A stone marker. That’s all that remains of the Greenwich & Franklin St El 1881. Hidden between floors of a building. A silent testament to a bygone era.
This inconspicuous marker is a small detail. It’s a clue to a much larger story. The story of the Greenwich & Franklin St El 1881. This was part of the Ninth Avenue Elevated Railway or El. It started running in 1868. Its route went from Battery Place all the way to 30th Street. The El was a marvel of engineering. A pioneering feat of transportation technology. It was even nicknamed “the One-Legged Railroad”. Why? Because its initial design was a single track monorail. The El helped New York City to grow rapidly. It also provided a faster way to travel. It sped through the increasingly congested Lower Manhattan streets.
In Greenwich Village the Ninth Avenue Elevated ran along Greenwich Street. Imagine Greenwich Street in the late 19th century. A bustling mix of homes industry and maritime life. A far cry from the quiet street we see today. The 128 Charles Street tenement was built in 1881. It’s right at the corner of Greenwich Street. That’s where you’ll find our stone marker. For passengers on the Ninth Avenue El it was a landmark. It marked the train’s location.
The El had many curves in its path. The most notorious was the “Suicide Curve” at 110th Street. There was a terrible accident in 1905 at 53rd Street. Human error caused two trains to collide. Thirteen people died. Forty-nine were injured. This was the deadliest accident in NYC transit history.
The El’s time eventually came to an end. By the mid-20th century the city wanted to modernize its transit system. The IND 8th Avenue line was built. It was quicker more efficient and underground. The Ninth Avenue El closed in 1940. Most of the line was dismantled. Only fragments remain like our stone marker here at Greenwich & Franklin St El 1881. A lasting echo of a transportation revolution. A reminder of New York City’s past. So next time you’re in Greenwich Village keep your eyes peeled. You might just catch a glimpse of history hidden in plain sight.