1889 Hering Map of the Greenwich Village, New York City

This is an 1889 Rudolph Hering map of Greenwich Village in New York City illustrating the drainage area of Minetta Brook or Creek. Depicting from 16th Street south to Great Jones Street and from Bleecker Street east to Fourth Avenue, a solid red line delineates the drainage area. Green areas are grass or other pervious surfaces, and sewers are illustrated by parallel dashed lines. Single dashed lines mark the neighborhood's elevation above tide, which is between twenty feet and thirty-five feet. The map also provides information concerning the neighborhood's population and the area of roofs, pavements, and grass within its 221.7 acres.

Minetta Brook

Minetta Brook, also known as Minetta Creek along with a few other names, was one of Manhattan's largest natural waterways. Its course stretched nearly two miles and was fed by two tributaries. These originated at Fifth Avenue and 21st Street and Sixth Avenue and 16th Street, respectively. The brook was famous for its abundance of trout during the early colonial period and was a favorite fishing location of Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. The city moved the stream underground in the 1820s by leveling the hills to the east of the brook and then filling it in. Today, Minetta Brook is a source of some controversy, as there are people that believe the brook is still running beneath Manhattan's streets, while others state that the water, while still around, has been diverted into storm drains and other sewers.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by Rudolph Hering for a report to General John Newton in 1889. This is the only known cataloged example.