Try the following to start.  Their bibliographies may refer to
letters and other primary sources:

 Frank Monaghan and Marvin Lowenthal, This was New York, the Nation's
Captal in 1789 (Freeport, N.Y., 1970,reprint)
 Thomas E.V. Smith, New York in the Year of Washington's Inauguration,
l789 (Riverside, CT, l972, reprint).


Milton M. Klein                       |   phone: (865) 974-2806
University of Tennessee, Knoxville    |   email: [log in to unmask]



On Mon, 4 Jun 2001, Ruth Piwonka wrote:

>> 4) Does anyone know of any narratives or descriptions or
>letters that
>> would help me in recreating the feel of New-York in those
>years?
>
>** With respect NYC social atmospehre in the mid-to-late 1789s,
>this is interesting.
>
>Hudson Weekly Gazette, 4 Jan 1787
>  CHRISTMAS
>This season, perhaps, affords as great variety in this city, as
>any other --  Some good people religiously observe it as a time
>set apart for a most sacred purpose -- others decently feasting
>with their friends and relatives -- stores shut up -- almost
>all kinds of business suspended -- in several churches divine
>service performed-- the temples dedicated to the service of
>merriment, dissipation and folly, much crouded; where the sons
>of gluttony and drunkenness satiate their respective
>appetites--The scene with these gentry generally concludes
>about mid-night, when they sally forth into the streets, and by
>their unmeaning, wild, extravagant noise, disturb those
>citizens who would rather sleep than get drunk,  The candid
>will acknowledge this to be a just, though cursory, view of the
>holy days in New-York.  ------ Pray how do you like them?
>
>Ruth Piwonka
>Kinderhook
>