The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-24
MAIDEN LANE.
Albert Ulmann in n. Y. Evening Post.

still a lane for lovers. 1t is street OF
senlimenl-its products are emblems
of some of the noblest feelings that
warm the human breast. The stricken
swain finds here the diamond ring with
which to deck the hand of his intended ;
the groom seeks here the band Of gold
that binds to him for life the girl that he
has wooed and won, and here the man can
choose the richer ornaments with which,
in after days, he crowns his loved and
cherished wife.
Maiden Lane bears unmistakable evil
dence of being an old-time street. Its
buildings, ike strata lifted to perpendic-
Mar position, indicate various periods.
The earliest is shown by the primitive
brick dwelling with slanting roof and dor
mer windows; the next, by groups OF SOM
bre and uninviting brown stone; the third,
by fronts Of marble, grown dark and
weather-beaten the modern, in juxtaposi-
ton to the ancient, by lofty and beautiful
formations of recent construction. 1t has
motley appearance Most of its build
ings are as Anticipated as those of London S
diamond district, the well-known Hatton
Garden. while some of its shop-windows
are as attractive and bright with gold and
sparkling gems as those of the Rue de la
Paix at Paris or the Quai Massena at Nice.
Maiden Lane has long resisted innova-
tions. Five or six years ago not an eleva-
tor was to be found within its limits, and
few. if any, conveniences that are charac-
teristic of modern office structures. Maiden
Lane has been kept back by the dead-its
land and buildings are, for the most part,
the property of estates. Within the last few
wears. however, some of its possessions
have been rescued from their thraldom
and new imposir buildings have been
erected, rising hig above the old gloomy
masses beside them, ike brilliant diamonds
placed in darkened time-WOrn settings.
For half century this street has been
the lewelry centre of New York. Within
its modest limits are gathered precious
stones from all the great mines OF the
globe, rare and tempting triumphs of skill
and taste in gold, silver, and bronze, every
form and device for measuring time, from
the simple sun-dial to a monster steeple-
clock, and all the various products OF the
opticians art from the monocle to the tel
escope that draws down the heavens.
Maiden Lane is balf-mile from the
Battery and is the fourth block abOVe
Wall Street. 1t extends from the east
side of Broadway to the East River, ter
miuating in an open square, which was at
- -, . ,,,olI Lnoxpn rnarl OF The see
tion DEVOTED to the interests just enumer-
ated lies between Broadway and William
Street. distance of only two blocks. In
this limited space there are no less than
300 jewelry firms. Viewed from Broad
way, Maiden Lane slopes sharply down
ward for several hundred feet and bends
southwark with very marked degree of
curvature, growing narrower as It's recedes.
These two irregularities, which provide
abundant trouble for traffic, are due to the
natural formation of that part of the
island.
In the earliest days OF the city the dis
triet now marked by Maiden Lane, al
though so near the Battery, formed por-
ton of the suburbs of the town. In 1858,
twenty eight years after the first settlers
arrived on Manhattan Island, wooden
wall was built along the northern limit of
the city, following the line of what is now
kpoyn as Wall Street. Beyond this lay
the open country-green fields, orchards,
and farm lands. A short distance above
the wall little stream followed its merry
course towards the East River, along
c4rving valley, bordered on either side by
shady hills. This was called the Maagde
Paatje, tbs Maiden Path, where, as we
can readily imagine, romantic young peo-
pie, wandering beyond the limits of the
town, spent many happy hours telling each
other the tender little story that meyer
grows old.
Maiden Lane was then popular lovers
lane 1t was the northern boundary of a
large estate known as the Damen farm,
oae of the earliest Dutch grants. The
farm comprised broad piece of land ex-
tending west of Broadway from near the
present Trinity churchyard to Fulton
Street, and reaching to the river. The
portion to the east Of Broadway covered
the space from about fifty feet above Wall
Street to Maiden Lane, aud stretched east
ward to boundary very close to the pres
ent line of Pearl Street. The owner of
this estate was Jan Jansen Damen, one of
the earliest Dutch settlers, to whom the
grant was made in 1914. He built upon
il, east of Broadway, substantial stone
farmhouse and erected brewery near by.
A graphic description of this part of the
island as it appeared in early times is given
in a paper read by james W. Gerard be-
fore the New York Historical Society
He writes as follows:
Beyond Wall Street was the "Maagde
Paaiie. . or Maiden Path. which nomenclature
was changed to Green Lane or Maiden Lane
about 1890 This lane was, under our Dutch
ancestors, rural shady walk, with rivulet
running through il and sloping bills on either
side, from one of which looked down Jan
VINCE windmill on the Damen farm just
north of Wall Street South OF Maiden Lane
stretched the s'KlaaVer Waytie, or pasture
field belonging To the Jan Jansen Damen
farm, and near by little cascade, formed
from living streams, fell through the foliage
and delighted the eye Of the poet or lover of
the period, as he roamed amid these then
SeQueeleftu StlduEn ~ Ahio NOhh
mon (above referred to) the cows Of the in
habitants we're driven from the city by Ga
brieI Carpsey, the herdsman, who, as he
passed aloug Broadway, Pearl Street, and
Maiden Lane, blew his horn, and collected
the cattle TO be pastnred, which came out low
ing from their various enclosures. On his
return along these streets, each respective
COW, knowing her home, stood at the gate
until admitted, the herdsman again blowing
his horn, to notify the owner to receive his
docie animal.
About the year 1890 the thoroughfares
above Wall Street were laid out, and it was
al This time that Maiden Lane received its
nasae, Being by nature apparently like
the ser to which it was dedicated, the
street was fond of changing its name.
Thus it appears at one period as Maiden's
Alley, later as Green Street and as Green
Lane, and later again it divided itself into
SECTIONS, the upper part being known as
Osweso Street, the middle as Grown Street,