What's left of New Amsterdam in Lower Manhattan - 2/4

so we know where New Amsterdam was but what was it like how big was the difference with the mega city that New York is now if we take a plunge do we find anything tangible less left today of what was once a muddy trade town people always ask me what was left what what you know is there a building what artifacts are left from the Dutch period virtually nothing the one really tangible thing from the Dutch period is the street pattern of the financial district so these streets that were walking we could walk them with a map of New Amsterdam and still find our way around it's that that close yes most artifacts are gone but what we do have is this the so-called Costello plan the only map that was created during the Dutch period and the closest evidence we have to what New Amsterdam looked like in its heyday over the years the map has been redone a few times so it's a little nicer to look at and it makes it easier for historian Russell short Oh to guide us through the town this is Broad Street which was named in the English period and it's called that because originally when the Dutch came there was a little ditch really a little stream that ran down there and they widened it and made it into a so they wanted to have a canal and they had a road on both both sides and it so in the English period it was the widest street around here so that's why it's called Broad Street and Bridge Street is so called because there was a little bridge over the well what's the stock use a lot well used for what it was I think a ended up being kind of a sewer you know if you don't look up at these buildings you know and start to put some of this facts into your head and follow the street pattern it's not so difficult I mean it's it is an act of imagination but it's not so difficult to imagine yourself in in New Hampshire and despite the fact that we're on Wall Street in 1653 the city got a municipal Charter and they got a city council and one of the things the City Council did was to finally erect a wall some people think to keep the Indians out it was really to keep the English out and it didn't work in that capacity and the wall was built here on Wall Street of course it was not in fact a proper wall it was more of a fence it was wood wooden post but if you like me sometimes find it difficult to imagine it in your head there are hints to help you out spread throughout lower Manhattan here for example the history of the here in Rock Canal is written in the pavement of what is now Broad Street some parts of the old city remain but very few here's one in a badly kept casing of a building which quickly became the most important building of New Amsterdam the bar they like their drinking and this was the the tavern this was the Stotts hair bear it's very small yeah and this was the biggest building in town outside the fort the starts here bear became the stud house so this then was the forks first start house and which is why it is it was only a tavern maybe it wouldn't be outlined but that's why it's it's outlined in stone so we are now in front of the quote unquote fort the Indians here the what casket Indians they had a trail that ran the length of the island all the way north of the island it came down to here and so the Dutch built their fort on the water nearest the harbor at the place where the trail ended and in the english period it became Broadway so this is the beginning of Broadway the list goes on longer than one video can handle but the internet and streets of lower Manhattan are full of info if you're interested the hidden gem in this park is a great starting point right next to the Staten Island Ferry it's the Costello plan in bronze and we looked down and I said this is all landfill here and then we walked down Pearl Street the star house and then the houses of the conspirators and who those conspirators were that's in the next episode you have an idea why don't we build good mil again here somewhere you know I think some people have brought that up I think that's a good idea but she's saying we should there should be a windmill again you just said yeah there was a windmill here and one because that would really be representative of what the Americans think of you start anyway clogs and witness into

Channel: New Netherland Now

Views: 1,315,449

Keywords: New York City (City/Town/Village), New Amsterdam (Location), New Netherland (Location), Hudson, Russell Shorto, Island at the Center of the World, history, story, thijs roes, river, facts, trivia, historiography, native americans, Dutch, Holland, France, England, Netherlands, History Of The Netherlands (Literature Subject), United States Of America (Country), United Kingdom (Country), Documentary, Culture, Manhattan (Political District), Belgium, Tourism (Interest), Highlights, Nederland

Id: c-UGFyIp6xw

Length: 6min 18sec (378 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 08 2014