There are periods in the history of a city when things changes so fast that after only 2 decades the place is unrecognizable. The early 19th. century was this kind of period for New York City. In 20 years, the population doubled, the economical activity was blooming, the grid dramatically changed the landscape and overall the place of the city in the world changed.
A paramount figure of that time was John Jacob Astor. He started his commercial endeavor in the city in the fur trade. The first great real estate broker of NYC, he bought most of the empty parcels of land north of the city in order to resell them for a considerable profit. He was also a kind of visionary. Betting on the fact that the city would grow enough in his life time that he could sell all his holdings, he managed to participate to the first real estate boom NY faced.
Another pivotal figure was DeWitt Clinton who is responsible for the first two mega projects that would make way for the future of the city. As early as 1800, the city had this visionary energy. People saw opportunities at every corner and took them. The only limit was the one’s own imagination. The turn of the century seemed to promise a city forever growing, expanding and prospering. Clinton’s implementation of the grid and construction of the Erie Canal added up to that spirit.
Surely the most important New Yorker of that time, Alexander Hamilton paved the way for New York to become the great city it is and for Astor and Clinton to prosper. At the fragile age of 18, Hamilton was already a successful business man. He is the emblematic figure for self-made men. He educated himself in philosophy, military strategy and law among others. With his economical power and his brilliance he succeeded in making a name for himself in politics. Like many New Yorkers after him, economical involvement resulted in political involvement. He over saw the future if the city as a place of manufacturing and industry and most importantly as a place of social fluidity. His vision and his hard working changed NY forever. Nevertheless, because of his tremendous power he made enough enemies to be forced to retire outside of the city. From there he continued to be influential but he felt he was not anymore the central figure he wished to be. The end of his life was not rewarding compared with the influence he had on the history of the city and of America. in this sense he wrote to a friend before dieing in the infamous duel: “Mine is an odd destiny”.