THE   FERRY  ROAD

ON

LONG ISLAND


BY

EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER


FULTON  STREET


	From the junction point of the Old and New Ferry Roads to Red Hook Lane the Ferry Road 
was known as Fulton Street. The Apprentices' Library was built in 1824-25 on the south­westerly 
corner of Henry and Cranberry Streets, about 100 feet from Fulton Street. The city purchased 
the building in 1836 for the sum of $11,000; there was a small building attached. Together 
they were known as the City Buildings and were used for the courts and for public meetings. 
In 1858 the City Buildings were taken down and the City Armory was erected on the site at 
a cost of $14,300. 

	A one and one-half story structure, built of small Holland brick, stood near the corner of 
Nassau Street, fifteen feet above the level of the road. It was occupied by the Colonial 
Legislature as Sessions House during the prevalence of the smallpox in New York City in 1746 
and again in 1752. 
It was also the headquarters of General Israel PUTNAM in 1776, prior to the Battle of Long Island. 
The building was part of the confiscated RAPALYE estate. 

	The ground for the City Hall, an open field of one and one-half acres in extent, was 
purchased for the sum of $52,909. The cornerstone was laid on April 28, 1836; a quantity of 
valuable books and papers having been enclosed in the stone. The financial panic of 1837 
halted the erection of the building for an indefinite period. In 1845 the walls, as far as 
they had been put up, were demolished and in March, 1846, a new, smaller building was started. 
Whether the original corner­stone was used again or taken out, or else remained in its old 
place, seems to be not known. The sum expended for the stood a very old frame building, in 
which the first post-office was located in 1818. 

	Another very old building, one and a half stories high and built of small yellow Holland 
brick, was nearby; this is believed to have been the original John RAPALYE homestead; the 
British held divine services in here occasionally. 

	Thomas KIRK'S printing office was in 1790 at the comer of Front Street; he printed the 
first number of the Courier of New York and Long Island Advocate on June 26th, 1799. 

	Also on comer of Front Street were ROBINSON & LITTLE, who printed the first number of 
the Long Island Weekly Intelligencer on May 26th, 1806. 

	Further up is an old yellow frame building with seats on both sides of the front door, 
the house of John DOUGHTY, who held during his long life nearly all, if not all, offices 
connected with the village and town. 

	Then we notice a house which is believed to have been built by Rem Jansen VAN der BEECK, 
the ancestor of the REMSEN family. It was the home of Jacob PATCHEN when it was removed to 
Jackson Street, to give space for the opening of Market Street in 1834. 

	The HICKS homestead, a two-story stone house, stood at Hicks Street. 

	The entrance to the wagon yard of the British army was near Main Street.


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