Lower East Side – 1767

Lower East Side – 1767. . This reach of the East River, from here to Rutgers Slip (1) is rich in maritime history. Peck Slip was one of the last and most important of New York harbor’s slips. The burgeoning population of European immigrants reclaimed new land from the East River to expand their thriving harbor community in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The shoreline was extended east from Pearl Street., The Dutch were the first settlers in this waterfront district. Later Irish, German and English immigrants worked in the maritime industry that dominated this area - shipyards, ironworks, (2) docks and ferries. These would be found along the shoreline and the nearby slips and piers., More recently, many Italians and European Jews also settled on the “Lower East Side”, creating one of the first “melting pot” communities in the city., Walton House (3) was built in 1752 at 326-328 Pearl Street, next to Peck Slip, by William Walton. For 30 years it was New York’s most handsome residence and his lavish entertainment prior to the revolution encouraged the British government to raise taxes.