but a good spot to take kids is into the giant Toys R' Us, especially for a brief break from the heat.

Still in the midtown area but on the far west side is the Intrepid Museum, an aircraft carrier with many historically signifcant planes. Kids tend to like it, at least for a little bit.

Re Central Park the Zoo in the SE corner is very nice, the bird room being a favorite of mine. Up from there along the east is the Frog Pond (I think it's the frog pond), they have remote controlled sailboats that are fun for the kids. Then in the center of the park is the boathouse, which has rowboats you can rent. Last I was their the rowboats were $14 and the sailboats were $11 for an hour. Almost forgot the merry go round which is in the lower central part of the park.

Downtown you can see the Seaport, walk down Wall Street, stop in at the Bull for a picture, then a walk on the water down the side of Battery Park City. There are playgrounds along the way and if your kids are older there are plenty of places to rent bikes. Careful with the kids walking over the bike paths, people fly down them. At the very south end is the Staten Island ferry, a good way to view the Statue of Liberty from afar for free. It's a 20 min trip each way and they have concessions on the boat. Btw, the boat to Ellis and the Statue are out of Battery Park.

That's just off the top of my head and not knowing how old the kids are or what everyone is interested in doing. Let us know and we can give some more ideas; shopping, museums, tours, history, sightseeing...? My wife will be a bigger help

[lola]

Thank you so much! I've copied and sent. Many things I wouldn't have thought of. That should get em going.

When we were kids on visits, you could hardly drag my older brother away from the Natural History Museum.

[nycboy]

That's one of my favorites, I should have mentioned it.

Another thing to note is that you have to schedule well in advance for the trade center memorial. It's quite beautiful and somber at the same time. I'm actually quite disgusted that it's fenced off and visits need to be scheduled in advance.

[lola]

Thanks, NYCb. Here's my coworker's reply:

This is great! Thank you!

[nycgirl]

Here are a few photos of Charging Bull, another popular icon. The story of how it came to NYC is an interesting one. One night in December of 1989, a group of family and friends, under cover of darkness, used a truck and crane to unload the enormous object on Wall Street. The next morning, New Yorkers going about their workday were startled to find, under a Christmas tree in front of the New York Stock Exchange, this 11-feet-tall, 7,000 pound, gleaming bronze bull. The purpose of this piece of “guerilla art” was soon revealed. Artist Arturo Di Modica handed out fliers to accompany his work, declaring that his sculpture Charging Bull represents “the strength, power, and hope of the American people for the future.” He was inspired to create the statue following the stock-market crash of 1987. The police and stock exchange officials were unamused by the giant obstruction to pedestrian traffic and had the bull carted away that very day. However, the public was already so enamored with it that the Parks Commissioner had it moved to nearby Bowling Green. It was a sensational hit and remains so to this day.



Unfortunately, since the Occupy Wall Street movement, the authorities have seen fit to corral the bull with a metal fence and have a cop with a car monitor it at all times. I'm not sure why this is necessary, but the new arrangement makes it hard to get a good photo, not to mention reduces walking space. The public is undeterred, though, and willing to brave the line for a photo op.



This on-duty cop was obliging about posing for photos, too.



It has become a common practice to rub certain parts of the anatomically correct bull for good luck. As you can see, there is a noticeable burnish on those frequently-touched areas.





I hope the fence and surveillance is eventually removed. To me, it really diminishes the bull's charm. Plus, it prevents funny shenanigans, like the yarn bombing of 2010. But I guess that's the point.

[nycgirl]

I was in the area again and while I was walking through Battery Park, I saw something I never noticed before. This is The Sphere, created by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace. It was damaged during the World Trade Center attack and it appears some of the damage was allowed to remain. In 2002, it was moved to the park and an eternal flame was lit in tribute to the victims of 9/11.