Lovelace Tavern : Stadt Huys Block

Between 1670-1706 then-Governor, Colonel Francis Lovelace owned a bar which was uncovered during the construction of 85 Broad; the foundation walls can be seen in the sidewalkBuilt in 1670 by Governor Francis Lovelace, the second English Governor of the province of New York, the tavern had been constructed to connect directly to the Stadt Huys which was built by slaves so that Dutch Governor Willem Kieft would not have to entertain visitors at his home. In 1697, the City Council of colonial New York declared that the Stadt Huys, was unfit for use and that government business would be conducted from the adjoining tavern. This was not an extraordinary measure as taverns were central to early colonial life, and several New York taverns served as the official government meeting place during the colonial period. In fact, the Stadt Huys was originally built as a tavern. For several years, the Lovelace Tavern (known by then-proprietor George Rescarrick`s name and later called the King`s Tavern, among other names) served as the seat of government in New York until the second city hall was completed. The site was in constant use, but the land gradually was filled in by successive generations of structures.Three hundred years later, Goldman Sachs assembled the property to construct its new office building. Digging exposed 4 tons of pottery, glasses, and bone implements which were removed in an archeological dig led by Nan Rothschild. There is a glass window on the plaza where theexcavation can be seen.