Old City Hall Park, NYC

This drawing can be dated between 1822, when the City Hall opened, and 1825, when the American Hotel opened in the Richard Harrison's house. A similar image (right) is dated 1827. It seems a bat-and-ball game is played in the center.

A similar drawing was made by Alexander J. Davis, dated 1826 (see above), showing the Enrico Causici's equestrian statue of George Washington (not represented here). It was installed in 1826 and removed in the early 1830s. Other similar watercolor by A.J. Davis is on the right, showing more buildings on Park Row. There are also a similar drawing dated 1827, published by the Society of Iconophiles in 1914, and a drawing published in the 1855 Valentine's Manual, also dated 1927.

Alexander Jackson Davis (1803-1892) was born in New York City and left hundreds of illustrations, mainly about architecture.

More: Broadway at City Hall Park in 19th Century ►

This is an undated drawing by unknown author, showing City Hall Park, looking toward Broadway from the City Hall side. Text on print: Road to Boston [Park Row], St. Paul Church [corner of Vesey St.], [Walter] Rutherford, [Colonel] Axtill, [Rufus] King's house, Richard Harrison's house, [Cornelius] Roosevelt's house, Barclay St., [Abijah] Hammond's House [site of the American Hotel], Murray St., [?] City Hall. Source: Duer's Old Yorker collection, New York Public Library. Continue below...