Stephen Jenkins - The Greatest Street in the World: The Story of Broadway, Old and New, from the Bowling Green to Albany

DURING the past ten or more years I have been delivering a lecture in New York and elsewhere, which I have called "Broadway, Old and New, from New York to Albany." In this volume, I have expanded the lecture to book size.

Broadway is the longest of the modern streets of the world, though it is surpassed in length by two of ancient Roman construction: the Appian Way from Rome to Brundusium, 350 miles, and Watling Street in England, from Dover via London to Chester and York, thence in two branches to Carlisle and the Wall near Newcastle. These have, however, fallen from their high estate; and of the latter road traces only are found in some parts of its course of over three hundred miles; remains of the former are sometimes unearthed, though a more modern road, built by Pope Pius VI. in 1789 parallels the ancient roadway from Rome to Albano, nineteen miles northeast of the Eternal City.

From the beginning of the nineteenth century Broadway has been the main artery of the city, and its growth has been an indication of that of the old city upon the island of Manhattan. It has become the Mecca toward which the eyes of exiled Manhattanites are always turned, and they long for a sight of "dear old Broadway." It represents to them New York it is the epitome of the life of the great metropolis, with its various activities, mercantile, social, political, and theatrical. The outsider must also see Broadway, if he should visit New York; though it is greatly to be feared that the gaiety of the thoroughfare is its most potent attraction to him. If you are a New Yorker, let me ask you if you have ever been away from the city for a few weeks? When you return and your footsteps carry you along Broadway, does not every face you see whether man, woman or child have for you so marked a familiarity that you feel as if you knew personally each individual, and you have an almost overmastering inclination to nod or to say "How d' ye do?" to each one you pass? In other words, you feel at home, or like Micawber, that "your foot is on your native heath." I sometimes wonder if the naturalized New Yorker ever experiences the same feeling. I do not believe he does.

I think I am right in calling it "the greatest street in the world. " There are famous streets in the other great cities of the world, but none that shows such wealth for so great a distance. It is said that when the famous Field Marshal Blcher rode in triumphal procession through the streets of London after the battle of Waterloo he gazed about him in astonishment, and, true to his upbringing as a soldier of Frederick the Great and the military canons of the time, exclaimed: ''Gott in Himmel! Vot a magnificent city to sack!" If we could suppose the doughty old warrior transported to New York and driven over her great thoroughfare, we can readily believe that words would fail him.

The question is often asked whether New York will ever be finished. It does not seem so, for there is such continual tearing down and building up. This has been a marked feature of Broadway since the days of the Dutch. It is, perhaps, a sign of financial progress and wealth the desire to have something better than there was before. But it has its unpleasant side if we judge from the sentimental point of view; for old and historic landmarks have disappeared. Of course, if some of these had been preserved, it would have been expensive toll to pay for sentiment, and we are a practical people and inclined to say with Sir Peter Teazle: "D sentiment." Then again, our population is so mixed with foreign elements that historic associations have played but little part when utility has required change or demolition.

In writing this volume, I have tried to be as accurate as possible, and where there has been doubt to give that statement which has the greatest authority. A bibliography will be found at the end of the volume; and I wish here to acknowledge the obligations I am under to the Lenox, Astor, Society, Mechanics, New York Historical Society and Mount Vernon public libraries, and especially to the private library of District Superintendent of Schools, John W. Davis; also to many individuals, both in public positions and private life, to whom I have addressed inquiries which have always been courteously answered.

Stephen Jenkins.

Mount Vernon, New York, January, 1911.