Historical Address for CPRR at 303 Broadway in NYC 1870
I am researching a mid 19th Century painting that had an association possibly with 303 Broadway as it existed in the period of o/a 1850-60. I note that CPRR's 1870 address for its NYC office was at 303 Broadway.
I note the voluminous and interesting materials available on your website, but couldn't see anything regarding history of the various physical office sites. Thus, I was wondering if you might have any such information for my research regarding that building at 303 Broadway (i.e. pre/post 1870 building description, occupants, even immediately adjacent buildings*, etc.) That particular area/time was one where there were many artists and theatres in that area of NYC, but the NYC Landmarks Commission does not have this address within its current designated areas.
Thus, any historic info on the building itself would be much appreciated.
(* I am also trying to determine the same information regarding the mid 19th Century address of 289 Broadway which Landmarks advises that currently they show as "not a valid address.") ...
—Phil Norton, Frederick MD
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 12:07 PM
4 Comments:
From: "Larry Mullaly" lmullaly@jeffnet.org
The New York Office of the Central Pacific RR Company in 1870 was at 54 William Street. Later it moved to Nassau Street, but was never on Broadway during the 1870s.
I have had some success in locating buildings in New York City during this era by using Ancestry.com's 1869 New York City Business Directory. Unfortunately, I have found nothing at 606 Broadway.
—Larry Mullaly
From: "Kevin Bunker" mikadobear45@yahoo.com
I would advise checking any Poor's Manual of the Railroads index for the years concerned and any Manhattan city business directories such as most metropolises had. The CPRR business office address(es) might be shown in either or both. This period is relative to Collis Potter Huntington's return to New York City to better manage the financial affairs of the Central Pacific. If you haven't already read David Lavender's excellent treatise on CPH, The Great Persuader, you should do so at your earliest opportunity (though it is out of print, paperbacks are readily available through online dealers).
A History of Standard & Poor's
New York has razed so many historic structures from the 18th and 19th century; I am not surprised that 289 Broadway isn't listed as a valid address. The city may well have rearranged street address numbers as it expanded. Every city that I've lived in has done this at least once, usually around 1900-1910 after absorbing former suburban and rural communities then incorporating them into the larger city grid.
—Kevin Bunker, Portland, OR
A Souvenir of the Transcontinental Excursion of Railroad Agents, 1870.
By one of the party. Albany: Weed, Parson & Co., 1871. pp. 42-52 by THOMAS A. WEED shows:
CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD.
PRINCIPAL OFFICES.
415 California St., San Francisco. 56 and 58 K St., Sacramento.
54 William St., New York City. 303 Broadway, New York City.
Poors "Railroad Manual of the United States, 1869-1870, page 402, says that the Central Pacific Railroad California Office is at 56 and 58 K St., Sacramento; New York Office is at 54 William St., NYC; and their bankers are Fisk and Hatch, 7 Nassau St., NYC.
chris graves, caliron@cwnet.com
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