Page 28 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

26  INTRODUCING NE W Y ORK CIT Y

New York City in the 19th Century

Firmly established as the nation’s largest city and preeminent
seaport, New York grew increasingly wealthy. Manufacturing
increased due to the ease of shipping; tycoons such as
John Jacob Astor made millions. The rich moved uptown;
public transportation followed. With rapid growth came fires,
epidemics, and financial panics. Immigrants from Ireland,
Germany, and other nations arrived. Some found prosperity; Growth of the Metropolis
others crowded into slums in Lower Manhattan. 1840 Today

Croton Distributing Reservoir was built
in 1842. Until then, New Yorkers had no
fresh drinking water – they relied on
deliveries of bottled water.

Sheet Music
The Stephen Foster
ballad Jeanie with the
Light Brown Hair was
popular at this time.

Omnibus
The horse-drawn
omnibus was
introduced for
Keeping Fit public transportation
Gymnasia such as Dr. Rich’s Institute for in 1832 and remained on
Physical Education were established in New New York streets until World War I.
York in the 1830s and 1840s.

1811 Randel Plan divides Manhattan into
1805 First free The Constitution, most famous
state schools grid pattern above 14th Street ship in War of 1812
established in 1812–14 War of 1812; British
New York blockade New York harbor 1835 Much of old
New York razed in
city’s worst fire
1810 1820 1830
1807 Robert 1822 Yellow fever 1827 New York 1837 New Yorker Samuel Morse
Fulton launches epidemic; people evacuate abolishes slavery sends first telegraph message
first steamboat, to Greenwich Village
on the 1823 New York surpasses
Hudson River Boston and Philadelphia to
become nation’s largest city

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