13th Precinct Police Station House

Prior to 1848, when it was officially designated as a police station-house, the building, built in 1803, standing at 178 Delancey Street (at the corner of Attorney and Delancey Streets) was a “watch house” used by the men of the Volunteer Fire Department. In January of 1851, the “Thirteenth Patrol District” had a complement of forty-nine men. Although it was used as a police station-house, it was not until 1858 when the Board of Aldermen (equivalent of today’s City Council) passed a resolution to appropriate $1,000 to make the necessary repairs and alterations to convert the fire watch house to accommodate the needs of the police department and convert it to use as a functioning station-house.

In 1857, Captain Thomas Steers, son of Inspector Henry V. Steers (who coincidentally was assigned to the Thirteenth Precinct when he was appointed Patrolman in 1857), was in charge of the Thirteenth Precinct Station-house. In 1863, Capt. T. Steers and the men of the Thirteenth Precinct played an important role in the infamous Draft Riots of the summer of 1863. Capt. H.V. Steers, a Roundsman (equivalent to today’s Sergeant) was assigned to the Seventeenth Precinct during the Draft Riots.

Books have been written about the heroic role that the men of the department, and the NYS Militia, played in suppressing the rioters and preventing more widespread mayhem. The following excerpt from the report made after the riot will lay out the efforts of Capt. T. Steers and his men, which consisted of Capt. T. Steers, two Sergeants (equivalent of today’s rank of Lieutenant), fifty-four Patrolmen, and two Doormen.

In 1869, it appears that Capt. T. Steers was replaced by Capt. Theron R. Bennett. In 1870, it appears that Capt. Bennett was replaced by Capt. Charles Ullman.

In 1875, the City re-appropriated the use of a vacant building adjoining the station-house, used by the (then) paid Fire Department of the City of New York (Engine Company 41 & Hose Company 4) for use by the police department.

In his 1885 book on the history of the police department, Augustine Costello described the characteristics of the Thirteenth Precinct as follows:

As early as 1900, City records indicate that the ninety-seven year old building needed to be replaced. A suitable site was sought for the construction of a new station-house for the Thirteenth Precinct. The Annual Report for the Police Department of the City of New York for 1905 described the station-house as “old, unsanitary and badly adapted for police purposes, having been built in 1803, and for some time used as a volunteer fire station. The prison is located in the basement. The (present) lot, 25 by 100, is City property and is fairly well located, but not large enough for the erection of a modern police station.” In 1903, the Williamsburg Bridge opened, the foot of which was at the location of the station-house, but did not affect the building(s). In 1906, City records indicate that a suitable building site on the easterly side of Clinton St., near Broome St., in the (then) confines of the Eleventh Precinct, was found. The site was appropriated in 1907 and plans were drafted for a new building. In 1910, $69,000 was allocated for the construction of the building on the lot.

The following 1908 map and confines relate to the Thirteenth Precinct.