GOLD STREET

It’s a small street nestled squarely within the dizzying maze of the Financial District, which predates the grid system and has plenty of narrow alleyways and quirky side streets to delight visiting tourists and jaded bankers alike. But besides its obvious connection to the great wealth of The New York Stock Exchange, there’s a lot more to Gold Street’s history than stacked bars and major coinage. In fact, just north of Maiden Lane was Golden Hill, so named for the wheat that flourished there and waved its grains to those arriving on the East River harbor beyond, a seemingly auspicious harbinger for what would eventually become the thriving financial center of North America. Today, Gold Street is enjoying the energy and excitement of the many new venues and residents flooding into the South Street Seaport and World Trade Center-adjacent area. The hill is no longer there, but the literal and figurative heritage is truly rich indeed.