A relevant primary document is "Description of ye Towne of Mannadens in
New Netherland, as it was in Sept. 1661," in J. Franklin Jameson, ed.,
Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 (New York: Scribner's Sons,
1909), 421-423. The Heere Gracht (or "the Ditch"), crossed by three low
bridges, allowed unmasted boats to float at high tide "almost through ye
towne."The most convenient overall source for primary and secondary
materials on the ditch is Stokes, Iconography of Manhattan Island
(1922); check the index in volume six.

The so-called "Spier Map" refered to below is actually a modern
redrawing of the original 1660 map by surveyor Jacques Cortelyou
(generally refered to as the "Castello Plan"), which was first printed
and abundantly discussed in Stokes' Iconography.


Automatic digest processor wrote:

>
>  1. The canal of "Canal Street" (2)
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date:    Fri, 22 Mar 2002 15:50:47 -0500
>From:    EGB <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: The canal of "Canal Street"
>
>>From your description, I'd say you are confusing the canal that ran up
>modern Broad Street with the one dug in the early 19th c. to drain the Fresh
>Water pond (subsequently covered by modern Canal Street). That may explain
>why your sources seem contradictory.
>
>Edwin G. Burrows
>Department of History
>Brooklyn College
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State
>>history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Phil Lord
>>Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 9:50 AM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: The canal of "Canal Street"
>>
>>
>>I am trying to get focused on this "canal" and am finding
>>ambiguous or contradictory data in the literature.
>>
>>My understanding, thus far, is that is was a dead-end slip, dug
>>in the mid-1600s, to allow ships into New Amsterdam from the
>>harbor. It did not cut through from river to river, and was
>>filled in in the late 1600s.
>>
>>If anyone has any primary sources or better insights, I would
>>appreciate hearing from you.
>>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date:    Fri, 22 Mar 2002 15:54:15 -0500
>From:    Patricia Tidmarsh <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: The canal of "Canal Street"
>
>Trust an expert will have better information.  The contemporary Canal
>Street which goes from the Hudson to the East River is quite far above
>Nieuw Amsterdam.
>
>The Spier Map shows the canal which went up Prince Street, (later Broad
>Street) but it doesnt look like it would be big enough for ships
>
>http://www.teachout.org/vna/map.html
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of NYHIST-L Digest - 22 Mar 2002 to 25 Mar 2002 (#2002-40)
>**************************************************************
>