47 Murray Street

Tribeca | built 1855

Open on the map5 entries

Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

  1. 1830

    A painter named Ames offers miniature-painting lessons to ladies in rooms at 47 Murray Street

    In 1830 a Mr. Ames placed a notice in the Morning Courier and Enquirer saying he had taken rooms at 47 Murray Street. He showed miniature paintings of figures, flowers, fruit and landscapes, and charged three dollars for lessons, travelling to pupils' homes on request. This was an earlier house on the site, standing opposite the grounds of Columbia College, long before the present loft building.

    Source: Daytonian in Manhattan

  2. 1855

    Alderman Oscar Sturtevant has an Italianate loft building raised at 47 Murray Street

    Around 1855 the lawyer and politician Oscar W. Sturtevant, who had bought the lot in 1851, put up a five-story Italianate store and loft building faced in Dorchester sandstone. Sturtevant, a Vermont native, was elected several times to the Board of Aldermen and for a time presided over it. The design is attributed to the architect Joseph C. Wells, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission notes the building may incorporate an older house.

    “…its developer was prominent New York City attorney and politician Oscar W. Sturtevant (c.1810-59), who acquired the land in 1851…”

    Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

  3. 1861

    September 9

    Fire from the burning building next door reaches the upper floors of 47 Murray Street

    Around 11:20 on the night of September 9, 1861, fire was discovered at the building next door, and within about half an hour it was a sheet of flame. By midnight firefighters found that the blaze had reached the roof and fifth floor of no. 47 and spread to the fourth before they put it out. The building was damaged, and tenants such as the importers Schanck & Hotop suffered heavy losses from fire and water.

    Source: Daytonian in Manhattan

  4. 1864

    February

    Swindlers try a fake delivery to carry off a $2,240 case of goods from outside 47 Murray Street

    In February 1864 the New York Times warned merchants about crooks hiring carters to haul boxes left on the sidewalk outside big stores. One such case, valued at $2,240, was taken from in front of the Schanck & Hotop store at 47 Murray Street. The plot collapsed when the man who hired the driver, William Richardson, gave a second address after paying him. The suspicious driver refused, and a police officer chased down and arrested Richardson.

    Source: Daytonian in Manhattan

  5. 1869

    March 15

    Firefighters break $10,000 worth of china while putting out a cellar fire at 47 Murray Street

    At about 6:00 on the evening of March 15, 1869, a fire started in the cellar of 47 Murray Street. The dealer in fine glassware and crockery, A. Meyerberg, kept little flammable stock below, so the flames did little harm to his goods. The firefighters did, though: the New York Times put the loss from breakage in his shop at fully $10,000, roughly $169,000 in today's money by the blog's estimate.

    Source: Daytonian in Manhattan

Further reading

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