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The other areas already had ~40,000 people before the canal. By 1850, Brooklyn alone was already bigger than Boston for example, while Brooklyn was much smaller in land area. I am not saying that canal didn't help, but even without it I am pretty sure NYC and its environs would still become the biggest city.
Not in the time period we are talking about. Brooklyn only merged with the county in 1898.
Here is the 1866 map of Twin Cities, Brooklyn - New York. Brooklyn city only covers 1/4th the land area of present day Brooklyn, the rest of the neighborhoods were separate cities and towns at the time (they still retain their town names as part of their neighborhood names, for example Flatbush/Midwood/Bushwick are older than Philly as well, and they are neighborhoods deep in present day Brooklyn):
Good thread. I voted for Philly, & Williamsburg/Jamestown Virginia.
The Williamsburg-Jamestown-Yorktown area is now being marketed as America's Historic Triangle.. Which is fair enough,..has great significance in America's colonial history. But this list should have New York too. Hard to deny NYC's historical stature
Structures that pre-date the American Revolution are rare in American cities. Most buildings constructed during the 18th century were made of wood and have not survived.
That is not the case in Providence, RI. There are still many pre-American Revolution wood homes just a few blocks from the center of downtown.
Benefit Street Photos
Stephen Hopkins (Signer of Declaration of Independence) Home
That is not the case in Providence, RI. There are still many pre-American Revolution wood homes just a few blocks from the center of downtown.
Same with Winston-Salem NC...downtown's Old Salem historic district is full of 18th century structures, many of them wooden homes and shops. The photos from Providence look like they could be part of Old Salem.
When discussing the "most historic" cities and towns in the US, many people automatically think of cities which were particularly important in colonial and revolutionary times, which is fair enough, but there is a lot more history in the US as well.
Philadelphia: Founded 1682, meeting place for the Founding Fathers and site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, served as an early US capital, lots of colonial and revolutionary history, and has continued to be an important city Boston: Founded 1630, tons of colonial and revolutionary history, an important city since the birth of our country Saint Augustine: Founded in 1565. Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in the Continental US New York: Founded 1625 by the Dutch as New Amsterdam, has grown to be the largest and most important city in the country. Washington, DC: Founded in 1790, so it is younger than many other historic US cities, but it is the capital. Think of all the decisions that have been made in DC that have affected the course of US and world history. Santa Fe: Founded in 1610. Oldest capital city in the US Charleston: Founded in 1670, a very important port in colonial, revolutionary, and early federal days. Was a top 10 city until 1840. Not as important nationally now, but that has helped it retain its historic flavor New Orleans: Founded 1718: tons of history from its days under French, Spanish, and finally US rule. Many historic buildings are still there.
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