Manhattan, New York, USA (New York City) (New Amsterdam) (Washington Heights)
1854 - Manhattan

Manhattan Island, sometimes called New York Island, in the S. E. part of New York, separated from the mainland by Harlem river. Length 15 miles, width from half a mile to 2 miles. It is co-extensive with the county of New York, and contains the city of that name.

New York, the metropolis of the above state, the most populous city, and the greatest emporium in the New World, and (with its suburbs, Brooklyn, Williamsburg. Jersey City, and Hoboken) the third in point of wealth and population of the cities of Christendom, is situated on the southern extremity of Manhattan island, at the junction of the Hudson and East rivers, about 18 miles from the Atlantic ocean; 87 N. E. of Philadelphia ; 187 N. E. of Baltimore; 225 N. E. of Washington ; 1428 N. E. of New Orleans; 1010 E. of St. Louis ; 722 E. of Cincinnati ; 340 S. of Montreal; 146 S. of Albany, and 207 S. W. of Boston. The city and county have the same limits, composing the whole of Manhattan island, 13 1/ 2 miles in length, and about 2 in its greatest breadth. The densely inhabited parts of the city occupy about 3 1/ 2 or 4 miles of the southern portion of the island. The City Hall is in lat. 40° 42' 40" N., and 74° 1'8"W. lon. Though the site of New York is nearly level, there is sufficient descent in the ground from Broadway towards each river to furnish good drainage.

Population. — Perhaps no city in the world numbers so great a variety of foreigners among its residential population as New York, including among them active and enterprising men of all Christian nations, and of every portion of the United States. A large majority of the foreign residents are from Ireland, Germany, England, France, and Scotland, who fill every station, from the laborer to the merchant and professional man. The population numbered 43112 in 1697 ; 8628 in 1731 ; 10,381 in 1750; 21,870 in 1771 : 3,131 in 1790; 60,489 in 1800: 96,378 in 1810: 123,700 in 1820, (at which period it became the largest city in the Union:) 202,689 in 1880; 312,710 in 1840, and 515,507 in 1850. If, however, we include the suburbs named above, it will make a grand total of 662,649 inhabitants, showing an increase (unexampled except in our Western towns) of nearly 1500 per cent, in the last 60 years. The same ratio of in crease as that between 1840 and '50 (and it has undoubtedly been greater) would give, in July, 1853, a population of about 850,000 to New York and its suburbs...

Washington Heights, a post-office of New York co., New York.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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