"Even natives to the Big Apple are unlikely to know many of the
facts that Feirstein has uncovered in this little gem."
--"Publisher's Weekly"
New York is the oldest continually occupied city in America, yet
its rich history is largely obscured by development. New Yorkers
are surrounded by hundreds of place names, from those that survive
from Manhattan's earliest days as a Dutch trading post to those
that reflect the city's rich colonial, African and immigrant
heritage. They provide a veritable encyclopedia of the city's
history. Buildings may come and go, but place names are
surprisingly durable.
Naming New York is a comprehensive compilation and explanation
of the names of Manhattan's streets, alleys, avenues, plazas, parks
and corners. It surveys names currently in use and includes the
oldest and the newest honorific "add-on" names, from Astor Place to
Yitzak Rabin Way.
Whether you're a history or trivia buff, tourist, or just
fascinated by place names, learning about the origins of these
mostly unexamined sources enriches one's experience of the city,
and transforms a simple neighborhood errand into a trip through
time.
For example:
"Bowery: "In the 17th century, Dutch farms known as "bowerij"
were laid out in this section of Manhattan along the path of an old
Indian trail. Known since that time as the Bowery, the thoroughfare
became the first section of the Post Road from New York City to
Boston.
"Houston Street: "For William Houstoun, 1757-1812, of a
prominent Georgia family, who married a daughter of Manhattan
landowner Nicholas Bayard III. The Georgia provenance of the name
accounts for its pronunciation and spelling both of which
distinguish it from theTexas city.
"Wall Street: "Follows the line of the city wall that the Dutch
erected in 1653 across the northern perimeter of New Amsterdam to
protect against attack from the British in New England.
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