Seneca Village Research Paper

Smack in the center of New York City — in the confines of Central Park — there are ghostly vestiges of a 19th century neighborhood that once was vibrant and thriving but now is largely forgotten: Seneca Village. No one knows that this prestigious and fancy park that sits in the middle of Manhattan New York City, central park, has such a repugnant history, also one that needs to be told. Seneca village, whose name suggests a Native American influence, arose when free, emancipated and escaped blacks bought property in the area in 1825-1857. Moreover, the 1800s played a major role in the history of Seneca village because during this period, people opinions and sentiments about slavery started to change. In New York for instance, slavery was …show more content…
Compared to other villages, Seneca village was complete because its residents could worship, educated their children, and be buried within their own territory, and that was why the village was far-advanced. In addition, churches and schools were the most vital tools for a village development, and many other villages could not possess the two at their own territory. Villages had to corporate with others to profit from one another, but not Seneca village. In fact, they all were cognizant of Seneca village great advancement, even partaken in the village activities. With all that said, because a village of blacks, were able to accomplish such progress bring grandeur to the free and escaped blacks who, although they owned a lot of property, were themselves still considered as …show more content…
You can stroll around the area that was once Seneca Village by entering Central Park through Mariners' Gate at 85th Street and Central Park West. This idea of a park in New York City was being promulgated all around the city where many felt for New York to be fulfilled, there has to be a large park. A passage from The Commercial Advertiser gives a flavor of the prevailing sentiment: ''Give us a park, be it central, or sidelong, here, there, anywhere . . . a real park, a large park.'' It was Robert Bowne Minturn and his wife donated land for the establishment of New York's Central Park, having been inspired by the beauty of foreign cities and their parks, as seen during his family's trip abroad in 1848-49. And he arrived to convince the mayor that a park is what will make for the beauty of New York City. And in result, Seneca village which was in the way for the enlargement of central park was destroyed where many were evicted out of their homes under the ‘public domain enhancement