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85 Broad Street Description

This is totally cool: An archeology exhibit right out in the open and under your feet. A must-see in lower Manhattan. The exhibit is outside on the plaza of 85 Broad Street, which sits smack dab in the middle of the original route of Stone Street. The building was built for Goldman Sachs and, during construction, the ancient walls of the circa 1667 Love Lace Tavern were unearthed. They also found remnants of The Stadt Huys or The Dutch City Hall dating back to 1641, the largest public building of its time. When these buildings were constructed, they were on waterfront property and New York City was under Dutch Rule and called New Amsterdam. These findings are covered with glass and are located on the South East side of the building not far from the Stone Street Historic District. Also on display is an 18th-century well that was uncovered during the excavation and which was used to provide water for the entire city block. Be sure to check out our other Lower Manhattan vacation ideas.

Kid Tips

School-Age Kids: This is a good place for tired kids to get some rest, the large plaza has lots of benches and shade trees and something interesting to look at. Parents can sit back and look at the mix of historic buildings and commercial high-rises surrounding you and try to imagine what these two buildings may have been like in the 17th Century.

Planning Notes

Read more about it. Make sure to read the big brass informational plaque that explains exactly what you are looking at in the exhibit.

Brick by brick. While there look for the different colored bricks in the plaza, they are part of the exhibit. The cream colored pavers show the street location of the Stadt Huys and the gray ones show the adjacent outline of the LoveLace Tavern. You may notice some bricks edged with gray stone that seem to disappear inside the office building, these are the original bricks and the original route of Stone Street. They do go right through the lobby at 85 Broad Street and if you ask at the security desk they will usually let you follow them through the building to the other side.

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