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CHRONOLOGY OF NEW YORK CITY'S FACTUAL "FIRST" 1524-1999
Researched and Compiled by Miriam Medina
S E C T
I O N
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*Please note this is a work in progress. New
researched information will be added periodically.
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1) Captain Nathaniel Gordon of Portland, Maine, The Tombs
was the setting for the first and only execution of an
American convicted of international slave trading, a capital
crime under an 1820 federal piracy law. *(Nychs)
2) The Knickerbocker Hospital of New York City had its
beginning in 1862, in the Manhattan Dispensary. * (NYS
History) Vol: V
3) The Brooklyn Dental Association was formed with W.C.
Parks as President. * (NYS History) Vol: V.
4) "We are coming, Father Abra'am, Three Hundred Thousand
More" was the refrain of one of the most popular Civil War
songs. The poem written by the Quaker abolitionist James
Sloan Gibbons, was first printed anonymously, on July 16,
1862 in the New York Evening Post after President Lincoln's
call for 300,000 more volunteers. * (Concise)
5) Mary Putnam Jacobi, An American phjysician, the daughter
of George P. Putnam, of New York City. The first woman
graduated from the New York College of Pharmacy, in 1862 * (n.i.e.)
6) Wood's Minstrel Hall at 514, below Spring Street, was
opened July 7, 1862. It became Wood's Theatre on June 15,
1866, with performances of the legitimate drama; but changed
its character in September of the same year when it became
the German Thalia Theatre Comique. * (Bwy)
7) Robert Henry Newell: pseudonym Orpheus C. Kerr born in
New York City, American journalist and humorist. He wrote
"The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers (1862-1868). * (Century)
8) Fort Totten, this post, for many years the headquarters
of the United States Battalion of Engineers, was established
in 1862, and was originally called Willets Point. The
reservation comprises 136 acres on the East River at the
western end of Long Island Sound, two and one-half miles
from Whitestone. It is one of the defenses of the northern
entrance to New York Harbor. * (n.i.e.)
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1) Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. formed * (sky-tl)
2) April 23, 1863, what is now known as the General
Quarantine Act was passed, defining the quarantine
establishment, authorizing its construction, creating the
permanent office of Quarantine Commissioner, defining the
duties and powers of the Commissioners and Health Officer,
and establishing a general system of quarantine for the
port.
3) The First National Bank of New York was organized in
1863, as a product of the new law. George Fisher Baker,
American financier and Philanthropist, born in New York was
one of the founders. * (NYS History)
4) The first to be founded was the Lozier School in New York
City officially known as the New York Medical College for
Women. Its founder was Dr. Clemence Sophia Lozier. An act of
the New York Legislature on April 14, 1863. The Legislation
paved the way for the establishment of the first women's
medical college in America. * (NYS History) Vol. V
5) In 1863 the Calton Dental Association was organized by
Dr. Calton at Cooper Institute in New York City. * ( NYS
History) Vol: V
6) Roosevelt Hospital in New York City was founded in 1863.
* (NYS History) Vol: V
7) The Catholic Club of the City of New York has for its
primary interest the promotion of Roman Catholic interests
in New York, and has existed since 1863.
8) New York Medical College and Hospital for Women
(Homoeopathic), 19 W. 101st street, New York City. Organized
in 1863. The first class was graduated in 1864.* (Polk's)
9) George Henry Smillie, born in New York City, an American
landscaper. He first exhibited at the Na6tional
Academy n 1863. * (Century)
10) William Marcy Tweed born in New York, a democratic
politician and notorious criminal. As head of a group of
influential politicians (Connolly, Sweeney, Hall and
others), known as the "Tweed Ring" succeeded in getting
control of the financial affairs of the city and in robbing
it of many million dollars. 1863.
11) Long Island Historical Society: An association in
Brooklyn, N.Y., organized in 1863 for the purpose of
furthering a knowledge of American history, primarily
as connected with the history of Long Island. * (n.i.e.)
12) Thomas Egleston, American geologist born in NYC. In 1863
Egleston organized with Charles F. Chandler the School of
Mines at Columbia University. * (c.e.)
13) Levi Parsons Morton, american banker and statesman. He
organized in 1863 in NYC the banking firm of Levi P. Morgan
& Company, which became one of the more important financial
organizations in the country.
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1) The Lexington School for the Deaf, an affiliate of the
Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, is at 904
Lexington Ave. This was the first school in America to teach
the deaf to speak and to read lips.
2) The Prison Association of New York at 135 East 15th
street in New York City was incorporated in 1864. * (Blue)
3) The Manhattan Club is a powerful factor in Democratic
politics of New York. Its membership is limited to 1500, and
it has an actual enrolled membership of 1200. It was
organized in 1864, in opposition to the Union League Club.
4) St. Peter's Hospital. in Brooklyn, at 366-382 Henry, was
established in 1864. Capacity, 350. Private. Med. Staff.
Conducted by Sisters of St. Francis. * (Polk's)
5) The Sheltering Arms, was organized in 1864 for homeless
children between five and twelve years of age for whom no
other institution provides, is at Amsterdam Avenue and One
Hundred and Twenty-ninth Street * (Bwy)
6) January 6,1864 The First Long Island Regiment, known as
the Brooklyn Phalanx, came home from the front for a short
furlough. Of the 1,000 men who went to the war 234 returned.
7) In 1864, the Broadway and Seventh Avenue car line was
established, and the cars were run on Broadway above
Union Square, continuing through University Place
below Fourteenth Street. Sharp was one of the directors of
this line and it became the backer of the Broadway line and
the corporation through which the financial manipulations of
the Broadway Surface Company, as Sharp's line was officially
known, were made. The principal difficulty experienced
by the exploiters of the road was in getting the consent of
property owners on Broadway below Fourteenth Street.
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1) Goodman's Matzoh Company, the first company to produce
matzoh by machine, is at 21-07 41st Ave., Long Island City.
Founded by A. Goodman.
2) The Metropolitan Fire Department is established, which
possessed a paid uniform trained force.
3) The first division of the professional force,
Metropolitan Steam Fire Engine Company Number 1, began
service on July 31, 1865 at 4 Centre Street.
4) Prospect Park in west central Brooklyn, designed by
Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, begins construction.
*nyca
5) St. Francis Hospital in New York City was founded in
1865. * (NYS History) Vol: V
6) The New York College of Dentistry was founded. *(NYS
History) Vol: V
7) The New York University Club, composed of college and
university graduates, was incorporated in 1865. None except
degree-holding persons are eligible for membership. Its aim
is literary and artistic.
8) Eclectic Medical College of the City of New York, New
York City. Organized in 1865. The first class was graduated
in 1866. * (Polk's)
9) William Leete Stone born in New York City, son of W. L.
Stone (1792-1844), an American lawyer and historian. He
first published tge "Life and Times of Sir William Johnson
in 1865. * (Century)
10) W. C. Vosburgh Mfg Co., Ltd. Manufacturers of Gas and
Electric Fixture at State street corner of Smith was
established in 1865.
11) Mary Mapes Dodge, from NYC. During her lifetime she was
the acknowledged leader in the field of Juvenile fiction.
Her story "Hans Brinker; or the "Silver Skates" (1865) has
become a children's classic. * (c.e.)
12) The Fifth Avenue Opera House at fifth avenue and 24th
street was built in 1865. The Christy Minstrels performed
here. * (c.e.)
13) Isaac Thomas Hecker, born in NYC, he founded the
Catholic World in 1865, the Catholic Publication Society
which became the Paulist Press to distribute Catholic Books
and Pamphlets in 1866. * (docb)
14) The Church of the Covenant at 310 East 42nd Street,
now affiliated with the Brick Church, began as a mission
enterprise of the old Church of the Covenant in 1865 before
it merged with the Brick Church. The first Sunday School
meetings were held over a stable at 206 East 40th Street. In
December 1871 the Memorial Chapel at the present site was
dedicated. It was called Memorial to recognize the union of
the Old School and New School Churches.* (presby)
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1) The Black Crook, which opens on Broadway, is the first
American Musical.
2) 1866 NYU professors of medicine produce a Report for the
Council of Hygiene and Public Health. It leads to the
establishment of New York City's Health Department. *(NYU)
3) The first outpatient clinic in the United States opens at
NYU. *(NYU)
4) In 1866 Steinway & Sons opened the first Steinway Hall on
14th Street. With a main auditorium of 2,000 seats, it
became New York City's artistic and cultural center, housing
the New York Philharmonic until Carnegie Hall opened in
1891. *Sieinway
5) In 1866 the Sisters of the Poor of St. Frances opened St.
Peter's Hospital in Brooklyn. * (NYS History) Vol. V
6) The first train robbery on record was that of an Adams
Express car on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
, which was rifled of $700,000 between New York and New
Haven in 1866. * (Concise)
7) The first elevated line in America, a single-track
structure running from Battery Place up Ninth avenue to 30th
Street in New York City was built 1866-67. * (Concise)
8) In 1866 a group of parishioners of St. John's Chapel on
Varick Street established St. John's Guild to help the
city's impoverished and "to alleviate the squalor and
inhumanity of their living conditions." * (mcny.org)
9) In 1866 Jerome Avenue opened to allow access through the
Bronx to the Jerome Race Track, in Westchester County. The
track also served as home base for the American Jockey Club.
* (mcny.org)
10) Henry Bergh, American philanthropist, b. New York City.
He founded (1866) the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. The first such organization in the
country. * (Bartleby)
11) St. Paul's Female Orphan Asylum, cor Congress and
Clinton. in Brooklyn, was established in 1866. Capacity,
150. Conducted by Sisters of Charity. * (Polk's)
12) As a response to the long need for cooperation among
writers of fire insurance, the National Board of Fire
Underwriters was finally organized in 1866 in New York. * (NYS
History)
13) Dorman Bridgman Eaton, American reformer. He drafted the
Metropolitan health Law, passed in 1866 which gave NYC its
present health department and drafted bills organizing the
NYC fire and dock departments and reorganizing the police
department. * (c.e.)
14) In 1866 the Jamica and East new York Horse Car
Company, was chartered and it built a horse car line from
Jamaica to East New York on the Plank Road where it
connected with the horse car lines on Fulton Avenue and
Broadway in East New York. *(jama)
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1) The first elevated railroad is established in New York
City, running from downtown Manhattan to Thirtieth Street.
2) St Johns Lutheran Church Church is born. Its first Church
1867 building on fourth Street (now Leonard St) near
Greenpoint Ave. * (Greenpoint)
3) Commodore Vanderbilt builds NY Central trunk line from
NYC to Chicago. RRs become earliest corporations as a result
of the need for capital, organizational hierarchy,
bureaucracy.
4) 1867 Prospect Park is completed. The park was designed by
Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. *(BTL)
5) Wealthy industrialist Charles Pratt built the first
modern oil refinery in the US on the banks of the Newtown
Creek. Standard Oil
refineries, producers of Astral oil. * (Greenpoint)
6) The American Water Color Society, held its first
exhibition in 1867. * (NYS History) Vol: V.
7) 1862 Brooklyn Dental Assoc. is formed.
8) James D. McCabe, Jr. produced his first book in 1867 "The
Secrets of the Great City," a work descriptive of the
virtues, vices, mysteries, miseries, and crimes of New York
City. * (Gaslight)
9) Death of Caesar, a painting by Gerome in 1867, in the
gallery of J.J. Astor, New York. * (Century)
10) The oldest theatre in this neighborhood was originally
Banvard's Museum and Theatre at 1221 Broadway, near
Thirtieth Street. It was the first building in the city
erected expressly for museum purposes, and was opened June
17, 1867. It became Wood's Museum and Metropolitan Theatre
in 1868, and Wood's Museum and Menagerie in 1869. Very good
plays with first-class actors
were given under both managers. * (Bwy)
11) The Columbia Yacht Club was founded in 1867.
Headquarters were then at the foot of West Fifty-Seventh
Street. In 1874 the club moved up to the foot of West
Eighty-Sixth Street and the Hudson River, its present home.
* (round)
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1) The first "skyscraper," the 7 1/2 story Equitable
Building is constructed. Designed by architects Gilman and
Kendall with George B. Post, this was the first office
building in New York City to include passenger elevators in
its initial design. *nyca
2) The Working Women's Protective Union is established in
New York City. It gives free legal aid to workers, acts as
employment agencies, and lobbies
for laws to protect women workers. * (wtv.org)
3) Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. A benevolent
fraternal society, organized in the City of New York,
February 16, 1868, as the outgrowth of a social club known
as the Jolly Corks, composed principally of members of the
theatrical profession. Its
first regular organization was New York Lodge No. 1. * (n.i.e.)
4) Sorosis, the first woman's club in America, organized
with twelve members in March, 1868, by Mrs. Jane Cunningham
Croly, in New York City, and incorporated in January, 1869.
* (n.i.e.)
5) In 1868 Sisters of Charity opened St. Mary's Hospital in
Brooklyn. * (NYS History) Vol: V
6) The Brooklyn Society of Dental Science and Art was
formed. * (NYS History) Vol: V
7) Brooklyn Academy of Design opened, November 12, 1868.
8) Engine Company 38 The Bronx was organized on January 1,
1868 in Manhattan
9) Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hospital, 92 Livingston. Est'd 1868.
Capacity, 80. Public. * (Polk)
10) House of the Good Shepherd, located in Brooklyn at
Hopkinson avenue and Pacific was established in 1868.
Capacity, 500. Private. * ( Polk)
11) Woman's Medical College of the New York Infirmary, New
York City. Organized in 1868. The first class was graduated
in 1870. * (Polk's)
12) 1868 New York--first cable-powered (& first elevated)
line (West Side & Yonkers Patent Railway)
13) Wah Kee appeared in 1868 and established a fruitshop at
13 Pell Street which served as a blind for the gambling and
opium dive he ran secretly above his shop. * (epic)
14) An experimental elevated railroad is erected. An
attempt to build a subway from Fourteenth Street to Nassau
Street is abandoned. * (berea)
Continue on Page 9: (1869-1873)
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