CHAPTEE   XXXIV.
 

(1798-1799,)
 

History of Section from Ann Street to Peail Street—Where Leisler and Mil-

bome Were Buried—The Place of Execution—Catimut's Hill—

First Bay of Thanksgiving—Death of Washington.

A most Interesting history surrounds the locality bounded by Broad¬
way, Ann street. Pearl street, and the east side of the present Park Row.
The first section, from Beekman street to Ann street< and from Park
Row to Nassau street, was owned by Governor Dongan. and was known a»
the Governor's Garden, subsequently as the Vineyard. It was a place of
public resort, or pleasure garden, until iTGl!. when the Dongan belrs sold It
to Thomas White, who divided It into building lots. Tho flrat building
occupied the lot on the corner of Ann street. It hnd a frontage of 49 feet
on Park Row and a depth of SI feet on Ann atreet, the occupant being
Andrew Hopper, who had purchased It for £32S In 1773. Tbe following
year the street, "beginning at the house of Andrew Hopper, nearly opposite
St. Paurs Church, and leading to the freah water," was by ordltiance named
Chatham etreetp in compliment to the British earT for his advocacy of
American Interests. Up to the end of tbo wnr neveral small frame buildings
were erected on this portion of Chatham Bireet, and It was commonly known
as Chatham How. After tbe war footwslks were first laid upon It^ aud be¬
tween 17S6 and 1796 sixteen parcels of property between Ann nnd Beek¬
man streets were sold at prices ranging from £200 to £1,250, the parcel
of three lots on which the Park Theatre was afterward erected, with the
building thereon, being sold for £ 1,000. "The most elegant building for
that purpose in America." as a writer of 1TSS described the new place of
amusement for New Yorkers, cost }179.000, nnd was sold at auction soon
after to Messrs. Astor end Beekman for 160,000. After lla second deatruc-
tlou by Bre In 1S19 no attempt to re-establish a theatre "eo far downtown'*
wss made, hut on tho site Mr. Astor erected five brownstone stores. Some
of these stood until late In the last century.

Park Row, between Beekman and Spruce streeta, wan originally part
of the city commons, lying open In tbo same manner as the present
park did lu tbo beginning of the last century. Beekman street and othor
atreets contiguous to It were opened in 1T49, tho former being laid out
and paved tbe following year. Tho Increasing population movod In tholr
direction rather than weatwardly, and aroused the ministers and elders of
the English Presbyterian Church to petition the city corporailon for addi¬
tional church accommodations, as the membership bad Increased and the
cemetery attached to the Walt street church had become too small.    They

i66