Financial District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
New Amsterdam Plein: Nine
Minuit’s Legacy
Photographed By Larry Gertner, January 23, 2004
1. New Amsterdam Plein: Nine Marker
The English took over the Dutch colony in 1664, and New Amsterdam became New York. But the Dutch roots still thrive. Peter Minuit and his compatriots set Manhattan on course as a melting pot and business hub. The settlers weren’t motivated by lofty ideals. There was a policy of tolerance, but also refusal to adhere to it. Their society didn’t have the neat outline that spawned the Puritan myth in New England.
Yet what the settlers planted here may matter more now than ever. The terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and shook the world in September 2001 struck not only the center of American finance but also the few acres of lower Manhattan that were once New Amsterdam. The fact that one grew out of the other ought to be proof that the idea of tolerance remains a thing of power. Developing it, showing that it could work, was the messy genius of the first Manhattanites.
-Russel Shorto, from The Island at the Center of the World
Erected by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. (Marker Number 9.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1664.
Location. 40° 42.134′ N, 74° 0.812′ W. Marker is in Manhattan
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. New Amsterdam Plein: Eight (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: One (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Seven (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein : Six (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Two (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Four (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Three (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Five (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
Regarding New Amsterdam Plein: Nine. The markers are laid into the ground. "Plein" can be translated as "square".
Also see . . . New Amsterdam Plein and Pavilion. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on February 21, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Larry Gertner, December 11, 2018
2. Marker locations
The markers are arranged around a bronze relief map of Niew Amsterdam.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, January 23, 2004
3. Bronze relief map of Niew Amsterdam
Photographed By Larry Gertner, January 23, 2004
4. New Amsterdam Plein and Pavilion
This was a four-hundredth anniversary present from The Netherlands to New York City.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 5, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 253 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 5, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
