s
Pasture." It covered an area of sixteen acres, and was used in common by
the shoemakers of the city for the manufacture of leather, their tannery
being located in a swampy section, near the junction of Maiden lane and
William street. About 1720 the pasture was sold in lots, and Fulton and
John streets were extended through it. That part of the tract bounded by
the present Broadway, Nassau, Fulton and Ann streets, was for many years
occupied by a pleasure resort, known as "Spring Garden." The tavern
occupied the site of the present _Herald_ office. It was here, during
the excitement preceding the Revolution, that the "Sons of Liberty" had
their head-quarters. They purchased the building, and named it "Hampden
Hall." It was the scene of many a riot and public disturbance during
those stirring times. It was occupied as a dwelling house from the close
of the Revolution until 1830, when it was converted into a Museum by John
Scudder. In 1840 Phineas T. Barnum became the owner of the building and
Museum. After the destruction of the Museum by fire in 1864, Mr. James
Gordon Bennett purchased the site, and erected upon it the magnificent
office of _The Herald_.

Trinity Church Farm lay along the west side of Broadway, north of Fulton
street. It was divided into lots in 1760, and between that time and
1765, the present St. Paul's Church was erected on the lower end of it.
The street forming the northern boundary of the churchyard was named
Vesey, in honor of a former pastor of Trinity.

In 1738 a public market, 156 feet long, and 20 feet 3.5 inches wide, was
erected in the middle of Broadway, opposite the present Liberty, then
Crown street. It remained there until 1771, when it was removed as a
public nuisance.

By the opening of the present century, Broadway had extended above the
present City Hall Park, which had been enclosed as a pleasure ground in
1785. It was taken up along its upper portion mainly with cottages, and
buildings of a decidedly rustic character. In 1805 the street was paved
in front of the Park, and in 1803 the present City Hall was begun on the
site of the old Poor House. It was completed in 1812. The principal
hotels, and many of the most elegant residences, were to be found at this
time on both sides of Broadway between Chambers street and Wall street.
In 1810-12 Washington Hall was erected on the southeast corner of Reade
street. It was the head-quarters of the old Federal Party, and