1600s

SoHo can be dated back to the 1600s, when six Indian villages were settled there and connected by several trails. The main trail was known as the Weckquaesgeck Trail, which we know today as Broadway. Later on, plantations, roads, and buildings were already in existence within a Dutch settlement, as displayed by the Manatus Map of 1639. Augustus Herman, a Dutchman, bought a large portion of land in the 1660s that included SoHo, but after dying, it was inherited by his brother-in-law, Nicholas Bayard. Bayard became the largest land owner in Manhattan because of this. Some natural landscapes of this time included Bayard Mount’s, Collect Pond, and Lispenard’s Meadow. Later on, Collect Pond became so polluted to the point where a canal was created to remove its waters and then paved over. However, due to a foul smell coming from the canal, it was often referred to as “Canal Street”, as we all know it today.

Manatus Map of 1639
Manatus Map of 1639

1600s (2)

1700s

During the 1700s, not much had changed in this area. It continued to maintain its rural character, mainly because it was surrounded by natural barriers towards the north which slowed northward expansion for the time being. However, in 1775, Broadway was extended north of Canal Street. By then, the area near the intersection of Broadway and Canal Street began to attract manufacturing businesses, which had a great influence on the following century.

1700s

1800s

The 19th century in SoHo can be described as the “elegant period.” By this time, the area was much more residential, inhabited mostly by the wealthy, but eventually by the middle class as well. Lined up along the avenue one could find hotels, theaters, stores, boutiques, casinos, brothels, and much more. This was also where the cobblestone streets came into play so that the horsedrawn carriages could make their way during the evenings carrying ladies in elegant dresses from one destination to the next. Brothels also became popular during this time period, creating the first red-light district in the city. However, after the Civil War, people began moving uptown, while textile industries, small firms, and inexpensive clothing outlets settled in SoHo, where many have remained even to the present moment.

Tiffany and Co.
Tiffany and Co.
1800s (2)
Red Light District

1900s

Although many moved upwards, by the 1950s a different type of people moved back into the area.  They were mainly artists who needed a cheap and spacious place to live. So, they moved into lofts that were once occupied by industries and turned them into homes or art studios. These people lived in the lofts illegally because the city wanted to maintain SoHo as an industrial space. However, in 1971 the city gave up on this request and living in lofts became legalized.

1900s (1)

Meanwhile, during the 1950s, the city proposed a plan to construct the Lower Manhattan Expressway which would go directly through SoHo and remove the inhabitants not only from their homes and jobs, but from the area as a whole. The expressway was meant to ease the traffic that goes from either the Williamsburg or Manhattan Bridge to the Westside Highway or the Holland Tunnel. But, with the help of protests conducted by preservationists, historians, residents, and many others, the plan was cancelled. Furthermore, in 1973, SoHo – Cast Iron District was declared a national historic district.

Plan for the LOMEX

2000s

Today, SoHo is located within the boundaries of Houston Street in the north, Canal Street in the south, Crosby Street on the east side, and West Broadway on the west. It is still the home of many artists, as well as celebrities, because the lofts and apartments are now much more luxurious and expensive. Gentrification has been taking over the area, threatening the city’s attempt to preserve its historically famous cast iron buildings and original commercial area. However, it’s important to note that the main reason as to why there is gentrification to begin with is due to the rapid increase in price within the area, forcing authentic stores and restaurants to close their doors. There’s a major issue that SoHo is currently facing, which is whether it should remain as historic as possible or keep up with the latest trends of today’s modern society. The strong contrast leads New Yorkers, as well as the rest of the world, to wonder what the future of SoHo will be like (that is if there is a future for it).

2000s