FYI-My wife and myself bought this little book at a garage sale "THE OFFICIAL DIRECTORY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK 1923, once we opened the book and started reading the first page (below) this is what we found, how ironic is this!! Of course there is alot more in the book, but we didn't want to take up to much space.
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY
HISTORY OF THE CITY
Manhattan Island, the present Borough of Manhattan
ol tbe City of New York, was diseovered by Henry Hudson
September 11, 1609; he bad sailed from Holland seeking a
short route to India. In 1613 the first habitations for
white men were built by Adrian Block, where 41 Broadway
now stands, and in 1614 he built tbe first ship, the Resile •• ,
of 18 tons. On May 6, 1626, Peter Minuet, appointed
Director-General of New Netherlands, purchased Manhattan
Island from the Indians for trinkets valued at abont
$24, and tbe town with a population of less tban 200 was
named New Amsterdam. In I633 the first wooden church
was erected at 39 Pearl Street. By 1635 Fort Amsterdam
was built on the site of tbe Custom House. In 1642 tbe
first tavern, or public meeting place, was built on tbe site
of 73 Pearl Street, which in 1653 became the City Hall.
In 1653 a "waal" was built along what is now Wall Street,
as a protection against attack; this "waal" was extended
along Rector Street in 1673, and in 1699 it 'was removed.
The first fire wardens were appointed on June 23, 1648,
"to inspect the chimneys between the Fort and the Fresb
Water Pond"