Between the Rivers: Manhattan 1880-1920

The decades between 1880 and the 1920s were glorious ones for Manhattan. This sliver of land located between the rivers was evolving from a bustling seaport into a world financial center. Manhattan rapidly became America’s preeminent East Coast steamship port. Steamers were becoming a frequent and luxurious mode of transportation. They arrived in Manhattan carrying passengers from all walks of life–the very rich and the very poor. Wealthy travelers made their voyages on the palatial reaches of the upper decks and were the catalyst that spawned the gilded era of Manhattan’s hotels. Working-class passengers, on the other hand, traveled deep below decks. From the damp, dark reaches of the steamers poured a flood of immigrant labor and talent that enriched the area’s industries. In the 1880s, no building stood as tall as the spire of architect Richard Upjohn’s Trinity Church. Along the city streetscape, trolleys were pulled by horses, and steam-powered, elevated trains sliced north from the battery to upper Manhattan. The 1890s began the defining decades of the skyscraper. The technology originated in Chicago but soared to new heights in Manhattan. By the turn of the century, there were more skyscrapers on the island than anywhere else in the world.