In 1806 there were as many as fifteen families in this neighbourhood
rich and great enough to have carriages. Colonel Turnbull had an "out
of town" house at, approximately, Eighth and Macdougal streets,--a
charming cottage, with twenty acres of garden land which today are
worth millions. Growing tired of living in the country, he offered to
sell his place to his friend, Nehemiah Rogers; but the latter decided
against it.
"It is too far out of town!" he declared.
"But you have a carriage!" exclaimed the Colonel. "You can drive in to
the city whenever you want to!"
The distance was too great, however, and Mr. Rogers did not buy.
By 1826, however, the tide had carried many persons of wealth out to
this neighbourhood, and there were more and more carriages to be seen
with each succeeding month. All at once, high iron railings were built
about the deserted Potter's Field,--a Potter's Field no longer,--and
on June 27th of that year a proclamation was issued:
"The corporation of the city of New York have been pleased
to set apart a piece of ground for a military parade on
Fourth Street near Macdougal Street, and have directed it to
be called 'Washington Military Parade Ground.
Pages:
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36