CHAPTER ZZXVm,
 

(1800.)

History of the "Heere Wegh" (Wall Street to Ci^ Hall Park)—The Damen

Plantation—The Van Tienhoven Plantation—The Shoemaken*

Pasture—The King's Arms Tavern,

As the history of the old^ city below Wall street and of the outlying
part to tho east of Broadway has been told, we will follow the line of the
"Heoro Wegh," as It was called In Dutch times, or highway beyond the
city wall. This name distinguished It from the "Heere straat," which
was within the town limits. The "Hcere Wegh" followed the present line
of Broadway aa far aa the Commons, or preaent park, passing a portion of
the West India Company's garden, the Damen and Van TIenhoven planta¬
tions, a part of the West India Company's farm and a section of the Com¬
mons, and then diverged on the line of Chatham street. Tbe Company's Gar¬
den occupied the site of the present Trinity Churchyard, but on the abandon¬
ment of tbe old churchyard in the latter part of the seventeenth century a
portion of the garden lying north of the city gatea was devoted to burial pur¬
poses. In the old days It was proposed to erect a parsonage on tbo site of tho
preaent Trinity, and build the church within the walls of the bastion, on the
northwest corner of Wall and William streets, but some farslghted citizen,
according to the record, protested on the ground that the location selected
was low, and tbat the church should stand on high ground^ so Broadway
was selected for Its site.

Tbo Damen plantation extended on the west side of Broadway from
opposite Pino street to Fulton atreet, and on tbe east side from the present
Maiden Lane south to the lino of Pine street. It was patonted to Its owner,
John Damen, In 1044. and after his death, in lO&l, reverted to hla widow,
lu lOeo a partition of the estate was made among Mrs. Damon's heirs, who
sold their portions. Two of the largest parcels of this land were conveyed
early In the eighteenth century to O, S. Van Cortlandt and Tunis Dey- The
Van Cortlsndt parcel was later apportioned to two daughters of the burgo¬
master. In 1733 the heirs of these parties. Philip and FVodorlc Van Cort¬
landt, partitioned the property and laid out Cortlandt stroet to the river,
which was accepted as a public thoroughfare the same year. The firat sale
of a lot here took place in 1737. It was on tho north sido of the street, £6
by ISO feet, and oitended to the land of Tunis Dey.  The price paid was i2G.

The Dey parcel was Bve acres In extent. Its owner was a gardener and
miller, his windmill being situated near the river shore. It was not until
1730 that partition was mado of this estate, though the old miller had made
his will In less, leaving half of his property to his wife and half to his

i8s