BEFORE 1928 6th Avenue went only as far south as Minetta and Carmine Streets in the center of Greenwich Village, and was mostly covered by an elevated train north of west 3rd Street. However, the IND Subway, now the A, C and E trains, was built along Church Street and required a right of way between Franklin and Carmine Streets. Enter 6th Avenue, which traffic engineers (before Robert Moses took power) extended south, giving both autos and subway trains a new route uptown.
The extension obliterated streets in 6th Avenue’s path such as Hancock Street, Clark Street, Cottage Place and other streets, and also shortened others, such as Macdougal Street, which formerly began at Spring Street and ran uptown to West 8th. Here, at 6th Avenue and Prince Street, you can get a glimpse of what was formerly Macdougal but is now part of 6th. The extension produced a triangle, now called Father Fagan Park, named for a young priest at nearby St. Anthony’s Church. Fr. Fagan died heroically while rescuing two other priests in a fire at the church on November 4, 1938.
Some day I would like to do a more in-depth look at those small streets eliminated by the subway extension. For now, be aware that that oddly slanted section of 6th Avenue that contains #188 through #200 6th, including #192 and 196 shown here, used to be part of Macdougal Street and carried different house numbers. Today, Macdougal Street house numbering begins at #34, not #1!
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3/21/22
6 comments
I used to live at 135 Macdougal.I remember watchig Joe Butler of the Lovin’ Spoonful roller skating in a
light rain. I wish we could all go back.
My father was born at 22 1/2 McDougal I wish I had a picture of
it
An interesting spot which I must traverse when visiting Denny Daniel’s Secret Speakeasy parties at his Museum of Interesting Things. The butt end of Macdougal at an odd angle to 6th Ave.
That’s great. I lived on carmine 83-08. Have known the neighborhood since the 50’s. Enjoy your site. Thank you.
Some spell it Macdougal and some MacDougal. Which is official? I’ve always known it with small d but am seeing mostly D these days.
All small, just cap M, Macdougal