Along with Prince Street, which it “becomes” once it crosses 6th Avenue, Charlton Street is a remnant of British rule in NYC; it is named for British physician Dr. John Charlton, who arrived with the British army in 1762, but later sided with US patriots. He treated Chief Justice John Jay.
On the west side of 6th Avenue between Charlton and King Street is perhaps NYC’s smallest public park space, Charlton Plaza. The .04 acre space was created when 6th Avenue was extended south from Carmine Street to Church Street when the IND Subway began construction in 1928. A number of small streets were absorbed into 6th Avenue, and small public plazas were created along the route; Charlton Plaza is one of these.
The City acquired this wedge-shaped small space in 1959 and transferred to the Parks Department in 1965; it acquired its name in 1996.
More in the Charlton-King-Vandam Landmarked District
12/10/15
1 comment
I have been living in France with my Queens-born wife for the last 20 yrs, but was a New Yorker for 40 years. I lived on the following Manhattan streets: Gold, Ferry, Henry, Monroe, Pike Slip, Greenwich, Broome, Chrystie, Broadway & Canal, E 72, E 90 and on Union St, Brooklyn until I was evicted or had to move due increased rents, gentrification or outright destruction. Several of these streets have gone under the ball and the bulldozer, like Gold & Ferry, replaced by the awful Brooklyn Bridge SW Project. It was a heartbreak and the gentrification of the city made life as an artist (not rich) impossible. I couldn’t consider moving to Hackensack or Union City and chose to move to France, where things don’t change as fast, though the French do built horrors too. I have many and precise memories of the NYC places where I lived, and many photographs which were exhibited or published.
Keep up the good work and have a happy new Year!