The Grid That Made Manhattan (Virtual Program)

Find out how the NYC we know today came to be in this fun & informative session!

Those who live and  work in New York City or even just visit surely notice the very regular grid of numbered streets and  avenues that make it easy to get around much of Manhattan. But for many years after its founding, the city grew in disorganized & organic ways, until the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811 laid out the vision for what it would become today.

Join us for a deep dive into how this new plan was conceived and implemented, and the many traces of the process that impact the city even to the present day. We’ll learn about:

● The ways that NYC grew from prehistory through colonial times
● An eccentric Founding Father who guided the grid plan
● The intrepid surveyor who laid it out
● How in the following decades we both filled in and also changed the grid

And much more! If you are interested in testing your new NYC knowledge, there is even an online quiz you can take afterward.

Led by architect, educator, and experience provider Erik Hodgetts, who loves to share his enthusiasm for the unique story of New York City. Practicing in architecture and interiors in NYC for over 30 years, Erik is also an instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. And as a licensed tour guide, he leads walking tours of city neighborhoods that delve into their hidden histories and sample local foods.

Registration required at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZpBkIUmhSGmIE4Ly2asm4Q