Telco Block excavation

The Telco Block at 199 Water Street underwent a large-scale excavation in 1981, revealing significant archaeological findings about the seaport’s development and mid-19th century health and sanitation in New York City. Originally similar to Schermerhorn Row, the block featured 19th-century commercial buildings on land created with 18th-century landfill. Continuous occupation provided evidence of various developmental phases.

Key discoveries included eleven privies, eight cisterns, an oven flue, a dry well, a wooden box, a wooden barrel, and a wooden floor. These features, often containing household trash, offered insights into daily life and unrecorded construction practices. The close placement of privies and cisterns due to limited space led to contamination of drinking water, contributing to cholera epidemics and highlighting the need for public water and sewage systems. The excavation underscored the impact of urban planning and public health challenges in New York’s history.