South Street Seaport Totally Explained

Everything about The South Street Seaport totally explained

The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is usually considered a historical district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, and includes the largest concentration of restored early 19th-century commercial buildings in the city. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping and nightlife, with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge.

History

Designated by Congress as America’s National Maritime Museum in 1998, South Street Seaport Museum sits in a 12 square-block historic district that's the site of the original port of New York City. The Museum is comprised of over of exhibition space and educational facilities. It houses exhibition galleries, a working 19th-century print shop, an archeology museum, a maritime library, a craft center, a marine life conservation lab, and the largest privately owned fleet of historic ships in the country. Included in this fleet are:

Peking, a 1911, four-masted barque ³
Wavertree, an 1885, fully-rigged cargo ship ³
Pioneer, an 1885 schooner ¹ ³
Lettie G. Howard, an 1893 schooner ¹ ²
Ambrose, a 1908 lightship ²
Helen McAllister, a 1900 tugboat
W.O. Decker, a 1930 tugboat ¹ ³
Marion M., a 1932 chandlery lighter

ť ¹During favorable weather, these vessels take the public out into New York City’s waterways.

²These vessels have been designated National Historic Landmarks by the National Parks Service. ť ³These vessels have been designated National Historic Places by the National Parks Service.

The original intent of the Seaport development was the preservation of the block of buildings known as Schermerhorn Row

which were threatened with destruction from neglect or future development, at a time when the history of New York City's sailing ship industry wasn't valued, except by some antiquarians. Early historic preservation efforts focused on these buildings and the acquisition of several sailing ships. The buildings on Fulton Street were across from the main Fulton Fish Market building, which had become a large plain garage-type structure, and has now been rebuilt as an upscale shopping mall.
In 1982, redevelopment began to turn the museum into a greater tourist attraction via development of modern shopping areas. The pier's old platforms were demolished and a new glass shopping pavilion raised in its place, which opened in August 1983.

Concept

Almost all buildings and the entire Seaport neighborhood are meant to transport the visitor back in time to New York's mid-1800s, to demonstrate what life in the commercial maritime trade was like. Docked at the Seaport are a few historical sailing vessels, including the Flying P-Liner, Peking and museum ships. A section of nearby Fulton Street is preserved as cobblestone and lined with shops, bars, and restaurants. The Seaport itself now operates primarily as a mall and tourism center. Built on Pier 17 on the East River, visitors are offered shops and a food court. Decks outside allow views of the East River, Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights.

Trivia

The original Sub Pop version of Nirvana's In Bloom video was filmed here in 1990. The video features Kurt, Krist and Chad clowning around inside the South Street Mall as well as Wall Street. The place is also a crucial location in the Movie I Am Legend.

Further Information

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