Photo © The City of New York

Astor Place

Description

Astor Place is a short two-block street built before Manhattan was developed on a grid. It was named for John Jacob Astor--at one time America's wealthiest man--in the mid-19th c. Of particular interest are the Cooper Union buildings in the area and Tony Rosenthal's large, spinnable public sculpture "Cube."

Factoids

1524-Known as “Kintecoying” or “Crossroads of Three Nations,” Astor Place was a powwow point for the Lenape tribes of Manhattan. At a sacred oak tree, where the branches of the trails converged, the Lenapes were said to have traded with one another, exchanged news, and held spiritual ceremonies and tribal councils.

July 16, 1870-Red Cloud, chief of the largest tribe of the Teton Sioux Nation, gave a speech at a reception in his honor at Cooper Union. “We want preserves in our reserves. We want honest men, and we want you to help to keep us in the lands that belong to us so that we may not be prey to those who are viciously disposed,” he said at the end of his speech.

Related People & Organizations

The Lenape Tribe,Known as “Kintecoying” or “Crossroads of Three Nations,” Astor Place was a powwow point for the Lenape tribes of Manhattan.

Related Playlist

Walking the Streets of New Amsterdam Compilation

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