Financial District in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
New Amsterdam Plein: Five
The Birth Certificate
Photographed By Larry Gertner, January 23, 2004
1. New Amsterdam Plein: Five Marker
There was an actual deed for the sale of Manhattan but it vanished long ago. Fortunately, a Dutch official was on the dock in Amsterdam in 1626 when a ship from Manhattan arrived. The letter he wrote to his superior is, in effect, New York City’s birth certificate:
High and Mighty Lords,
Yesterday the ship the Arms of Amsterdam arrived here. It sailed from New Netherland out of the river Mauritius on the 23rd of September. They report that our people are in good spirit and live in peace. The women have borne some children there. They have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders. It is 13,000 morgens in size. They had all their grain sowed by the middle of May, and reaped by the middle of August. They sent samples of these summer grains: wheat, rye, barley, oats, Buckwheat, canary seed, beans and flax.
The cargo of the aforesaid ship is: 1246 Beaver skins
178½ Otter skins
675 Otter skins
48 Mink skins
36 Lynx skins
33 Minks
34 Muskrat skins
Many oak timbers and nut wood
Herewith, High and Mighty Lords, he commended to the mercy of the Almighty
In Amsterdam, the 5th of November Anno 1636
Your High and Mightiness. obedient
P. Schoghen
Erected by The Kingdom of The Netherlands
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Exploration • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1626.
Location. 40° 42.132′ N, 74° 0.808′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in the Financial District. Marker can be reached from the intersection of State Street and Whitehall Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New York NY 10004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. New Amsterdam Plein: Three (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Four (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein : Six (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Seven (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Two (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Eight (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: Nine (here, next to this marker); New Amsterdam Plein: One (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
More about this marker. 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 December 31, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 193 times since then and 21 times this year. Last updated on February 21, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 31, 2018, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
