The South Street Seaport in New York is a place of great cultural significance. It is located in the suburb of Manhattan in New York City, and the neighbors of the popular financial district. The South Street Seaport is home to some of the oldest architecture in the city, and is also home to some of the oldest buildings in town.
Many of the buildings have been restored, but were originally built in the early 19th century and are still in use to this day. The location is known for its excellent tourist attractions and a particularly good view of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The South Street Seaport Museum got its start in 1967. The original creators of the museum were Peter and Norma Stanford. Their original plan was to create the museum as a historical site that the working conditions of the early years of New York City celebrates the seaport, mainly 1820-1860. In 1998, Congress ruled the South Street Seaport Museum is one of a number of different museums, which together are "America's National Maritime Museum." Many of the pieces from the museum were actually used during the heyday of the South Street Seaport, and restored. It is home to more than 30,000 square feet of space used for exhibitions and educational conferences. It is also home to the world's largest privately owned collection of historic ships.
Some of the more popular are the oldest vessels in their possession, the Pioneer, a schooner from 1885 and Ambrose, which was a 1908 lightship. The latest ship, that their collection is the Marion M, who used it in 1932 as a water sports shop lighter.
Because the vessels are restored, under optimal weather conditions, they are used for the public to participate in the water, and a feeling for how the boat handled when they were used to get, and exactly how they operate.
While the South Street Seaport never a major role in the economy of New York is always one of the most popular locations for tourists and visitors. There is so much history and so much information in the museum. They were able to put together a huge collection of historic ships, documents and tools that were used to help to bring items into the port in the 19th century. The museum was not taken seriously as a tourist attraction until 1982, when renovation and redevelopment began on the site. During the redevelopment, they added a number of modern shopping and nightlife attractions for tourists to convince them to come down to the location and what it had to offer to see. The location is accessible from a number of New York City bus lines, and can also be reached by water taxi.
The South Street Seaport may not have played all the major a role in the development of the city, but it has become an iconic location for historical information and preservation.