South Street Seaport

Welcome to the South Street Seaport Historic District, a beautifully preserved pocket of 19th-century mercantile history tucked along the East River in Lower Manhattan. To understand this neighborhood, you must visualize a time…

Our exploration begins at Schermerhorn Row, a striking block of brick buildings constructed between 1811 and 1812. These structures were built by the prominent Schermerhorn family and served as 'counting houses,' the bustling…

Moving toward the water, we encounter the remnants of the legendary Fulton Fish Market. Established in 1822, this market grew into the most important wholesale fish market in the United States. …

Turning our attention to the preservation of specialized trades, we stop at Bowne & Co. Stationers, a functioning 19th-century print shop operated by the South Street Seaport Museum. …

Standing proudly at the intersection of Water and Fulton Streets is a poignant monument: the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse. Erected in 1913, exactly one year after the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic, this lighthouse was…

Walking out onto Pier 16, the history of the Seaport takes on a massive, floating physical form. Here, the Seaport Museum maintains a fleet of historic vessels that once defined New York Harbor. …

Our final section brings us to the modern iteration of the waterfront: Pier 17. Following severe damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, this pier underwent a massive redevelopment, transforming from a traditional enclosed mall into…

As our tour of the South Street Seaport Historic District concludes, we are reminded of the delicate balance required to preserve urban history. The Seaport faced near-obsolescence as the Erie Canal and steamships shifted…