A New York City tourist can place themselves inthis timeframe by thinking of the historical period. The 1812 war begins. Large amounts of immigrants flow New York City. Germans and Irish are the largest numbers. Germans have city skill sets, fair better than rural Irish. Anti-Catholic bias is strong during this time. Poverty in the 5 Pts is high. Tammany Hall corruption peaks but help many without a voice.
Abe Lincoln does some hat shopping and gives a speech. Edison lights the city as bridges cross rivers. Subway line est. Skyscrapers begin to tower over historic lower Manhattan. For those making their own NYC walking tour click on the book to the left to see rare NYC historical locations framed in the 1800's.
TIMELINE 1809-1909
1810 Large wave of Irish immigrants begins to flow into New York City.
1811 Southwest Battery is finished (later named Castle Clinton in Battery Park). Its only access is via a wooden pier that projects about 250ft. Gov Clinton starts his push for the Erie Canal. New City Hall is completed on current site. Only front is finished in marble since they believe the population will not move beyond Chamber St.
1844 American bigots clashes between anti Irish and anti Catholic immigrants.
1845 A massive wave of Irish immigrants begins. Equipped with only rural skills, their survival is perilous in the urban location of Five Points.
1846 US Mexican War begins. Third Trinity Church is erected.
1847 Hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants flood the city escaping the famine in Ireland via 'coffin ships'. Chinese Immigrants start to move into the Five Points later known as Chinatown.
1848 The Five Points Mission is opened at a former brewery at the cross streets of Cross and Little Water.
1851 Typhus hits the city. New York City Resident Herman Melville publishes Moby Dick. Lower Manhattan painting by Heine, J. Kummer & Döpler completed.
1854 House of Industry is operating at 155 Worth Street in the Five Points.
1855 Famed American street tough Bill "the Butcher" Poole dies from a gun shot in a local bar.
1857 Famed fight between city and state police leads to crime fueled weekend by criminals.
1860 Abe Lincoln arrives, buys a hat, takes a photos and woos the crowd during his presidential election campaign. Canal St sees a large increase in vice trades.
1861 Civil War begins. The NY Fighting 69th(Irish) Regiment leaves for battle. 8
1862 Massive draft riots occur when poor can't 'buy' their way out of draft for $300.
