A home geography of New York city

Preface

Wholesome pride in one's home, one's immediate surroundings, and one's own city engenders not only a love for this circumscriljed area, but opens the heart for the larger love, — the love of country and of humanity.

Home geography emphasizes man's intimate connection with surrounding geographical featm-es and his dependence upon them ; it shows how man utilizes the opportunities offered by nature to establish relationships with her; it dwells upon man's expediency in turning to profitable account the resources of his environment; and it also arouses in the learner a feeling of reverence for those responsible for the great changes wa^ought, and for the institutions that helped to effect those changes.

Home geography does not restrict itself to jDresent conditions alone, it concerns itself with the past. While it gives us a faithful picture of the present, it describes the local conditions of former times. In other words, it is not only an outlook into space but the starting point for history.

The value of home geography lies in the fact that it enables the teacher to present concretely the geographical features of the vicinity. With these features, thus observed, as basal ideas, the learner can be taught by analogy to get a clear idea of such forms as do not come within his immediate experience. In short, home geography is practical geography, and should, therefore, l)e the preparatory step to geography in general.

iv PREFACE

As no study of geography is possible without a knowledge of maps, an attempt has been made to teach what maps are, what they stand for, and what they mean. Relief, physical, and political maps have been introduced to acquaint the learner with the system of symbols usually employed on maps, and to enaljle him to interpret them properly.

As appeals to the eye are considered especially helpful, many illustrations have been introduced, and much care has been given to their selection. Bird's-eye views have Ijeen made a feature of the book because they are regarded as among the most helpful devices in teaching this suljject.

Part I treats of local geography, and Part II treats of local history. The stories of the latter are so arranged as to lead the child through the paths of historical changes in as logical a manner as possible within the limitations of this book. The stories selected are such as will prove interesting as well as instructive.

The Appendix contains helpful geographical and historical information in taljular form.

The writer desires to acknowledge valual)le aid from various sources. He would especially thank Professor Hermon G. Bumpus, Director of the American Museum of Natural History, and the curators, Mr. L. P. Gratacap, Professor Pranz Boas, and Mr. Harlan I. Smith, for the courtesy and help extended in the preparation of parts of this book. He is also indebted to several of his colleagues for their valuable assistance in many ways.

November, 1905

Contents

PAGE

Intkohuction ............. xi

Part I — Local Geogeaphy Chapter

J. Plans and Maps ........... 1

II. A Relief Map of New York City ....... 17

III. A Physical Map of New York City 20

IV. A Political Map of New Y'ork City ...... 31

V. Topography ....... 37

Manhattan 37

The Bronx 41

Brooklyn 43

VI. New York Harbor .......... 49

VII. Transportation .......... 55

VIII. Bridges and Tunnels 61

IX. Manufactures ........••• 65

X. New Y'ork : the Nation's Market Place ...... 67

XI. New York: the Nation's Financial Center .... 69

XII. Homes of the People ......... 72

XIII. Immigration ........... 74

XIV. Streets and Avenues .......•• 76

XV. Broadway and the Bowery ........ 78

XVI. Parks 8-

Central Park .... 83

Riverside Park ......•••• 8o

Prospect Park 86

Ocean Parkwav ........•■ 86

VI

CONTENTS

Pelham Bay Tark

Van Cortlamlt I'ark .....

Bronx Park .......

Forest Park .......

Battery Park .......

Bowling Green Park .....

Morningside Park ......

Fort Greene Park ......

XVII. Museums and Parks that the Children ok our The American Museum of Natural History .

The Metropolitan Museum of Ai-t The Aquarium ......

The New York Botanical Garden The New York Zoological Park .

The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences . XVIII. Schools, Churches, and Libraries Public Schools .

Private Schools and Colleges Churches and Sunday Schools Libraries XIX. The City Government The Mayor Borough President Board of Aldermen Departments Finance Department Police Department Fire Department .

Department of Health Street-Cleaning Department Department of Education .

Other Departments United States Officials County Officials

City should Vlf

PAGE

. 87

. 89

. 90

' 02

, 93

. 94

. 96

. 98

. 101

, 103

. 101

. 105

. 105

, 107

. 109

. 109

CONTENTS

Vll

PAET II— STOEIES OF LOCAL HISTORY

CHAPTER PAGE

XX. New York City as thp: Home of the Indian .... Ill

XXI. Indian Money .......... 115

XXII. The School of the Indian Boy ....... 118

Indian History .......... 119

Picture Heading and AVriting ....... 120

Athletic Sports 121

Music, Singing, Dancing . . . . . . . .121

Public Speaking .......... 122

XXIII. The School of the Indian Giul ...... 123

Housebuilding .......... 125

Nursing 120

XXIV. The Coming of the White Man ...... 127

The Coming of the Half Moon as told by a Delaware Chief to a

XXV. The Beginning of the Fur Trade ...... 131

Adrian Block 134

XXVI. The Dutch in New York 135

Peter Minuit 135

XXVII. How New Amsterdam changed from a Dutch Trading Post

TO A Dutch City ......... 137

XXVIII. Peter Stuyvesant 140

XXIX. Early Organization 142

City Departments of New Amsterdam ...... 142

XXX. The First New York Schools ....... 144

The First Free School in the Colonies (1652) . . . .145

Dutch Schools 146 viii CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

XXXI. Life in the Dutch Settlements ...... 147

Trades and Occupations ........ 147

XXXII. Dutch Children 151

XXXIII. Under the English Flag ....... 153

Why New Amsterdam became an English City . . . . 153

XXXIV. How New York became an American City .... 155 XXXV. Xew York as an English Colony ...... 157

Growth and Prosperity under the English . . . .157

New York Schools and the Change in Language . . . 159

The First College in New York City 160

Trinity Church, — the First English Church in New York . 161

St. Paul's Chapel 162

The First Printing Press 163

The English City Hall 164

The First Library ......... 164

XXXVI. Early Newspapers . . . . . . . . .165

Quarrels between the People and the English Officers of the Law . 165 The Second New York Newspaper ...... 167

The Freedom of the Press established in America . . . 168

XXXVII. Trouble with England ........ 171

The Stamp Act 171

June 4, 1776 ; the Liberty Pole 173

The Battle of Golden Hill (January 18, 1770) ... 175

Independence Day (July 4, 1776) 176

XXXVIII. New York and the Revolution ...... 179

What the Declaration of Independence meant to those who

New York during the Seven Years' War .... 179

Nathan Hale 182

The Battle of Harlem Heights 183

Evacuation Day .......... 185

XXXIX. Historic Spots .......... 188

Battery Park 188

The New Custom House 189

CONTENTS

IX

CHAPTEE PAGE

XL. Stories of New York, an American City .... 195

When Washington lived in New York ..... 195

XLI. Alexander Hamilton ......... 199

The First Secretary of the Treasury ..... 199

XLII. Robert Fulton 202

The Inventor of the Electric Telegraph ..... 204

XLIV. Peter Cooper 207

The Founder of Cooper Union ....... 207

Ways of Living ......... 208

Words of Peter Cooper ........ 210

The Ways of earning a Living ...... 210

How Peter Cooper helped to make a Success of Many Inventions 211

The Tom Thumb, the First American Locomotive . . 213

The New Western Trade Route to China and Japan . . 215

The Atlantic Cable 216

A Model Citizen 217

Appendix

The Most Important Settlements in Dutch New York .... 219

Important Dates and Places of Interest in New Amsterdam — a Dutch City 222 Important Dates and Places of Interest in New York — an English and

Important Dates and Places of Interest associated with Washington . . 225

The Meaning of a Few Geographical Names ....... 226

Dates and Landmarks of Local Interest — Neighborhood of School . . 228

Meanings of Other Geographical Names ........ 229

Introduction

FOE THE TEACHER

" The map, not tlie text-book, forms the basis of study." Geikie says, " It should be, in my opinion, the teacher's main aim in the first or elementary stage of instruction to make the understanding of a map and the capabihty of adequately usmg it the great object to be kept in view, and no pupil who has not mastered this acquirement should be allowed to pass into a liigher grade."

As an introduction to map study the teacher begms m the schoolroom with observations on surfaces, actual measurements by rule and pacing, the study of space relations of objects and the making and reading of simple plans. Actual boundaries and their proper representations on paper are emphasized. As most of the surfaces selected are such as can be seen by the pupil, he learns to interpret intelligently the graphic representations of them. These steps lead to the understandmg of a map.

One of the main objects of tliis book is to teach map reading ; therefore, greater stress has been laid upon the readmg of plans and maps than upon the elaborate drawmg of them. Throughout the book much attention has been given to the scale and its uses.

Wherever possible it should be the teacher's aim to let the pupil see the geograpliical feature in nature, then to impress upon Ms mind its various forms by models and pictures, and finally to show its representation or symbol on the map. No amount of study from books will take the place of practical knowledge in this subject. The teacher must acquaint herself thorougUy with the immediate environment of the school, in order that she may intelligently direct the study of her class. She should make an attempt to bring out the " why there " as well as the " where." Pupils are always interested in that which is near, if it be properly presented to them.

xii INTRODUCTIOIS'

As home geography also includes liistory, a splendid opportunity is offered in teaching this subject, to inculcate patriotism and love of home. For that reason this study should begin early and continue throughout the elementary course.

In the history section of the book the stories naturally begin with the Indians, the first dwellers on our soil. As this is a home geography of New York, the Indian of the home locality has been described. He was not as high a type as his Western brother.

In order to bring Indian life a little nearer to the New York boy and girl who know little or nothing of life in the woods, the Indian children's school has been introduced, with subheaelings suggestive of a modern course of study.

The originals of weapons, implements, musical instruments, etc., pictured in tliis book may all be found in the cases of the American Museum of Natural History, and are representative of the New York Indian. The tomahawk shown here is the only one in America havmg the genuine Indian handle.

The Indian chapters are followed by stories of Dutch, English, and American New York. The stories of these periods have been selected with the object of teacliing the children a few of the causes that led to the political and economic development of their city and its institutioi"is.

In the American period biographical sketches of Fulton, Morse, and Cooper are used as a means to awaken interest in the epoch-makmg inventions that led to the great industrial development of the last century.

Many of the chapters in both the geography and history sections are merely reading lessons. Questions are freely interspersed to fix the attention and to lead the child to think and reason. Much has been introduced in order to prompt children to visit places of interest and historic sites and thus to become acquainted with their own city. If an interest in New York city is awakened, tliis book will have accomplished its mission.

The Appendix is a ready-reference table, such as a progressive class teacher would have in her notebook for use as the occasion demands.

IKTRODUCTION xiii

Home geography cannot be learned by the reading of books. Miss Reynolds says, " The text-book counts for little, the map for much, the teacher for more, and the pupil for most of all." Study geograpliical features of the home locahty outdoors, and then go to the book and map.

Begin with the physical side, because it is easier. Geograpliical forms, even after they have been seen, should be modeled and sketched.

Wherever possible the natural objects should be presented first, then they should be modeled in sand or clay, then their appearance on a rehef map should be presented, and finally their form as found on physical and poHtical maps should be made clear.

If there be a spare room in your building, establish a science room. In this room you could have the large sand table, plants, insect cages, aquariums, etc. After the pupils have seen the form in nature, model it in sand.

Maps should be studied Hke pictures.

Sketch maps of physical features, small parks, parts of boroughs, boroughs, and the city help a child to understand scale and to read a map. Elaborate drawings of these are not so helpfid.

Use a large wall map in wliich the various boroughs are so colored that they may be seen and distmguished by every pupil in the room.

The topography of each borough should be studied in detail by the pupils of that borough.

Special attention should at all times be given to the child's own borough. Sections of the boroughs are popularly known by certain names. These were the names of villages and towns annexed to these boroughs at various times. It is advisable to teach only such as are near the school.

The study of the meaning of geograpliical names has liistorical and geographical value and sliould be continued throughout the whole course in geography.

If you find out the meanings of any place names in your immediate neighborhood wliich are of interest to the cliildren, add these to the list in the book. Such meanings are a helpful device, recalling physical features that an age of improvement has obliterated.

xiv INTKODUCTION

The points of the compass are to be charted on a clear part of the schooh'oom floor, on the ceiling, or on any horizontal surface witliin view of the pupils.

The first steps are to be observational, and the instruction is to be oral.

The memory is not to be overtaxed. Cliildren are to see tilings, and know where to look for them rather than to recite about them.

Many of the chapters in tliis book are intended to awaken interest and to create a desire to see tilings. Therefore they should be treated as reading lessons. It may be well for the teacher to read to the pupils occasionally.

Books relating to local interests shovdd be accessible to pupils. Much material can be found in the biograpliies of noted New Yorkers.

In discussing localities such as the Italian quarter, the wholesale district, the retail district, it is advisable to have an outhne map on wliich you can rouglily block out these sections with colored chalk. Color masses of tliis kind make a lasting impression.

Avoid lecturing.

Make use of comparisons wherever possible. Example : Compare the number of cliildren in a class room with the number in the scliool ; compare the number of cliildren in the school with the number of people living on the school block, or in the school district ; compare the number in the school district with the number in your borough ; compare the population of New York with other cities, large and small. Tliis may be done very profitably in an arithmetic lesson.

Collect bird's-eye views and pictures of physical features, buildings, industries, civic improvements, places of historic and scenic interest. Use the collections, however, only to illustrate your lesson. Do not place them permanently on the walls of the schoolroom.

Take your class on the roof of the school building, if that be safe and possible, or let them get a view from a top-floor window, or from one of the giant bridges, or from any elevation in a park or elsewhere. Let them look to the north and point out what can be seen, then to the east, the south, and the west.

INTKODUCTION xv

Eefer frequently to the bird's-eye views. They are very helpful.

Train your pupils to acquire the habit of picturing the country the map represents.

Induce your pupils to form walking clubs.

Personally conducted excursions are the best and the most helpful.

As most of the excursions will be taken on holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays, much of the work will be done outside of school hours.

Plan the trips weeks in advance of class lesson ; at first to places of interest near the school, then to places farther removed.

Teach your pupils to observe, by telling them what to look for and what you expect them to see. Gradually decrease the amount of direction and information and increase your demands upt)n them as to their observations.

A teacher must speak from personal experience if she is anxious to have her pupils get personal experience.

Take imagmary trips with your pupils to places of mterest. Get them to describe the exact route from the school to the place selected, mcludmg direction, names of streets, car lines to be used, fares to be paid, and noteworthy places passed. As an occasional exercise, get your pupils to act as guides on imaginary trips.

Select colonial landmarks in the vicinity of school. Pay particular attention to landmarks, liistoric or otherwise, m the l)orough of the school.

Teachers should note places of interest and historic sites in their own boroughs, not mentioned in tliis book, and add them to the Appendix for reference.

The American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Aquarium, the Zoological Park, the Botanical Gardens, and the Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences should be visited.

Visits to dry docks, factories, shops, etc., form a part of the study of local geography.

Cliildren living in a large seaport should know sometliing about sliips. Let some of the imaginary trips include such places as will introduce a talk about vessels.

A HOME GEOGRAPHY OF NEW YORK CITY

Part I — Local Geography

Chapter I

In order to learn something about our own city, it will be convenient and at times necessary to use a map. Let us therefore learn what a map is, what it presents to view, and what story it tells.

A map tells us something we ought to know. On the walls of the schoolroom we see maps. Why are they there ? Of what use are they? We see maps in newspapers and geographies. When are maps used in newspapers ? Why are maps used in geographies ? Have you not often seen your father use a map ? When does he use it ? Why does he use it ?

We learn from what has been said that maps are frequently used, that they must mean something, and that some people understand what they mean. Let us try to find out what they mean and how to read them, so that we too can learn the story they tell. It is true that we can read a map just as we can read a book. It tells us many stories about the countries of the world, its mountains,

its rivers, and its cities.

2 HOME GEOGEAPHY OF NEW YOKK CITY

But before we can read a map, we must learn what a plan is, because a map is a kind of a plan. Let us get an idea of the difference between a picture, a plan, and a map.

First, let us stand in the doorway and look into our schoolroom. We see the walls and the pictures, the blackboards and the windows, the desks and the seats, three walls and a ceiling, the floor and the aisles. If you were to take a photograph of this room, it would show the room just as it looks to any one who steps into it. This photograph would be a picture of the room. As you know, the picture would not be as large as the room, and yet you would know it as your class room. You would recognize it as you recognize your mother's picture when you see it in the large frame hanging on the wall at home, or on a small card in the album.

Pictures show objects just as they appear to the eye ; they also indicate the height of an object. If, now, it were possible to look down upon this class room through a hole in the ceiling, you would see the tops of the desks, the floor, and the aisles. If we draw an object just as we see it when looking directly down upon it, we make a plan of it. A plan does not show height or thickness. It does show length and width, the shape as seen from above, and the correct distance of one object from another.

Try to draw the plan of your desk by putting lines on your paper that will represent the sides and ends of the desk, or its boundaries, so that you will see the shape of its top or surface. Let us stand up on our seats and bend over, so that our eyes are directly over our desks. Each boy sees the top of his desk only. He sees its shape and size. What shape has it ? Measure its length and breadth. Now draw it. ^' But," you will say, " my desk is

2 feet long and 1 foot wide/ and my paper is not large enough to draw upon it a rectangle 2 feet long and 1 foot wide." We must, therefore, do something to get a drawing that will give ns an exact idea of the shape and size of the top of that desk, even if we must place the drawing on a small piece of paper. Well, then, let us draw the desk one half as large as it is. You find the paper still too small ? What are you going to do ? We must do something to get a drawing that will look just like the top of our desk, but it must be small enough to be placed on our paper.

Take your rulers. Mark off on a piece of paper ^ of an inch. Call that 1 foot. Whenever you measm'e a foot, you will draw J of an inch on your paper. If you find that an object is 2 feet long, you will draw | of an inch for the length. If you find that an object is 3 feet long, you will draw | of an inch for the length. The desk is 2 feet long. We, therefore, draw ^ of an inch for 1 foot, and without lifting our pencils, draw another ^ of an inch. We have now drawn | of an inch to represent 2 feet. The desk is 1 foot wide. Therefore we draw | of an inch for the width.

Let us now complete the rectangle. It is | of an inch long and I of an inch wide. We have drawn a plan of the top of the desk to a scale, showing its exact shape and size.

We say this plan is drawn to a scale. The scale used is I of an inch to the foot. Every foot of the object drawn is represented by I of an inch in the drawing.

Now, suppose there is no furniture in the room, and that you can look down into the room through a hole in the ceiling.

^ If the desk does uot measure an exact number of feet, you must assume such measurement for the present.

You see the floor, and the floor is a rectangle. This rectangle is much larger than the rectangle you saw when you looked down upon your desk. Let us measure the floor. We find it to be 20 feet long and 16 feet wide. The scale that we are using is ^ of an inch to the foot. We wish to draw a line that will represent 20 feet. If |- of an inch represents one foot, how many quarter inches will represent 2 feet, 4 feet, 8 feet, 16 feet, 20 feet? IIow many inches long will a line Ije that represents 20 feet ? Draw a line representing 20 feet according to this scale. The line you have drawn represents the length of your room. What is the width of your room ? Draw a line representing the width of your room according to this scale. Draw a rectangle, with opposite sides of 5 inches and 4 inches. You now have a plan of the floor of your room drawn to the scale of I of an inch to the foot. Every foot in the length and also in the width of the room is represented by ^ of an inch in your drawing.

The plan of the floor of your room is now said to have been drawn to a scale of | of an inch to the foot.

Sometimes it is impossible to obtain a ruler or a tapeline for measuring. We then measure by steps. A step is called a pace. A pace for measuring purposes is fixed at 3 feet, and is measured from heel to heel. Your pace is not so long as that. How long is it, measured from heel to heel ? See how many paces you must take to measure your room. Count the number of paces of a tall boy in pacing the room ; of a small boy. Pace the school street on your way home. Pace the yard. How far is it from the school to your house ? Find out by pacing it. The distances as determined by pacing are, of course, not exact ; we say they are approximate ; sometimes that is near enough.

PLANS AND MAP8 5

Let us suppose we are again looking into your class room through a hole in the ceiling, and that the room looks as it does now. The teacher's desk and your own desks are here. We can now draw a plan of the floor, showing size, shape, and location of desks and aisles. Try to do this. Remember that you are looking upon them from above. Measure the top of the teacher's desk. Find out how far it is from the walls on either side of it, and also how far it is from the wall behind it. Reduce all these measurements to the scale of | of an inch to the foot, and then draw the object in your plan. Draw the desks ; leave space for the aisles. You now have the plan of the floor of your room, with your teacher's desk and your own desks in it. The plan also shows the aisles.

Read Plan I ; that is, tell from the drawing, by using the scale, how many feet long and how many feet wide the object is.

Scale: \ inch ^1 foot | | | [ Plan I

You should learn how to make use of a given scale because this knowledge is not only very helpful to boys and girls in reading maps, but it is also helpful in many other ways. When you understand the use of a scale, a map will tell you the exact distances between important cities and places of interest to you. Let us suppose your father is about to go to some distant city in the United States. You can tell from a good map, if you have a knowledge of the use of its scale, how many miles from home your father will be when he reaches his destination.

Read Plan II. Tell the exact measurement of the room and the desk.

SCHOOLROOM

Desk

Plax II

Scale : i inch = 1 foot

12 3 4 5

Read Plan III. Tell how many desks there are in the room, the actual size of the desks, of the teacher's desk, of the room, and the o O

Teacher's Desk

Plan III

Scale : ^ inch = 1 foot

12 3 4;, actual width and length of the aisles. How far is the teacher's desk from the walls on either side ?

Door g eu o

-4-3

O si

O

Pv o

J p^ o i u o o

PI

Plan IV tScale : \ inch = 1 foot r,

In the plans we have made we have omitted doors and windows.

Let ns measure these objects, reduce the measurements to a scale, and place measurements in the plan where they belong.

Read Plan IV, How wide are the doors on the plan ? How wide actually ? How wide are the windows ? there ?

Plan V

Scale : 10 feet = 1 inch, or 1 inch^ 10 feet

How many windows are

Plan VI

Vestibule

\ inch = 1 foot

First Floor Plan

HOME GEOGEAPHY OF NEW YOKK CITY

Read Plan V. Look at the scale. Take your rulers. Measure the length of one of the vertical lines. How long is the line? What does it stand for? Give the actual size of this figure.