Newspapers at Printing House Square

The old Printing House Square, between 1872 (when the Franklin Monument was dedicated and the Tract House got a mansard roof) and 1873, when the old Tribune Building was demolished. Source: Newspaper Buildings collection, New York Public Library.

Before the construction of the Times Building in 1857-1858, the small and empty street space at intersection of Park Row, Spruce Street and Nassau Street was called City Hall Square. The name "Printing-House Square" was christened by common consent before March 1859. A huge amount of publishers occupied buildings around the City Hall Park, at the time.