THE FERRY ROAD ON LONG ISLAND BY EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER THE ROAD TO THE FERRY ON MANHATTAN ISLAND We have followed the development of the Ferry Road on Long Island; there was, however, another road on Manhattan Island, which virtually was a part of the Ferry Road, the ferry璵an's boat being the connecting link between the two roads. Nieuw Amsterdam could in the early days of its existence boast of two highways; one on the eastern shore, running from the fort to the ferry; the second, running near the western shore, led from the fort to the upper part of the island. The ferry stairs were near what is to-day known as Pearl and Ferry Streets; nearby were the ferryman's farmhouse and inn under one roof. At Skipper Louw's Point, named probably for Skipper Laurens Cornelissen VAN DER WEL, on the right, stood a watermill at the mouth of the Old Kit. This creek came down from the Collect through WOLPHERT'S Meadow and was crossed by a bridge at present Park Row. A record of 1695 mentions a bridge over the Fresh Water, made at a cost of �16s. In back of the landing or passage place was the Bestevaer Kreupelbosch, later known as Beekman's Swamp, which became the property of Jacobus ROOSEVELT in 1732, who paid to the city �0 for a quitclaim. The road led from the neck of land at the swamp, alongside the present line of Pearl Street; on the one side was the beach, on the other was a bluff, to Burgher's Pad. Thence along Hoogh Straet to the Heere Gracht, which was an inlet from the river, where Broad Street is to-day. The gracht was crossed by a bridge and the road continued through Brugh Straet (now Bridge Street) to the fort. The large ware環ouse of Isaac ALLERTON stood upon the road, near Beekman Street. Several of the wealthier inhabitants, men in the employ of the West India Company, erected their country residences upon the bluff along the road. Among these was Cornelius VAN TIENHOVEN, who built his house upon the Gouwenberg, a name applied to one part of the bluff. A steep lane led up to the house, from the road, along the present line of John Street. The name Gouwenberg evidently originated from the abundance, upon this elevation, of a plant called Gouw, i.e., Celadine, swallow-wort, horned or prickly poppy. The anglicized name, Golden Hill, was later applied to part of John Street. The VAN TIENHOVEN house, then owned by one VAN DER CLIFF, became a public resort. At Maiden Lane stood the blacksmith shop of Cornelius CLOPPER. He monopolized the blacksmithing business of the Long Island farmers, who could not enter the City Gate without passing his door. While the horses were being shod, or the wheel tires repaired, the farmers partook of refreshments at his house. The vicinity was named, de Smid's vallei, for his shop. This name was anglicized into SMITH'S Fly, hence the name Fly Market. The Stad-Herberg stood on the line of Coentis Slip, its site now being known as 71-73 Pearl Street. -Jacobus VAN CORTLANDT constructed Coentis Slip in 1696. -Alongside the slip stood the house of Daniel RAPALYE, a dry goods merchant; it was erected in 1697. -Upon an eminence north of Wall Street stood Jan VINJE'S windmill. At present Wall Street was the City Gate or Water Gate, which is shown upon the map of 1661 as quite an imposing structure, while the land gate, upon the western road, at present Wall Street and Broadway, is much plainer. At that time the Ferry Road was the main entrance to the city, as the greater part of strangers and countrymen, visiting the city, came from Long Island. While the Road to the Ferry, alias "the road," had been running along the river shore in the earlier days, gradually three more streets were constructed on what was formerly land under water. Water Street was laid out about 1693. The city agreed to build a slip twenty-four feet wide on both sides of Maiden Slip, after Water Street would have been finished. The name Water Street was applied in 1736. After a while Front Street was built. South Street was constructed in certain places in 1750. Water Street was paved in 1752, and was now in a fit condition to relieve the old Ferry Road of the traffic which had been upon it since the ferry had been established, a century back. The entire road and its environments were now to be transformed. The city having built the slip on Maiden Lane, the landing place was transferred to this new slip, and the ferry stairs led up to the Fly Market, which had been built in 1706. The bluff above the road was now, in 1750, dug down and a street established, which was known as Queen Street, and is now a part of Pearl Street. Ferry Street had in course of time developed from a foot path, running across the Bestevaer Kreupelbosch, into a wagon road, and was in 1749 ceded to the city. On South Street, at the foot of Ferry Street, Peck's Slip was constructed in 1755 by Benjamin PECK, a merchant. Beekman Street was laid out and paved in 1750, William BEEKMAN having purchased in 1670 land here, which had been granted in 1642 to Philip de TRUY. William WALTON built in 1753 his palatial house on Queen Street, vhich existed, though altered, until 1881. For years the section near the East River shore remained fashionable. George Washington's residence, at the time of his inauguration, was one block north of Peck Slip, near the head of Dover Street, at the junction of Pearl and Cherry Streets. This building was later the residence of Walter FRANKLIN, a Quaker and wealthy merchant. Governor DeWitt CLINTON, Franklin's son-in-law, subsequently resided here. In the 30's of the 19th century, this house was a part of the famous hotel called the Bunker Mansion House. Twenty years later the lower parts had been converted into shops. In the rear, on Pearl Street, was the Quaker Meeting house, the Quakers, for the greater part, residing in this neighborhood, between Chatham Street and Maiden Lane. John Jacob ASTOR'S house was two doors from the Quaker Meeting house, at then 81 Queen Street. Many of the members of the First Congress, which opened in 1789, resided on present Pearl Street. Catherine Street was in 1803 still an unpaved lane with hills on either side. The Fly Market consisted then of three market buildings between Pearl Street and the river, streets dividing them; two were meat markets; the third, nearest the shore, was called the country market. Every afternoon the farmers came over from Long Island in rowboats with their produce, and every morning the marketmen and women were here with their full baskets. The Catherine Street market consisted then of two market buildings.
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