Today's MOZEN: A Pearl of a Street

Words and photo by F LoBuono

In Russell Shorto's wonderful account of the Dutch origins of New York City, The Island at the Center of the World, Pearl Street figures very prominently. Parelstraat, as it was originally known, outlined the eastern-most point of the Dutch colony, New Amsterdam. It was called so because of the many oyster beds that were found in the East River which formed its early boundary (the streets currently east of Pearl are built on landfill that has been added over the years). When the English took the colony from the Dutch in September of 1664 the name was Anglicized to its current designation.

Because of its prime location at the southern-most tip of the island, Pearl Street was a hub of activity from its earliest days. The first city hall was located here. Most of the early city's taverns and shops were also found there. There is a wonderful account in the book of what it must have been like for the city's last Dutch governor, the irascible, one-legged Peter Stuyvesant, as he limped from his offices in the City's stone fortress at the tip of the island, passing the smattering of taverns, shops, and homes on his way to his own abode on Pearl St.

Very early one morning last week, my work brought me downtown in the vicinity of Pearl St. I had to deliver a piece of equipment to our studios on another iconic, original Manhattan avenue; Wall St. Wall St. was also aptly named because the wooden palisade erected there formed the outer defensive perimeter (or WALL) for the Colony (it is said that the wall was created not to keep the natives out but, rather, the British). I made the delivery and had a few minutes to myself before I would have to return to my regular duties in midtown. Since it was so early in the morning (about 4:30 a.m.) the streets, normally bustling with people, were nearly deserted. So, I decided to recreate Stuyvesant's sojourn along Pearl St. From the tip of the island, where the Staten Island Ferry now stands, I would stroll north until I reached Wall St.

As I strolled along, I tried to picture what it must have been like for one of those early Dutch settlers in this new, mostly uncharted land. At the time Stuyvesant governed, New Amsterdam had become somewhat more than a backwater trading post. In fact, it was become so valuable that the British were determined to usurp it for its own. Still, even with its enormous potential, New York (nee New Amsterdam) was FAR from the world class cities of Europe. It was still a rough and wild place, not fit for the faint of heart. I'm sure the surroundings reflected that. I continued my sojourn with no particular haste. I allowed the atmosphere of the place to fill me. The streets are still very narrow in this part of town giving it an almost claustrophobic feel. In fact, of all the areas of Manhattan, this part of town reminds me most of a European city. Although no structures from the Dutch era remain, walking the deserted streets can still give one the feel of what it must have been like during those times - until you look up! Once you gaze skyward and see that you are actually in canyons of concrete and steel, you realize where you are now - the greatest megalopolis on earth!

But, that made me think: during one of his sojourns, could Stuyvesant, or anyone else at that time, REALLY have envisioned what New Amsterdam would become? Oh, sure, they all knew that it had potential, otherwise they would not have been there in the first place (although Stuyvesant was actually ordered there by his bosses, The Dutch East India Company). However, could ANY of them have predicated that this colony, clinging for life at the tip of an island, this island at the center of world, would become the greatest city on the planet? I cannot imagine that any of them did!

After about ten minutes, I had walked the original length of Pearl St. - it's just not that long. I returned to my car, turned on the ignition, and got on the West Side Highway for my return to W57th St. and midtown. It's not far in terms of distance, but in essence it's a world apart.