part of the essential architecture network

Foley Square was built over the infamous Five Points neighbourhood.

History of the site as it relates to Irish Americans

The Five Points circa 1879

The courthouse and Square were built over the Five Points section of New York infamous for its Irish Gangs. It is situated between the residential communities of Chinatown, Little Italy and the Foley Square civic precinct. "Before the Five Points, there was a little part of Manhattan called the Collect that became home to many breweries, and tanneries because the pond was a major source of fresh water. Eventually, though, the pond grew too polluted for use, and was filled in 1803. The recovered, waterlogged land, was used to build a massive prison called the Tombs in 1838."¹ The Five Points built in this area was geometrically named in the 1830’s from intersection of five streets: Mulberry, Anthony (now Worth Street), Cross (now Park), Orange (now Baxter), and Little Water Street (no longer exists). The land was unsuitable at the time for large buildings due to its marshy unstaible geology. "In the 19th century, the area around Foley Square was known as Five Points and was one of Manhattan's worst neighborhoods. The residents of Five Points were among the city's poorest and the living conditions were deplorable. Additionally, the area was home to some of the most offensive industries in the city, including the livestock slaughterhouses and bone crushing factories. Archeologists working in this area have located remnants of kitchen utensils, butchery and tanning tools. Bricks from an earlier seventeenth century Dutch community have also been found. As the neighborhood was transformed at the turn of the century the majority of buildings were demolished. As the new century emerged the area assumed a new identity and character defined by the dignified and architecturally important buildings for the courthouses and federal buildings for which Foley Square is known today."²

The Five Points is a whole bit of important Irish American History that every Irish American should be aware of. It was a tenement for those new arrivals in this great country. It was a slum like none we know of today. People there were so poor that for a cheap sum they could have a drink from a barrell where all the dredge from the bottom of glasses and bottles of any and all alcholic beverages were emptied. This concoction was known as "Allsorts". Driven into it were the Irish "lowlifes" that arrive fresh from their homeland. Later it was also the home to Afro-Americans. It was the home to the precursers of todays gangs. I is now imortalized in the movie "Gangs of New York". Prior to watching the movie I had done much reading on the Five Points.

The Five Points in 1902

On the above map you can see Paradise Park in which much blood was shed and the historic Five Point Mission were Ministers tried to bring God back in to the life of all denominations that lived there.

Charles Dickens wrote of the Five Points: "This is the place: these narrow ways diverging to the right and left, and reeking every where with dirt and filth. Such lives as are led here, bear the same fruit here as elsewhere. The coarse and bloated faces at the doors have counterparts at home and all the wide world over. Debauchery has made the very houses prematurely old. See how the rotten beams are tumbling down, and how the patched and broken windows seem to scowl dimly, like eyes that have been hurt in drunken frays. Many of these pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours? and why they talk instead of grunting?"³

A detailed map located here

During the Civil War there was much unrest among the immigrants as they lost their sons in a war they could not comprehend. They resented the Afro Americans and blamed them partially for the war. A rich man could buy out of the draft for $300 and the immigrants resented them as well which led up to the Draft Riots.

Archeologists unearthed thousand of artifacts from the Five Points around Foley Square. The Foley Courthouse was completed in 1994 and is a grand building that bears our name. The site is also the location of an 18th century African-American burial ground, which has been excavated and is memorialized in the building. As an archeology fan, It seems a shame that progress takes history from us but that is society.