New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-05
ITS HISTORIC INTEREST.
THE UPPER WEST SIDE THE SCENE OF
STIRRING EVENTS.
axANoR HOUSES THAT ONCE ADORNED THE
BIooMrNcpALE c1.rFFs-A DISTRICT IN WHICH

1kAEOR HOUSES THAT ONIb HiVN-'
sIooMrNcpALE crrFrs-A DISTRICT IN WHICH
THE AIR is FRESH AND SWEET.
If any one is sceptical about the present
beauty and the future grandeur or the upper
West side OF the city let him take stroll any
morning or afternoon In that section lying De-
tween Central Park and Riverside Drive. The
mir is aromatic healthful and invigoratng, the
streets are bathed In sunshine. and the delicate
green OF grass and foliage outlined against a
eky of deepest blue combine to make picture
of exceeding beauty. 1t will not matter into
what avenue or street he turns for there Will
be plenty to attract him.
The section is one of historic interest. When
Hendrck Hudson sailed up the river when
bears his name on the morning of September IA.
1909. he looked on heavily wooded land Pre-
cipitous cliffs rose from the banks. gradually
Increasing in height until the waving treetops
or the rocky bluffs were many feet above the
sailors head On the opposite side Of the river
solid wall Of rock lowered higher STILL 1t is not
unlikely that the voyagers dreamed OF some
day building homes for themselves and their
ramilies on these inviting heights. but such q
dream was never to be realized by tnern' anu
two centuries had passed before others began
10 realize 1t.
REPRESENTATIVES OF the Dutch East India Com
pany following Hudson, established the III
tle trading post of Niew-Amsterdam, but thelr
settlement cid not extend far beyond the north
Aerly limit OF Bouere Lane. With the beginning
OF English colonization q change began and the
vigorous young city Of New-York soon over
Swallowed the trading post established by the
Dutch Substantial houses were erected in the
vicinity Of the Fort, around what had been the
Bowling Green Of the burghers.
The post roads began to be dotted with the
suburban homes OF prosperous citizens. and
homesteads were bought here and there in the
upper part OF Manhattan Island.
IT'S BROAD ESTATES.
The manor houses. situated on broad estates,
were often hidden by dense woods, hemmed in
by steep hills or concealed under bluffs along
fthe river banks. AS time passed the main poat
,road TO Boston extended to Madison Square,
where II took an abrupt turn toward Third-ave..
touching the mound known as Iclenberg, now
Murray Hill crossing the northeast corner OF
central Park down through McGowan's Pass.
Here there was fork the right branch cross
ing the Harlem River and the left skirting the
foot OF Harlem Heights and running north to
sKingsbridge. Where the Boston Road turned
off toward Third-ave. another branch began
and traced its way IN a northwesterly direction,
FOLLOWING the present line Of Broadway and
passing through what became known as Bloom
sngdale. On the Bloomingdale cliffs the manor
houses of the Apthorpe. De Lancey Livingston
and Striker estates were situated
Just before the breaking out OF the Revo-
Mutton. Charles Ward Apthorpe built his home at
ABOUT what is the intersection Of Column
ebus-ave and Ninety frst-st, and IT was there
shat Washington and Nathan Hale planned the
famous expedition made by the latter; there
where Washington directed the retreat from
iNew-York and where Generals Clinton and
Howe rested while Aaron Burr was leading the
columns of refugees and soldiers along the
lBloomngdale- Riverside cliffs to the encamp-
;ment on Harlem Heights. now known as Fort
Washington.
ii THE LIVINGSTON MANSION.
Judge Brockholst Livingston bought part Of
the Apthorpe estate and in 1900 built a man.
sion at the corner Of Ninetieth-st. and River
ride Drive, which existed as landmark until
was torn down TO make way for the home Of
John Matthews. which is one OF the ornaments
of the section to-day.
The Livingston house was occupied for num-
Der of years by Cyrus Clark. who has since built
fine home near by. In 1IS2 a small estate
near the present site Of Grants tomb was
owned by Carlisle Pollock. the grave Of whose
little boy with it's headstone. ITO the memory
of amiable child" is still to be seen. The
building known as Claremont was pur-
chased early in the century by DR.. Post and In
1915 was occupied by Joseph Bonaparte, the ex
king of Spain. 1t was near this point that
Colonel Knowlton climbed the bank to attack
General Leslie's Highanders in the skirmtSh
which preceded the battle Of Harlem Heights.
After the Revolution and the War Of 1872.
when the Nation had time to settle down to the
arts of peace, the Bloomingdale estates were
for a time neglected. On the river bank ST.
slence unbroken except by the signing Of the
fwind or the rustic of dead leaves in autumn,
etook the place Of the lowing Of cattle and the
sound Of human voices. But as the city grew 1t
was inevitable that this should again become a
region for magnificent homes. The idea Of con-
verting the Riverside strip into park original
ed in 1865. and April "a. 1867. bill to that
effect was passed by the Legislature. Five
years later the property for that purpose had
been acquired and In few years more the map
ping out OF the Boulevard added new interest to
all this section Of the city.