Sometimes I’m actually glad that New York is a relatively young city. In just about 400 years, so much has happened here that the more you learn, the more you realize how little you really know. 😄
Manhattan’s history moved at such an incredible pace that the city has preserved almost no traces of New Amsterdam — or even of the early 19th century. Eras shifted, streets were rebuilt, and old buildings disappeared as new ones took their place.
But there are rare exceptions. A small fragment of a street lined with townhouses has survived to this day, showing not only some of the oldest residential buildings in Manhattan, but also what New York’s most prestigious housing looked like two centuries ago.
New York in the 1830s
Imagine the early 1830s. Fifth Avenue didn’t yet exist as an elite boulevard. Central Park wasn’t even a concept. The Upper East Side was a patchwork of farms.
And it was during this time that LaGrange Terrace appeared — nine Greek Revival–style townhouses, each containing 26 rooms.
These were among the first homes in New York to feature indoor plumbing: hot and cold running water, as well as private toilets. The area was considered one of the most fashionable in the city, and remained so for many decades.
It’s no surprise that the wealthiest and most influential families of the era lived here: the Vanderbilts, the Astors, the wife of President John Tyler, the grandfather of Theodore Roosevelt, and relatives of Edwin Morgan, former governor of New York.
From LaGrange Terrace to Colonnade Row
LaGrange Terrace — or, as it is known today, Colonnade Row — was originally a unified set of nine townhouses built in the 1830s. Sadly, only four have survived.
In photos, the structure may look like one large building, but a closer look at the multiple front doors reveals its original form as individual townhouses.
The surviving buildings — 428, 430, 432, and 434 Lafayette Street — became some of the first landmarks officially protected in 1965, when New York City began its historic preservation program.
📍 Colonnade Row — 432 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003
