# When was Manhattan pretty much fully built up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166 "2015-10-19T19:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/1 "2015-10-19T19:55:26Z")
By the time of the American Revolution, the city covered only the southern tip of the island. The Dakota (72nd Street and Central Park West) was considered 'way out in the sticks when it was completed in 1884. I understand that there was parkland, then and now, but at what point was Manhattan first considered to be fully developed? ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/2 "2015-10-19T20:15:58Z")
I was curious about the answer (don’t want to pass myself off as an expert in urban development) and came across this. [Check out the video here](http://urbanizationproject.org/blog/the-rise-and-fall-of-manhattans-densities#.ViVOnaJKDZc). Depending on your definition of “fully developed”, the answer may be as late as the early 50s. 1950s, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/3 "2015-10-19T21:00:44Z")
Interesting video. I’m a bit surprised they cut out Central Park from the beginning. There wasn’t much there but it wasn’t that much of a wasteland previous to its transformation. Manhattan started really filling up after the subway system was extended to The Bronx in 1905. That’s what you see at the top of the island, which is essentially filled in by WWI. Some open parcels remained, but I don’t think anybody at the time would consider the island as less than developed. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/4 "2015-10-19T23:21:24Z")
The setting aside of Central Park was deliberate. The people who donated it but kept the adjacent land, especially the east side and the property values there shot up enormously. While there may have been unbuilt parcels in the 1950s, I lived there in the early 60s and there was nothing significant. But only if I had bought a house on the upper west side (around 86th). It was more or less affordable and would be worth many millions today. I know someone whose parents, both ordinary school teachers did exactly that and left him and his sister moderately wealthy. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/5 "2015-10-19T23:49:00Z")
Interesting, thanks. Central Park wasn’t bought and platted until 1853, though (don’t know why the video shows it in 1804, unless to give a reference point). PBS had a special on the creation of Central Park a few years ago which pointed out that all the land for the park was purchased for less than the cost, in adjusted dollars, of a single luxury apartment overlooking it today. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/6 "2015-10-20T00:23:12Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The setting aside of Central Park was deliberate. The people who donated it but kept the adjacent land… [Nobody donated the land.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park) > [@](#): > > In 1850, the land was occupied by free blacks and Irish immigrants who had purchased land, who raised livestock, including goats and pigs, built churches and cemeteries, and had lived as a community for close to 50 years.[12] Before the construction of the park could start, the area had to be cleared of its inhabitants. Rossi states that part of the impetus to schemes such as Central Park and others was to remove what they incorrectly deemed as shanty towns and their denizens,[13] who consisted of free African Americans and English/Irish residents, most of whom were middle-class. Most lived in small villages, such as Harsenville,[14] the Piggery District,[15] or Seneca Village; or in the school and convent at Mount St. Vincent’s Academy. Approximately 1,600 residents were evicted under the rule of eminent domain during 1857. Seneca Village and parts of the other communities were razed to make room for the park.[16] > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Interesting, thanks. Central Park wasn’t bought and platted until 1853, though (don’t know why the video shows it in 1804, unless to give a reference point). PBS had a special on the creation of Central Park a few years ago which pointed out that all the land for the park was purchased for less than the cost, in adjusted dollars, of a single luxury apartment overlooking it today. Heck, that’s true for Alaska. (OK, not in adjusted dollars.) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/7 "2015-10-20T04:26:28Z")
I think it happened at the “I am the hall monitor” comment. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/8 "2015-10-20T04:48:54Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Central Park wasn’t bought and platted until 1853, though (don’t know why the video shows it in 1804, unless to give a reference point). They show all the areas that eventually became parkland as bright green from the beginning. Central Park is just more obvious than the others. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/9 "2015-10-20T04:57:00Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > I think it happened at the “I am the hall monitor” comment. Ninja’ed! I came here to say just that. One always has to be on the ball here at the SDMB to be first with the good answers! Thread winner, **White SIFL** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/10 "2015-10-20T14:58:42Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > They show all the areas that eventually became parkland as bright green from the beginning. Central Park is just more obvious than the others. Yeah, we got that. The question is why they felt such a misleading approach was necessary. It shouldn’t have been very hard to suddenly turn Central Park green in the 1850s. It would have been more dramatic and interesting if they had. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/11 "2015-10-20T17:12:03Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > I think it happened at the “I am the hall monitor” comment. I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/12 "2015-10-20T17:17:37Z")
It may have been before your time (Ya n00b!), but we had a moderator in General Questions called Manhattan. In a legendary exchange, someone was junior modding and said “Are you the hall monitor?” and Manhattan ripped them a new one, saying “No, I’m the fucking hall monitor.” Good times. Good times. 😉 ETA: Just tried to search for the thread, and could find pages of hits discussing it, but couldn’t find the original ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/13 "2015-10-20T17:27:15Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yeah, we got that. The question is why they felt such a misleading approach was necessary. It shouldn’t have been very hard to suddenly turn Central Park green in the 1850s. It would have been more dramatic and interesting if they had. Maybe you got it, but the person I was responding to didn’t seem to. At least, that wasn’t his question. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/14 "2015-10-20T17:29:09Z")
> [@D18](#): > > ETA: Just tried to search for the thread, and could find pages of hits discussing it, but couldn’t find the original [_I_ am the fucking hall monitor.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2744558&postcount=26) ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/15 "2015-10-20T17:34:58Z")
2002 and we’re still talking about it! Legendary, indeed! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/16 "2015-10-20T17:45:28Z")
I’m a hella lot newer here than **Elendil’s Heir** , and I knew about that. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/17 "2015-10-20T17:53:25Z")
> [@D18](#): > > 2002 and we’re still talking about it! Legendary, indeed! That thread was also the source of “Banhattan,” originally a typo, but a most apt one. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/18 "2015-10-20T18:51:44Z")
Yes! Yes it was! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/19 "2015-10-20T19:56:07Z")
Huh. Never heard of it before. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166/20 "2015-10-20T20:08:45Z")
I always wanted to use that line. The closest was when a poster called me [“Sister Clare.”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8895979&postcount=8) I really wanted to say “I am fucking Sister Clare” but I realized that could be a double entendre.😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-manhattan-pretty-much-fully-built-up/735166.md?page=2)