The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-07-28
Old Things IN New York.

The New York correspondent Of the
Philadelphia Ledger, says Although the
first Dutch settlement on Manhattan Island
was made in l611, and although the May
orally of the city dates back, in unbroken
succession, to 1868, yet it is remarkable
how few old things there are in New
York. As matter Of fact the city of to-
day is the creation, practically, of the gen.
Grafton now living, so little remains Of all
that was accomplished before. 1t is easy
to name in a single paragraph the principal
old things which remain through all the
changes of the past 30 years, The old
landmarks that remain can be counted on
ones fingers. No. 55 Broadway, where
the first settlement was erected on Man
haitian Island, is now the site of modern
building, and one after another of the old
things has given place to the new. The
Battery is as old as the city herself, al
though not always known by that name,
but Castle Garden, its most noted feature,
and which was once an opera house, then
landing place for immigrants, and is now
to become an aquarium, was erected In the
present century-in 1907 1t is neverthe-
less one of the oldest buildings in the city.
| Fraunce's Tavern, at the corner of Broad
and Peal streets, where Washington said
farewell to his officers, is the Oldest build
ing in the city, having been erected in
1870, and was first used as private resi-
dence for one of the early aristocracy. 1t
is now occupied by a saloon and restaurant
The Hall of Records in City Hall Park,
where many of the Revolutionary patriots
were incarcerated, was erected in 1857 as
prison. The City Hall, which has become
too small for the business of the municip-
ality, was started in 1903. St. Pauls
Chapel, at the corner of Broadway and
Fulton street, is the Oldest church edifice
which has survived the ravages Of time
1t was built in l764, and Washington used
to worship there Columbia College was
organized as Kings College in 1854, and a
few days ago held its 140th commence
ment, but there are six older educational
institutions in this country. The Bank of
New York is the oldest financial institu-
ton, having been established in 1884, but
the Bank of North America, in Philadel-
phia, is older, The Chamber of Commerce
was organized in 1868, and has unbroken
records dating back to that year. The
Marine Society was formed in 1910. The
oldest organization in the city are naturally
the churches. The Collegiate Reformed
Dutch Church has modern building, but it
has history dating back 266 years. The
First Collegiate Reformed Church, of
Harlem, was organized in 1890, but the
church it occupied was erected in 1885.
Trinity Church corporation dates back to
1893, and four years later the first church
was erected on the present site, at the head
of Wall street. The ediGce now standing
was built in 1916. st. Georges Church
was an offspring of Trinity in 1853, but
has had an independent existence since
1872. St. Johns Chapel, in Varick street,
was put up in 1903, and still stands. St.
Marks Church was organized in 1871, but
the building it worships in was erected in
1920 The First Presbyterian Church dates
back to 1717, but it worships in an edifice
erected in 1S45. Th! Scotch Presbyterian
Church was established in 1856. The John
Street Methodist Church, "the Cradle of
American Methodism, was organized in
l766, and has had several buildings on its
present site, the last one being erected in
1911. Itcontains clock which was given to
the church by John Wesley. The Seventh
Street Methodist Church was formed in
1886, the First Baptist Church in 1852
and the First Moravian Church in l741.
St. Patrick's Cathedral is modern struc-
! ture. Its cornerstone was laid in 1858.
st. Peters Church, in Barclay street, is the
Oldest in the city, having been formed in
1856. The present building was erected in
1886. St. Patrick's Church, in Mott street,
the former Cathedral, is the Oldest Catholic
church ediice, having been built in 1915.
The B'nai Jeshurun is the oldest German
Hebrew organization, having been found
ed in 1925. The American Bible Society
is rs years old. ST. Georges Society was
formed in 1856 and st. Andrews Society
in 1856. The Historical Society dates
back to 1904 and the Academy of Sciences
to 1917. The Bowery, now the Thalia
Theatre, is the oldest place of amusement.
1t was originally built in 1926, and some
parts of the old structure are retained in
the present building, erected in 1845. The
Oldest library is that of the New York
Society, having been founded in 1900 1t
occupies building in University place,
erected in 1856, and contains 10000 vol
umes. The first newspaper was published in
1925 and was the Gazette, but has long been
extinct. The Commercial Advertiser, es-
tablished in 1897, is the oldest newspaper
now published. The Post is nearly as
old, dating back to 1901. The leading
French newspaper, Courier Des Etats Unis,
was established in 1928. The Marine So
ciety was founded in 177O, the New Eng
land Society in 1867, the Seventh Regi-
ment in 1906, and the Mercantile Library
in 1920. The Stock Exchange recently
celebrated its one hundredth anniversary
Sailors' Snuo Harhor was established in