NYC's Forgotten Past: A Guide to the City's Hidden Historical Relics

New York City, a metropolis constantly reinventing itself, still holds tangible echoes of its past, often overlooked in the hustle and bustle. These hidden relics, from functional fixtures to grand remnants, offer a unique glimpse into the city's evolution.

Echoes of a Horse-Powered Past

Metal fixtures commonly found beside stoops, known as bootscrapers, served a practical purpose in 19th-century New York. These were used to remove horse manure from footwear before entering residences. During the 1890s, with over 60,000 horses contributing to an estimated 500 tons of manure daily on city streets, such pragmatic solutions were essential. The city's iconic stoops also played a role, built high to allow residents to disembark from carriages and step directly into their homes, bypassing the unsanitary streets below.

Traces of Elevated Railways and Royal Fences

Evidence of New York's former elevated railway system can still be found. On Greenwich Street in the West Village, small, gray street signs embedded in a building corner mark the former Ninth Avenue Elevated line, which began operation in 1873. These signs were positioned at eye level for passengers on the tracks elevated approximately 30 feet above the street.

Downtown, the iron fence at Bowling Green has stood since 1771. Originally constructed to protect a statue of King George III, it later became a focal point for protests by the Sons of Liberty. Though the crowns that once adorned its posts were removed, the fence remains, a testament to the city's revolutionary fervor.

Presidential Pews and Structural Stars

St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan preserves George Washington's pew, where he worshipped after his 1789 inauguration when New York served as the nation's capital. The chapel itself has a history of resilience, having survived the Great Fire of 1776 and later serving as a relief center after the September 11th attacks.

In former industrial areas, star-shaped metal anchors visible on brick buildings are not mere decoration. These are the ends of supporting bars that run through the buildings, providing structural integrity, particularly common in 19th-century construction.

Central Park's Functional Past

Central Park holds two significant relics from the city's past. The Cherry Hill fountain, often misidentified as the "Friends" fountain, is actually a Victorian-era horse trough, built to provide water for the thousands of horses that were a primary mode of transportation.

Additionally, the park's exterior wall, constructed in the 1850s, was originally intended to keep goats out of the park. While the goats were eventually removed, the wall remains as a lasting reminder of a peculiar urban challenge from the city's history.