CHAPTERII.—CITIES AND TOWNS.Albanyis the seat of government for the state of New York, and is situated on the west side of Hudson’s river, one hundred and forty-four miles from the city of New York, to which it is next in rank. This city is unrivalled for situation, being nearly at the head of sloop navigation, on one of the noblest rivers in the world. It enjoys a pure air, and is the natural emporium of the increasing trade of a large extent of country west and north. In the old part of the town, the streets are very narrow, and the houses mean, being all built in the Dutch taste, with the gable end towards the street, and ornamented, or rather disfigured, on the top with large iron weathercocks; but in that part which has been more recently erected, the streets are commodious, and many of the houses are handsome.Albany.The Capitol stands on an elevation at the end of the main street, and presents a fine appearance. It is a fine stone edifice, with an Ionic portico in front, supported by columns thirty-three feet in height. The public square adjacent is adorned with beautiful walks and avenues.The Farmers’ and Mechanics’ bank and the Albany bank, both at the foot of State street, are both of white marble, and are handsome buildings. There are about sixteen churches in this city. Albany has received more permanent and evident advantages from the canals than any other place in the state. Since 1825, the population has increased from fifteen thousand nine hundred and seventy-one to 33,627. The first settlement at Albany was made about 1614, when a stockade was built on a spot just below the steam-boat dock. The charter of the city was granted in 1686, a few months before that of New York. The city and township are a mile in breadth, and extend thirteen miles along the river. The neighborhood of Albany abounds in pleasant villages.Alexandriais a city and port of entry in the district of Columbia, on the west bank of the Potomac, six miles below Washington. It is a place of some business and resort during the session of Congress, and contains some fine buildings. Of late, Alexandria has not much increased, notwithstanding it enjoys good commercial advantages. This city is regularly built, and has good streets, well paved and clean. The trade is chiefly in flour. Population about eight thousand four hundred and sixty-two.Amherstis a town of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, ninety-one miles west of Boston. It is the seat of a college which was incorporated in 1821, with the title of Amherst College. This seminary has professors and tutors. Amherst is the seat also of an academy, and a school called the Mount Pleasant Institution. Population, two thousand four hundred and fifteen.Amherst College.Annapolis, the capital of Anne Arundel county, and the seat of the government of Maryland, is situated at the mouth of the Severn river, about two miles from its entrance into Chesapeak bay, thirty miles south of Baltimore, and forty north-east of the city of Washington. It is a place of little note in the commercial world; but being in a pleasant situation, and commanding a beautiful prospect of the Chesapeak, and the shore on the other side of the bay, it is a very pleasant residence. The houses are built of brick, and for the most part large and elegant, denoting great wealth. The state house is one of the most superb structures in the United States. Here is the seat of the University of Maryland. Population two thousand six hundred and twenty-three.Augusta, capital of Maine, stands on the west branch of the Kennebec river, two miles above Hallowell. It is a pleasant town, and contains some neat public buildings. The new state house is built of granite, and is a very handsome edifice. It contains a spacious hall for the house of representatives, and two smaller ones for the senate and the council. On the side of the river opposite to the state house is the United States Arsenal, consisting of about a dozen buildings of stone, some of which are largeand handsome. This place has considerable trade, and the river below is navigable for vessels of one hundred tons. Population 5,314.Augusta, capital of the state of Georgia, stands on the south-west bank of the river Savannah, about one hundred and forty miles from the sea. It is regularly built of brick upon a level spot, and surrounded by a fertile country. It has a good trade in cotton, and other productions of the interior. Population, six thousand three hundred and forty-one.Baltimoreis a large city, standing on the north side of the river Patapsco, in Maryland. The basin on which it stands has only five or six feet water at high tide, so that the city can be approached only by small vessels. For large ships, the harbor is at some distance, at a place called Fell’s point, where wharves have been built, along side which vessels of six hundred tons burden can lie with perfect safety. Numbers of persons have been induced to settle on this point on account of the shipping; and regular streets have been laid out, with a large market-place. But though these buildings, generally speaking, are considered as part of Baltimore, yet they are a mile distant from the other part of the town.The city is the chief commercial mart for the country upon Chesapeak bay and its waters. It is finely situated, and regularly built, in great part of brick; the public buildings and monuments indicate great enterprise and opulence.Baltimore was laid out in 1729, on an area of sixty acres, purchased at forty shillings per acre, and partly paid for in tobacco at a penny a pound. Its progress was slow and unpromising; and in 1752 it contained but twenty-five houses. With its population of more than eighty thousand, it may now be considered the third or fourth city in the union. According to its re-charter in 1816, Baltimore now includes ten thousand acres, and contains a lunatic asylum, three theatres, an exchange, a public library, and forty-five churches.The Cathedral is built after the Ionic order, on a plan drawn by the celebrated architect Latrobe. Its width is one hundred and seventy-seven, its length one hundred and ninety, and its height to the summit of the cross surmounting the dome, is one hundred and twenty-seven feet. It contains several fine paintings, and the largest organ in the United States. The Merchants’ Exchange, built by private subscription for the accommodation of the citizens, is a spacious and splendid edifice.The Battle Monument is an elegant marble structure, fifty-five feet high, erected in memory of those who fell in defence of the city on the twelfth and thirteenth of September, 1814. The Washington Monument is built of white marble, on an elevation in the north part of the city; it is one hundred and sixty-three feet high, and on its summit is placed a colossal statue of Washington. This monument is embellished with bas-reliefs, and other decorations.Battle Monument, Baltimore.Baltimore is the greatest flour market in the United States. In its immediate neighborhood, are above sixty flour mills, a single one of which has produced thirty-two thousand barrels in a year. Within the same compass are numerous manufactories of cotton, cloth, powder, paper, iron, glass, steam engines, and other articles. The Baltimore and Ohio rail-road extends a distance of three hundred miles, from this city to the Ohio river at Pittsburgh. The Baltimore and Susquehanna rail-road is toextend seventy-six miles to York in Pennsylvania. The Chesapeak and Ohio canal, of the proposed length of three hundred and forty-one miles was commenced in 1828.The population of Baltimore is one hundred and two thousand three hundred andthirteen.60Bangoris a flourishing town of Penobscot county, Maine, situated thirty-five miles above Castine. It is built upon the banks of the rivers Kenduskeag and Penobscot. The increase of this town within a few years has been very surprising. Building-lots near the centre of the town, that in 1832 were held at three hundred dollars, are now valued at eight hundred or a thousand. Woodlands at three, four, or five miles distance, that were then sold at five, seven, or ten dollars the acre, are now selling from twenty to fifty. Rents and all marketable commodities are proportionably high.‘Bangor,’ says a correspondent of the Portland Advertiser, ‘has much the appearance of a hundred villages springing up on the non-slave-holding side of the Ohio, with this difference, that the buildings there are chiefly of wood, cheaply built, and hastily thrown up; and here they are fine blocks of brick with granite fronts, or handsome white houses that would do credit to any estate in Virginia or Carolina. I do not remember seeing what can be called a miserable house in Bangor. The Exchange is a building that would do credit to many of our large cities. The churches are numerous, and often elegantly built. Already they are numerous enough for a city; and it is such a spectacle that distinguishes New England; for no where, not even in the middle states, are such churches, and so numerous to be seen, as any village in New England of any size can exhibit.’The water power in this vicinity is said to be superior to that of any town in the United States. Its present great source of wealth is the lumber business, which has been carried on to a very great extent. Thirty years ago, Bangor was a wilderness; according to the last census, its population was eight thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.Bath, a town of Maine, on the west side of the Kennebec, twelve miles from the sea, is at the head of the winter navigation; is pleasantly situated,and has great advantages for commerce. Ship-building is carried on here to a large extent; and in 1827 the value of the shipping of Bath was a million of dollars. This town is almost isolated by some of the numerous arms of the sea which penetrate that part of the coast. Population, five thousand one hundred and forty-one.Baton Rouge, a beautiful village on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, one hundred and fifty miles above New Orleans, is the capital of a parish of the same name in the eastern district of Louisiana. It is a small town, situated on the last bluff that is seen on descending the river, and about thirty or forty feet above its highest overflow. The village is tolerably compact, and the United States’ barracks are built in a very handsome style. ‘The town itself,’ saysMr.Flint, ‘especially in the months when the greatest verdure prevails, when seen from a steam-boat in the river, rising with such a fine swell from the banks, and with its singularly shaped French and Spanish houses, and its green square, looks like a finely painted landscape.’ Population, two thousand eight hundred and sixty.Beaufort, principal town of Beaufort district, South Carolina, situated on the western bank of Port Royal river, is a pleasant and healthy place, containing a college, three churches, and seven thousand six hundred and eighty-seven inhabitants. Its harbour is spacious.Belfast, the capital of Waldo county, Maine, has a fine situation and good harbor, and is a flourishing town. It is twelve miles north-west of Castine, from which it is separated by Penobscot river. Its coasting trade is very considerable. Population, four thousand one hundred and ninety four.Benningtonis the chief town of the county of the same name in Vermont. It is situated at the foot of the Green mountains, near the south-west corner of the state. It has several manufactories, and a marble quarry, and is celebrated for two victories of General Stark, over the British, in 1777. It is the largest and oldest town in the state, having been chartered by Governor Wentworth in 1749, and first settled by the Separatists under Robinson in 1761. Population, two thousand six hundred and seventy-one.Bethlehem, in Albany county, New York, includes much rich alluvial land near Hudson river, inhabited by descendants of early Dutch settlers. It contains several caverns. Population, 3209.Bethlehem, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, is situated on a fine acclivity rising from the Lehigh river. It was founded in 1741 by the United Brethren, or Moravians, under Count Zinzendorf. The same order still retain the ownership, and have established here a seminary of considerable note for female education. The houses are neat and substantial. There is but one place of public worship, in which service is performed in English and German. The situation of this village is remarkably picturesque and romantic. There are ten other towns of this name in the United States. Population, two thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine.Beverly, town in Essex county, Massachusetts, is a seaport, and connected with Salem by a bridge. It was formerly a part of Salem. It is pleasantly situated, and is largely engaged in the fisheries and in commerce. Population, four thousand six hundred and eighty-six.Blakelyis a seaport of Baldwin county, Alabama, on the Tensa, a branchof the Mobile. It was founded in 1816, and is a flourishing place. Its situation is healthy, and it has a commodious harbor.Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, and the chief city of New England, is situated at the head of Massachusetts bay, on a peninsula of an uneven surface, about a mile in width, and nearly three miles long. Its original Indian name was Shawmut, and it was afterwards called Trimountain; its present name was given in honor of theRev.John Cotton, one of its earliest pastors, who emigrated from Boston in Lincolnshire, England. In the older parts of the city, the streets are crooked, narrow, and intricate; laid out with no reference to beauty or order. The more recent streets are wider, straight, and regular; with edifices of great elegance and large dimensions. The avenues leading into the adjacent country are the natural isthmus which connects the city with Roxbury, the mill dam, six bridges and three rail-roads. There is also a ferry between Boston and Chelsea, with steamboats for the conveyance of foot passengers and carriages. Of the bridges, four are thrown over Charles river, connecting the capital with Cambridge and Charlestown, and two unite it with South Boston.The harbor has been before described. It is dotted with numerous islands, and affords ample accommodation for a fleet of five hundred sail. The approach to the city from the sea is highly picturesque and beautiful. The wharves and piers are ample, covered with spacious stores of brick and granite, and presenting as great conveniences for the transaction of business as are to be found in the world.The local divisions of Boston are into North Boston, West Boston, South End, and South Boston. To these we may now add East Boston, comprehending what was formerly called Noddle’s Island, a tract of about six hundred acres, purchased by a company in 1832 for the purpose of extending the city in that direction. The Common is a beautiful promenade at the west end of the city, containing an extent of nearly fifty acres, agreeably varied by small eminences, the most prominent of which still exhibits the vestiges of a fortification thrown up by the British soldiers during the revolution. A little north of this mound is a small sheet of fresh water. This spacious green is surrounded by malls, lined with magnificent elms. On three sides are rows of fine private dwelling-houses, including some of the most elegant mansions in the city.On an eminence overlooking the common stands the State House; a conspicuous and striking edifice, the view from whose dome is most interesting and extensive. The broad harbor with its green and picturesque islands, the adjacent country covered by pleasant villages, and with a pleasing alternation of hill and valley, interspersed with orchards and woodland—and at its base, the avenues of a crowded and busy city, form a combination of beauty that cannot fail to delight every beholder. Beyond the islands of the bay, the eye stretches eastward to the waters of the ocean; and to the north lies Charlestown with the navy-yard, and the monument erecting and soon to be completed on Bunker hill. To the west is a view of Cambridge, with the various edifices attached to the university. The state house was erected about thirty-eight years since. It is of an oblong form, one hundred and seventy-three feet front, and sixty-one deep; a dome thirty-five feet in height and fifty-two feet diameter, surmountsthe edifice, and the whole terminates with a circular lantern twenty-five feet high. The basement story is ornamented with rows of Doric pillars; in an open chamber projected from the north centre of this story is placed Chantry’s noble statue of Washington. This building contains the usual accommodation for the various offices of state, besides the senate chamber, council chamber and representatives’ hall.Faneuil Hall is famous in American annals. It is a building of good proportions, and convenient size, though of no great architectural pretensions; its history is sacred to the spirit of eloquence, courage and patriotism. The building has a cupola which presents a good view of the harbor; the great hall is nearly eighty feet square, and about twenty-eight feet high. It is decorated with an original full length painting of Washington, by Stuart, and another of the same size by Colonel Sargent, representingMr.Faneuil, the noble donor of the edifice. Faneuil Hall Market is situated to the east of Faneuil hall. It is a splendid building of granite, five hundred and thirty-five feet and nine inches in length. The basement story is occupied by market stalls; on the second floor is a spacious hall, used for public assemblies and caucuses, called Quincy Hall, in honor of the distinguished gentleman in whose mayoralty the edifice was projected and built.The City Hall, formerly known as the old state house, was built in nearly its present form in the year 1747. It stands at the head of State street, and on the line of Washington street, the principal avenue of the city. In this building are the post office, the marine news room, and the merchants’ exchange; from this there is a winding stair-case leading to the hall of the common council, and that of the mayor and aldermentogether with various public offices connected with the city administration. Other public buildings, of great beauty to the city, are the old U. S. Branch Bank, and the Masonic Temple. The latter building fronts on the common; it is of the Gothic order.City Hall.King’s Chapel.One of the most interesting of the churches of the city is that known as the King’s Chapel. Its exterior is plain, and in appearance it is unfinished being built entirely of unhammered stone. It was first opened for divine service in 1754. The tower is ornamented by a colonnade of large wooden pillars, and the whole presents the appearance of massy grandeur suited to distinguish in former days the place of worship for the public functionaries. In the interior, the governor’s pew was formerly distinguished above the rest, but was taken down a few years since. The style of architecture is of the Corinthian order. There are several monumental marbles, which add to the interest with which the church is visited. It is now the only house in which the old fashion of square pews is retained. Brattle street church is interesting from historical associations. Governors Hancock and Bowdoin were liberal benefactors of this society. The name of the former was inscribed on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the building. The British soldiery defaced it, and the stone remains in the condition in which they left it. A similar inscription, unmutilated, appears on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the tower; and on one in the north-west corner, the name ofDr.John Greenleaf appears, who, withGov.Bowdoin, advanced the money for refitting the church, it having been improved as a barrack, during the siege. A shot, which was sent from the American army at Cambridge,struck the tower on the night preceding the evacuation of the town. It was picked up and preserved, and is now fastened in the spot where it struck. General Gage’s head quarters were in the house opposite. Trinity church in Summer street is a beautiful granite edifice, built in 1829. It is one of the chief architectural ornaments of the city; and for beauty of proportion, strength and solidity, is perhaps unsurpassed in this country. The number of worshipping assemblies in this city is between fifty and sixty.Trinity Church.The places of public amusement in Boston are not numerous, nor remarkably well patronized. The Tremont theatre affords the only dramatic entertainment that is much resorted to by strangers and people of fashion. It is a handsome building, with a front of Quincy and Hallowell granite. This front is in imitation of the Ionic order, with four pilasters and two antœs, one on each angle, supporting an entablature and pediment, and elevated on a basement seventeen feet. The Warren theatre is a minor establishment, and is much frequented. The New England Museum attracts numerous visitors.Of the hotels of Boston, we can only particularly mention the Tremont House, a splendid building, in the pleasantest quarter of the city, and esteemed the best house in the country. ‘Most gratifying is it to a traveller in the United States,’ says a recent tourist, ‘when, sick to death of the discomforts of the road, he finds himself fairly housed in the Tremont hotel. The establishment is on a large scale, and admirably conducted.’ This stintedapprobation is one of the few tokens of satisfaction thatMr.Hamilton gives in his unsparing though witty and entertaining volumes; it is not the less acceptable, because it is extorted.Tremont House.In the year 1841, there were thirty-one banks in the city, which employed a capital of twenty millions one hundred thousand dollars. The increase, of course, has been in proportion to the increasing enterprise and prosperity of the city. The oldest is the Massachusetts’ bank, which was incorporated in 1785. There are twenty-four insurance companies, with an aggregate capital of seven millions and a quarter. The charitable institutions of the city are numerous. Of these, one of the most important is the Institution for the Education of the Blind, recently established under very favorable circumstances. Besides this are the Asylum for Indigent Boys, the Female Asylum, Charitable Mechanic Association, Prison Discipline Society, and many others. The Massachusetts General Hospital is situated in the west part of the town; it has been pronounced the finest building in the state. The Quarantine Hospital is situated on Rainsford island, in the harbor, and about six miles from the city.The number of periodicals issued in this city is above seventy, inclusive of dailies and annuals. The first paper published in the country was the Boston News Letter, commenced in 1704, and continued for nearly seventy-two years. The oldest surviving journal established since the revolution is the Columbian Centinel, which was commenced in 1784.Boston is celebrated for her public schools, and the great efforts which have been made by her citizens in the cause of education. The expenditures for these institutions, during the year ending August, 1833, amounted to over seventy thousand dollars. Social libraries are numerous. The Boston Athenæum was established in 1806, and contains above twenty-eight thousand volumes. Though accessible only to men of fortune, as the price of a share is three hundred dollars, it is still a useful institution.Annual subscribers are admitted at ten dollars. This noble establishment is situated in Pearl street, in a fine building, for the half of which the proprietors were indebted to the munificence of the late James Perkins,Esq.Attached to the Athenæum is a gallery of the fine arts, in which is held an annual exhibition that has hitherto been the source of a considerable income. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Massachusetts Historical Society, are highly respectable institutions which have issued numerous volumes of great value, and possess considerable libraries. On the whole, the libraries of Boston are neither so large nor so generally accessible as might be expected from the wealth and liberality of her citizens.Middlesex canal unites the water communication between Boston and the Merrimack river, at the bend in Chelmsford; the company for its construction was incorporated in 1793. The toll has amounted some years to about twenty-five thousand dollars. Rail-roads are now complete, connecting this city with Providence, Worcester, Lowell, Springfield and Salem. The marine rail-way, which affords facilities for the repair of large vessels, has been in successful operation since 1826. One of the greatest improvements of late years has been the building of Mercantile wharf, which ranges in front of the harbor, between City wharf and Lewis’s wharf. It has made access to the northern extremity of the city very convenient from the central parts, and has led to great improvements.Since 1822, when the city was incorporated, Boston has been governed by a mayor, eight aldermen, and a common council of forty-eight members, chosen annually. With the town of Chelsea, it constitutes the county of Suffolk, and sends one representative to Congress. As a commercial city, it holds a second rank among the seaports of the United States. There are many manufactures in the city, and much wealth of the citizens is invested in the manufactories of Waltham, Lowell, and other towns.Population, ninety-three thousand three hundred andeighty-three.61Bordentown, a town of New Jersey, in Burlington county, standing on a steep sand bank on the west side of the Delaware, is chiefly remarkable for the villa of Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king of Spain. This is a long white building, with two low square towers at the ends, and a shot-tower near it by the river.Pop.three thousand four hundred and thirty-four.Brattleborois a pleasant village, in Windham county, Vermont, on the Connecticut. It is situated on an elevated plain above the river; at the bridge over the stream are several manufactories, the chief of which are of paper and machinery, which are made here in large quantities. The situation of the village is quite romantic and picturesque. Population, two thousand and six hundred and twenty-four.Bridgeport, in Fairfield county on Long Island sound, maintains an active intercourse with New York by means of sloops and steamboats, and furnishes that city with a great amount of produce. The harbor is shoal, but with a good channel; the town is pleasant and thriving. Population four thousand five hundred and seventy.Brighton, a town of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is celebrated for its annual cattle show and fair which has been held here ever since the revolution. Vast numbers of cattle for the Boston market are brought here from all quarters of the country. The soil is good, and well cultivated. Population, one thousand four hundred and five.Bristol, a thriving town, situated on Narragansett bay, about half way between Providence and Newport, is distinguished for its pleasant situation, healthful climate, rich soil, and a commodious, safe harbor. This town suffered greatly during the revolutionary war, a great part of it having been destroyed by the British; but it is now in a very flourishing state, and has a good shipping trade: onions in great quantities, and a variety of provisions and garden roots, are raised here for exportation. Mount Hope, celebrated in the early history of New England as the residence of king Philip, is within the limits of Bristol; it is a cone-shaped hill, with a pointed summit, and exhibits a charming prospect. Population, three thousand four hundred and ninety.Brooklyn, a large town on Long Island, separated from the city of New York by the narrow channel of East river. It is properly a suburb of that city, and is a place of great business. It is regularly built, and contains many fine houses, the residence of merchants from the city. The UnitedStates navy yard is in the east quarter, upon a bay called the Wallabout. Near this town a bloody and disastrous battle was fought with the British in 1776. The town stands on an eminence, and commands fine views of the city and bay. A constant intercourse is kept up with New York by steamboats. It is the third town in the state in regard to its population, which amounts to 36,221.Brookvilleis pleasantly situated in the forks of Whitewater, and is the seat of justice of Franklin county, Illinois. It was laid out in the year 1811; but no improvements were made until the succeeding year, and then but partially, owing to the unsettled state of the frontiers; its vicinity to the Indian boundary being about fifteen miles. The late war completely checked the emigration to this country, and consequently the town ceased to improve; since that period, it has improved and been noted for the enterprise of its citizens. It is now, however, decaying. It contains about a hundred houses.Brunswickis a town of Cumberland county, Maine, situated on the south side of Androscoggin river, twenty-six miles north-east of Portland. The river has many falls at this place, on which are situated numerous mills, and manufactories of cotton and woollen. It is chiefly distinguished as the seat of Bowdoin college, which was established here in 1794. This institution is partly supported by funds bequeathed by governor Bowdoin, of Massachusetts, from whom the college takes its name. Population of Brunswick, four thousand two hundred and fifty-nine.Buffalo, delightfully situated near the margin of lake Erie, three hundred and twenty-seven miles from Albany, and twenty-two from the falls of Niagara, is a place of considerable importance, and the emporium of the lake commerce. The principal streets are from sixty-six to one hundred feet wide; these are intersected by others of equal width, and as many of the houses are of brick, two and three stories high, they make a neat and handsome appearance. Buffalo, standing on the great road leading from Albany to Ohio, possesses natural advantages for trade, equal to any internal place in the United States.Its harbor is singularly fitted for the two kinds of navigation that are here brought together, the entrance from the lake being sheltered by the point on which the light-house is erected, and the two small rivers which here unite their waters affording every convenience for landing and re-shipping goods; a number of basins and lateral canals communicate with the great canal. This harbor is thronged with steamboats and every kind of water craft; it is one of the most busy and bustling places in the country.‘In Buffalo,’ says a recent writer, ‘the miserable descendants of the Iroquois or Six Nations may constantly be seen in the streets. The Senecas have three villages within nine miles. If any man wishes to observe the effect of an intercourse between whites and Indians, let him go to Buffalo. There he may see red men, reeling drunk in the streets, begging in the most abject manner for liquor, and the women in the lowest stage of moral and physical degradation. They are in some measure civilized, some of them having adopted the costume of the whites, and living by the cultivation of the soil. Should they continue to reside in their present dwelling-place, it is to be hoped that the change will be complete. When the chase will no longer afford them a subsistence; when they are completely hemmed in by the whites, they must of necessity have recourse to agriculturefor the means of living, and knowledge must be the attendant of industry—but as long as they are able to live, no matter how wretchedly, in idleness, they will not work, and will continue to retrograde.’ Population, eighteen thousand three hundred and fifty-six.Burlington, in Chittenden county, Vermont, on lake Champlain, is a flourishing and commercial town. It is situated on the declivity of a hill, commanding an extensive view of the lake, and a beautiful prospect of the town. It is the seat of the university of Vermont, and of several manufactories. Its commerce is considerable. Population, four thousand two hundred and seventy-one.Burlington Citystands on the banks of the Delaware, eighteen miles north-east from Philadelphia. The main streets are conveniently spacious, and mostly ornamented with rows of trees in the fronts of the houses, which are regularly arranged. The river opposite the town is about a mile wide, and under shelter of two islands, affords a safe and convenient harbor; but, though well situated for trade, Burlington is too near the opulent city of Philadelphia to admit of any considerable increase of foreign commerce. Population, two thousand six hundred and seventy.Cahokia, inSt.Clair county, Illinois, is situated on a small stream, about one mile east of the Mississippi, and five miles belowSt.Louis. It is pleasantly situated, and is inhabited chiefly by French people. This town contains a post-office and a Roman catholic chapel, and is the seat of justice for the county.Cambridge, a town of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, lies west of Boston, was settled in 1631. It is a fine village, containing many very pleasant residences, and is divided into three distinct portions. East Cambridge is a suburb of Boston, with which it is connected by Cragie’s bridge; it is flourishing, and has some glass and iron manufactories. Old Cambridge is about three miles from the city, and is the seat of Harvard college, the oldest and richest university in the United States; this institution is fully described in another portion of the volume. In the western part lies Fresh Pond, a fine sheet of water, much resorted to in summer by citizens of the neighboring towns. In the south-westerly part is a beautiful hilly grovecalled Mount Auburn, recently devoted to the purposes of a cemetery,and forming one of the most beautiful burial places in theworld.62The first printing-press in America was set up here, and was used by Stephen Day,who printed theFreeman’s Oath. During the siege of Boston, in 1776, the American army encamped here, and vestiges of some of their intrenchments still remain in the neighborhood. Population, eight thousand one hundred and twenty-seven.Harvard University.Camden, in Kershaw district, South Carolina, on the Wateree, is the seat of justice for the district. It is chiefly celebrated for the battles fought in its vicinity during the revolutionary war. Population, one thousand. A flourishing town of the same name in Oneida county, New York, has a population of about two thousand.Canandaigua, capital of Ontario county, New York, on the outlet of the lake of the same name, is one of the pleasantest towns in the country. The principal street runs along the ridge of a hill, which rises from the north end of the lake, for the distance of a mile; it is handsomely planted with trees, and the houses, which are generally painted white with green blinds, present a very neat appearance. In the centre of the town is a large square; the neighborhood abounds with pleasant gardens. Population, five thousand six hundred and fifty-two.Castine, a town of Maine, built on a promontory at the head of Penobscot bay, is placed in a commanding situation, and has an excellent harbor. It was taken by the British during the last war, but was restored in 1815. Population one thousand one hundred and eighty-eight.Catskill, principal town of Greene county, New York, is situated on the west bank of the Hudson river, nearly opposite the city of Hudson, andthirty-one miles south of Albany. It exhibits gentle elevations in the neighborhood, and the soil is generally good; it is well watered, has fine meadows, and good mill sites. Population, 5,339.Charleston, the chief city of South Carolina, stands upon a piece of land projecting into the bay, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and has a deep and safe harbor. Ships drawing twenty feet of water pass the bar. The city is regularly built; the fine houses are very large, many of them inclosed like the great hotels in Paris, and all of them covered with verandas, and situated in gardens neatly dressed, and in summer and fall, not only adorned with the finest evergreen shrubs, but with a great variety of beautiful roses, jonquils, and other flowers. On the other hand, many of the streets are dirty and unpaved, and the houses in some parts of the town have a filthy appearance. The churches and public buildings are handsome, especiallySt.Michael’s church, with its steeple one hundred and sixty-eight feet high. The post office is a large, handsome building. Most of the finest buildings here were erected previously to the revolution. There are many charitable institutions, among which the Orphan Asylum stands in the first rank.The society of Charleston is refined, intelligent and hospitable. The commerce of the place consists chiefly in the export of rice and cotton. On account of its level character, the city is liable to occasional inundation; but it is, nevertheless, a fine commercial mart, and highly prosperous, exhibiting most of the institutions which mark a liberal and opulent community. This city is celebrated in the history of the revolution. Population, twenty-nine thousand two hundred and sixty-one.Charlestown, in Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is an irregular town, containing some fine situations. Here are the United States navy yard, and the finest dry-dock in the country; the Massachusetts state prison, an insane hospital, and the Ursuline convent. This town was burnt in 1775, by the British troops. On the eminence of Bunker Hill, a splendid monument of granite has been for some time in an unfinished state; but there is every hope of its immediate completion. Population ten thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.Chilicothe, in Ross county, Ohio, formerly the seat of the state government, is situated on the west bank of the Scioto, on a beautiful and extensive plain. It is laid out on a large scale, with a great number of out-lots attached to it. The plan is regular; the streets cross each other at right angles, and every square is divided into four parts. In the vicinity are several mills and manufactories, and the Grand canal is cut through the town. The town was laid out in 1796, on the site of an old Indian village. Population, three thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven.Cincinnati, the largest town in Ohio, is handsomely built, and surrounded by a range of fine wooded hills, which command a beautiful prospect. The plain on which it is situated occupies about four square miles; the height of the rising ground above the alluvial plain is about fifty feet. The population is much mixed, being composed of emigrants from all parts of the union, and most of the countries of Europe. Its progressive increase has been most wonderful. In 1813, Cincinnati numbered about four thousand inhabitants; in 1820, ten thousand; in 1840, forty-six thousand three hundred and eighty-two.It has extensive flour and sawmills, worked by steam, and various manufactures.The public buildings are twenty-four churches, the College Athenæum, Medical College, Mechanics’ Institute, four market houses, a theatre, two museums, a famous and tasteless bazaar, a bank for the United States branch, court house, and other edifices. The charitable and religious associations are numerous. There are sixteen periodical publications. There are three city insurance companies, and two branches of companies at Hartford, Connecticut. Water is furnished for the inhabitants from the Ohio river, and is distributed over town at an average expense of eight dollars for a family.Vast remains of ancient fortifications, embankments, stone walls, earthen mounds, the latter containing rude stone coffins filled with human bones, have been discovered within the precincts of this town; and many curious articles dug up, composed of jasper, rock crystal, cannel-coal, copper, sculptural representations on different substances, altogether tending to prove that this country was formerly inhabited by a race of men very different from the present American Indians.Circleville, the seat of justice of Pickaway county, Ohio, is situated on the Pickaway bottom, about half a mile east of the Scioto. Its site is two mounds of earth, one circular, and the other square, containing about twenty acres. In the centre of the town is a small vacant circle. From this focus the streets diverge in regular radii. The growth of this town has been owing to the wealth of the surrounding plantations. Population, two thousand three hundred and twenty-nine.Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina, is situated on the Congaree, one hundred and ten miles north-north-west of Charleston. It is the seat of the college of the state. The town is regularly built, and occupies an elevated plain gently sloping on every side. Population, four thousand two hundred ninety-five. There are eleven other towns called Columbia in the United States.Columbus, the metropolis of the state of Ohio, is situated on the east bank of the Scioto, on an elevated plain of several hundred acres. It is situated near the middle of Franklin county, and within twenty miles of the centre of the state, in a fine fertile country. It was founded in 1812, in the midst of a thick forest. It contains a state house, court house, penitentiary, a classical seminary, three churches, and an asylum for the deaf and dumb. Population, six thousand and forty-eight.Concord, a town of Merrimack county, New Hampshire, is the capital of the state. It is pleasantly situated on both sides of the Merrimack, along which spread some rich intervals. The chief village is on the west side, and forms a street two miles in length. It contains a state house and a state prison, both of granite. It was first settled in 1724, and twenty years afterwards suffered severely from the Indians. By the river and Middlesex canal, Concord has a boat navigation to Boston; and it is a place of considerable trade. Population, four thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.Concord, a village of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is celebrated as the place of meeting of the first provincial congress in 1774, and the first opposition to the British arms.Population, one thousand eighthundred.63Covington, a town of Genesee county, New York, has a soil of ordinary quality, well watered. Population, two thousand four hundred and thirty-eight.Dayton, chief town of Montgomery county, Ohio, is situated on the left bank of Great Miami river, near the point where it is met by the canal. It is a flourishing place, with many mills and factories. Population six thousand and sixty-seven.Detroit, the capital of Michigan territory, is situated on the bank of the river of the same name. During the French jurisdiction, it was the farthest post on the lakes except Macinac. Since 1815, this town has rapidly improved; before, it was small and of no importance except in a military view. It is famous for the siege here sustained by Major Gladwyn against the united tribes of Indians under Pontiac, and for its surrender to the British forces in the year 1812, by General Hull. The ground plan of the city of Detroit is laid out like that of Washington, and the buildings are very much scattered. The jail, state house, and two churches, constitute the chief public buildings. The Erie canal has done much to increase the prosperity of this town, and the Ohio canal will give it an additional impulse. Population nine thousand one hundred and two.The streets of Detroit are generally crowded with Indians of one tribe or other, who collect here to sell their skins; at night, all those who are not admitted into private houses, and remain there quietly, are turned out of the town, and the gates shut upon them. The French inhabitants employed upon the lakes and rivers are very dexterous watermen, and will navigate a small bark in a rough sea with incredible skill. They have nothing like enterprise in business, and are very fond of music, dancing, and smoking tobacco; the women have generally lively and expressive countenances.The fort stands on a low ridge, in the rear of the town, at the distance of about two hundred yards. From the summit of this ridge, the country gradually subsides to a low swampy plain, from five to nine miles across, covered with thick groves of young timber. Beyond this plain commences a surface moderately hilly.Dover, a town of Kent county, Delaware, and capital of the state. It is handsomely laid out and built on a small stream that runs into the Delaware. The houses are mostly of brick, and in the centre of the town is a spacious square surrounded by the public buildings. Population, 3790.Dover, a town of Strafford county, New Hampshire, is situated on the falls of the Cocheco, a stream running into the Piscataqua. The falls have several pitches, one of which is forty feet perpendicular, affording a vast water power, which has been applied to manufacturing purposes. This town was settled in 1623, and is the oldest in the state. The greater part of the timber exported from New Hampshire is brought to Dover. Population, five thousand four hundred and fifty-eight.Easton, a town of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, situated on the Delaware, at the mouth of the Lehigh, is a handsome town, regularly laid out with a large square in the centre. The union of three canals at this point, gives it vast facilities for trade. The scenery of the neighborhood is remarkably picturesque. The town is laid out at right angles. Population, five thousand five hundred and ten.Eastport, a town of Washington county, Maine, and the most easternpoint of the United States. It is situated on Moose island in Passamaquoddy bay, and is favorably situated for an extensive traffic up the Passamaquoddy and the other rivers falling into the bay of Fundy. The principal business is afforded by the fisheries and the lumber trade. Population, two thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.Economy, a beautiful village of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, on the Ohio, a few miles below Pittsburg. It is inhabited solely by the sect of Harmonists, under the celebrated Rapp. The village is regularly built, and the streets are laid out at right angles. Industry is the characteristic of the inhabitants, who are of German origin. The property purports to be held in common, though it has been stated that the legal tenure of it is in the hands of the principal. The grape is extensively cultivated here; a thriving trade is carried on with the neighboring country, and the establishment is in a thriving condition. Population, 1283.
Albanyis the seat of government for the state of New York, and is situated on the west side of Hudson’s river, one hundred and forty-four miles from the city of New York, to which it is next in rank. This city is unrivalled for situation, being nearly at the head of sloop navigation, on one of the noblest rivers in the world. It enjoys a pure air, and is the natural emporium of the increasing trade of a large extent of country west and north. In the old part of the town, the streets are very narrow, and the houses mean, being all built in the Dutch taste, with the gable end towards the street, and ornamented, or rather disfigured, on the top with large iron weathercocks; but in that part which has been more recently erected, the streets are commodious, and many of the houses are handsome.
Albany.
Albany.
The Capitol stands on an elevation at the end of the main street, and presents a fine appearance. It is a fine stone edifice, with an Ionic portico in front, supported by columns thirty-three feet in height. The public square adjacent is adorned with beautiful walks and avenues.
The Farmers’ and Mechanics’ bank and the Albany bank, both at the foot of State street, are both of white marble, and are handsome buildings. There are about sixteen churches in this city. Albany has received more permanent and evident advantages from the canals than any other place in the state. Since 1825, the population has increased from fifteen thousand nine hundred and seventy-one to 33,627. The first settlement at Albany was made about 1614, when a stockade was built on a spot just below the steam-boat dock. The charter of the city was granted in 1686, a few months before that of New York. The city and township are a mile in breadth, and extend thirteen miles along the river. The neighborhood of Albany abounds in pleasant villages.
Alexandriais a city and port of entry in the district of Columbia, on the west bank of the Potomac, six miles below Washington. It is a place of some business and resort during the session of Congress, and contains some fine buildings. Of late, Alexandria has not much increased, notwithstanding it enjoys good commercial advantages. This city is regularly built, and has good streets, well paved and clean. The trade is chiefly in flour. Population about eight thousand four hundred and sixty-two.
Amherstis a town of Hampshire county, Massachusetts, ninety-one miles west of Boston. It is the seat of a college which was incorporated in 1821, with the title of Amherst College. This seminary has professors and tutors. Amherst is the seat also of an academy, and a school called the Mount Pleasant Institution. Population, two thousand four hundred and fifteen.
Amherst College.
Amherst College.
Annapolis, the capital of Anne Arundel county, and the seat of the government of Maryland, is situated at the mouth of the Severn river, about two miles from its entrance into Chesapeak bay, thirty miles south of Baltimore, and forty north-east of the city of Washington. It is a place of little note in the commercial world; but being in a pleasant situation, and commanding a beautiful prospect of the Chesapeak, and the shore on the other side of the bay, it is a very pleasant residence. The houses are built of brick, and for the most part large and elegant, denoting great wealth. The state house is one of the most superb structures in the United States. Here is the seat of the University of Maryland. Population two thousand six hundred and twenty-three.
Augusta, capital of Maine, stands on the west branch of the Kennebec river, two miles above Hallowell. It is a pleasant town, and contains some neat public buildings. The new state house is built of granite, and is a very handsome edifice. It contains a spacious hall for the house of representatives, and two smaller ones for the senate and the council. On the side of the river opposite to the state house is the United States Arsenal, consisting of about a dozen buildings of stone, some of which are largeand handsome. This place has considerable trade, and the river below is navigable for vessels of one hundred tons. Population 5,314.
Augusta, capital of the state of Georgia, stands on the south-west bank of the river Savannah, about one hundred and forty miles from the sea. It is regularly built of brick upon a level spot, and surrounded by a fertile country. It has a good trade in cotton, and other productions of the interior. Population, six thousand three hundred and forty-one.
Baltimoreis a large city, standing on the north side of the river Patapsco, in Maryland. The basin on which it stands has only five or six feet water at high tide, so that the city can be approached only by small vessels. For large ships, the harbor is at some distance, at a place called Fell’s point, where wharves have been built, along side which vessels of six hundred tons burden can lie with perfect safety. Numbers of persons have been induced to settle on this point on account of the shipping; and regular streets have been laid out, with a large market-place. But though these buildings, generally speaking, are considered as part of Baltimore, yet they are a mile distant from the other part of the town.
The city is the chief commercial mart for the country upon Chesapeak bay and its waters. It is finely situated, and regularly built, in great part of brick; the public buildings and monuments indicate great enterprise and opulence.
Baltimore was laid out in 1729, on an area of sixty acres, purchased at forty shillings per acre, and partly paid for in tobacco at a penny a pound. Its progress was slow and unpromising; and in 1752 it contained but twenty-five houses. With its population of more than eighty thousand, it may now be considered the third or fourth city in the union. According to its re-charter in 1816, Baltimore now includes ten thousand acres, and contains a lunatic asylum, three theatres, an exchange, a public library, and forty-five churches.
The Cathedral is built after the Ionic order, on a plan drawn by the celebrated architect Latrobe. Its width is one hundred and seventy-seven, its length one hundred and ninety, and its height to the summit of the cross surmounting the dome, is one hundred and twenty-seven feet. It contains several fine paintings, and the largest organ in the United States. The Merchants’ Exchange, built by private subscription for the accommodation of the citizens, is a spacious and splendid edifice.
The Battle Monument is an elegant marble structure, fifty-five feet high, erected in memory of those who fell in defence of the city on the twelfth and thirteenth of September, 1814. The Washington Monument is built of white marble, on an elevation in the north part of the city; it is one hundred and sixty-three feet high, and on its summit is placed a colossal statue of Washington. This monument is embellished with bas-reliefs, and other decorations.
Battle Monument, Baltimore.
Battle Monument, Baltimore.
Baltimore is the greatest flour market in the United States. In its immediate neighborhood, are above sixty flour mills, a single one of which has produced thirty-two thousand barrels in a year. Within the same compass are numerous manufactories of cotton, cloth, powder, paper, iron, glass, steam engines, and other articles. The Baltimore and Ohio rail-road extends a distance of three hundred miles, from this city to the Ohio river at Pittsburgh. The Baltimore and Susquehanna rail-road is toextend seventy-six miles to York in Pennsylvania. The Chesapeak and Ohio canal, of the proposed length of three hundred and forty-one miles was commenced in 1828.The population of Baltimore is one hundred and two thousand three hundred andthirteen.60
Bangoris a flourishing town of Penobscot county, Maine, situated thirty-five miles above Castine. It is built upon the banks of the rivers Kenduskeag and Penobscot. The increase of this town within a few years has been very surprising. Building-lots near the centre of the town, that in 1832 were held at three hundred dollars, are now valued at eight hundred or a thousand. Woodlands at three, four, or five miles distance, that were then sold at five, seven, or ten dollars the acre, are now selling from twenty to fifty. Rents and all marketable commodities are proportionably high.
‘Bangor,’ says a correspondent of the Portland Advertiser, ‘has much the appearance of a hundred villages springing up on the non-slave-holding side of the Ohio, with this difference, that the buildings there are chiefly of wood, cheaply built, and hastily thrown up; and here they are fine blocks of brick with granite fronts, or handsome white houses that would do credit to any estate in Virginia or Carolina. I do not remember seeing what can be called a miserable house in Bangor. The Exchange is a building that would do credit to many of our large cities. The churches are numerous, and often elegantly built. Already they are numerous enough for a city; and it is such a spectacle that distinguishes New England; for no where, not even in the middle states, are such churches, and so numerous to be seen, as any village in New England of any size can exhibit.’
The water power in this vicinity is said to be superior to that of any town in the United States. Its present great source of wealth is the lumber business, which has been carried on to a very great extent. Thirty years ago, Bangor was a wilderness; according to the last census, its population was eight thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.
Bath, a town of Maine, on the west side of the Kennebec, twelve miles from the sea, is at the head of the winter navigation; is pleasantly situated,and has great advantages for commerce. Ship-building is carried on here to a large extent; and in 1827 the value of the shipping of Bath was a million of dollars. This town is almost isolated by some of the numerous arms of the sea which penetrate that part of the coast. Population, five thousand one hundred and forty-one.
Baton Rouge, a beautiful village on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, one hundred and fifty miles above New Orleans, is the capital of a parish of the same name in the eastern district of Louisiana. It is a small town, situated on the last bluff that is seen on descending the river, and about thirty or forty feet above its highest overflow. The village is tolerably compact, and the United States’ barracks are built in a very handsome style. ‘The town itself,’ saysMr.Flint, ‘especially in the months when the greatest verdure prevails, when seen from a steam-boat in the river, rising with such a fine swell from the banks, and with its singularly shaped French and Spanish houses, and its green square, looks like a finely painted landscape.’ Population, two thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Beaufort, principal town of Beaufort district, South Carolina, situated on the western bank of Port Royal river, is a pleasant and healthy place, containing a college, three churches, and seven thousand six hundred and eighty-seven inhabitants. Its harbour is spacious.
Belfast, the capital of Waldo county, Maine, has a fine situation and good harbor, and is a flourishing town. It is twelve miles north-west of Castine, from which it is separated by Penobscot river. Its coasting trade is very considerable. Population, four thousand one hundred and ninety four.
Benningtonis the chief town of the county of the same name in Vermont. It is situated at the foot of the Green mountains, near the south-west corner of the state. It has several manufactories, and a marble quarry, and is celebrated for two victories of General Stark, over the British, in 1777. It is the largest and oldest town in the state, having been chartered by Governor Wentworth in 1749, and first settled by the Separatists under Robinson in 1761. Population, two thousand six hundred and seventy-one.
Bethlehem, in Albany county, New York, includes much rich alluvial land near Hudson river, inhabited by descendants of early Dutch settlers. It contains several caverns. Population, 3209.
Bethlehem, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, is situated on a fine acclivity rising from the Lehigh river. It was founded in 1741 by the United Brethren, or Moravians, under Count Zinzendorf. The same order still retain the ownership, and have established here a seminary of considerable note for female education. The houses are neat and substantial. There is but one place of public worship, in which service is performed in English and German. The situation of this village is remarkably picturesque and romantic. There are ten other towns of this name in the United States. Population, two thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine.
Beverly, town in Essex county, Massachusetts, is a seaport, and connected with Salem by a bridge. It was formerly a part of Salem. It is pleasantly situated, and is largely engaged in the fisheries and in commerce. Population, four thousand six hundred and eighty-six.
Blakelyis a seaport of Baldwin county, Alabama, on the Tensa, a branchof the Mobile. It was founded in 1816, and is a flourishing place. Its situation is healthy, and it has a commodious harbor.
Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, and the chief city of New England, is situated at the head of Massachusetts bay, on a peninsula of an uneven surface, about a mile in width, and nearly three miles long. Its original Indian name was Shawmut, and it was afterwards called Trimountain; its present name was given in honor of theRev.John Cotton, one of its earliest pastors, who emigrated from Boston in Lincolnshire, England. In the older parts of the city, the streets are crooked, narrow, and intricate; laid out with no reference to beauty or order. The more recent streets are wider, straight, and regular; with edifices of great elegance and large dimensions. The avenues leading into the adjacent country are the natural isthmus which connects the city with Roxbury, the mill dam, six bridges and three rail-roads. There is also a ferry between Boston and Chelsea, with steamboats for the conveyance of foot passengers and carriages. Of the bridges, four are thrown over Charles river, connecting the capital with Cambridge and Charlestown, and two unite it with South Boston.
The harbor has been before described. It is dotted with numerous islands, and affords ample accommodation for a fleet of five hundred sail. The approach to the city from the sea is highly picturesque and beautiful. The wharves and piers are ample, covered with spacious stores of brick and granite, and presenting as great conveniences for the transaction of business as are to be found in the world.
The local divisions of Boston are into North Boston, West Boston, South End, and South Boston. To these we may now add East Boston, comprehending what was formerly called Noddle’s Island, a tract of about six hundred acres, purchased by a company in 1832 for the purpose of extending the city in that direction. The Common is a beautiful promenade at the west end of the city, containing an extent of nearly fifty acres, agreeably varied by small eminences, the most prominent of which still exhibits the vestiges of a fortification thrown up by the British soldiers during the revolution. A little north of this mound is a small sheet of fresh water. This spacious green is surrounded by malls, lined with magnificent elms. On three sides are rows of fine private dwelling-houses, including some of the most elegant mansions in the city.
On an eminence overlooking the common stands the State House; a conspicuous and striking edifice, the view from whose dome is most interesting and extensive. The broad harbor with its green and picturesque islands, the adjacent country covered by pleasant villages, and with a pleasing alternation of hill and valley, interspersed with orchards and woodland—and at its base, the avenues of a crowded and busy city, form a combination of beauty that cannot fail to delight every beholder. Beyond the islands of the bay, the eye stretches eastward to the waters of the ocean; and to the north lies Charlestown with the navy-yard, and the monument erecting and soon to be completed on Bunker hill. To the west is a view of Cambridge, with the various edifices attached to the university. The state house was erected about thirty-eight years since. It is of an oblong form, one hundred and seventy-three feet front, and sixty-one deep; a dome thirty-five feet in height and fifty-two feet diameter, surmountsthe edifice, and the whole terminates with a circular lantern twenty-five feet high. The basement story is ornamented with rows of Doric pillars; in an open chamber projected from the north centre of this story is placed Chantry’s noble statue of Washington. This building contains the usual accommodation for the various offices of state, besides the senate chamber, council chamber and representatives’ hall.
Faneuil Hall is famous in American annals. It is a building of good proportions, and convenient size, though of no great architectural pretensions; its history is sacred to the spirit of eloquence, courage and patriotism. The building has a cupola which presents a good view of the harbor; the great hall is nearly eighty feet square, and about twenty-eight feet high. It is decorated with an original full length painting of Washington, by Stuart, and another of the same size by Colonel Sargent, representingMr.Faneuil, the noble donor of the edifice. Faneuil Hall Market is situated to the east of Faneuil hall. It is a splendid building of granite, five hundred and thirty-five feet and nine inches in length. The basement story is occupied by market stalls; on the second floor is a spacious hall, used for public assemblies and caucuses, called Quincy Hall, in honor of the distinguished gentleman in whose mayoralty the edifice was projected and built.
The City Hall, formerly known as the old state house, was built in nearly its present form in the year 1747. It stands at the head of State street, and on the line of Washington street, the principal avenue of the city. In this building are the post office, the marine news room, and the merchants’ exchange; from this there is a winding stair-case leading to the hall of the common council, and that of the mayor and aldermentogether with various public offices connected with the city administration. Other public buildings, of great beauty to the city, are the old U. S. Branch Bank, and the Masonic Temple. The latter building fronts on the common; it is of the Gothic order.
City Hall.
City Hall.
King’s Chapel.
King’s Chapel.
One of the most interesting of the churches of the city is that known as the King’s Chapel. Its exterior is plain, and in appearance it is unfinished being built entirely of unhammered stone. It was first opened for divine service in 1754. The tower is ornamented by a colonnade of large wooden pillars, and the whole presents the appearance of massy grandeur suited to distinguish in former days the place of worship for the public functionaries. In the interior, the governor’s pew was formerly distinguished above the rest, but was taken down a few years since. The style of architecture is of the Corinthian order. There are several monumental marbles, which add to the interest with which the church is visited. It is now the only house in which the old fashion of square pews is retained. Brattle street church is interesting from historical associations. Governors Hancock and Bowdoin were liberal benefactors of this society. The name of the former was inscribed on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the building. The British soldiery defaced it, and the stone remains in the condition in which they left it. A similar inscription, unmutilated, appears on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the tower; and on one in the north-west corner, the name ofDr.John Greenleaf appears, who, withGov.Bowdoin, advanced the money for refitting the church, it having been improved as a barrack, during the siege. A shot, which was sent from the American army at Cambridge,struck the tower on the night preceding the evacuation of the town. It was picked up and preserved, and is now fastened in the spot where it struck. General Gage’s head quarters were in the house opposite. Trinity church in Summer street is a beautiful granite edifice, built in 1829. It is one of the chief architectural ornaments of the city; and for beauty of proportion, strength and solidity, is perhaps unsurpassed in this country. The number of worshipping assemblies in this city is between fifty and sixty.
Trinity Church.
Trinity Church.
The places of public amusement in Boston are not numerous, nor remarkably well patronized. The Tremont theatre affords the only dramatic entertainment that is much resorted to by strangers and people of fashion. It is a handsome building, with a front of Quincy and Hallowell granite. This front is in imitation of the Ionic order, with four pilasters and two antœs, one on each angle, supporting an entablature and pediment, and elevated on a basement seventeen feet. The Warren theatre is a minor establishment, and is much frequented. The New England Museum attracts numerous visitors.
Of the hotels of Boston, we can only particularly mention the Tremont House, a splendid building, in the pleasantest quarter of the city, and esteemed the best house in the country. ‘Most gratifying is it to a traveller in the United States,’ says a recent tourist, ‘when, sick to death of the discomforts of the road, he finds himself fairly housed in the Tremont hotel. The establishment is on a large scale, and admirably conducted.’ This stintedapprobation is one of the few tokens of satisfaction thatMr.Hamilton gives in his unsparing though witty and entertaining volumes; it is not the less acceptable, because it is extorted.
Tremont House.
Tremont House.
In the year 1841, there were thirty-one banks in the city, which employed a capital of twenty millions one hundred thousand dollars. The increase, of course, has been in proportion to the increasing enterprise and prosperity of the city. The oldest is the Massachusetts’ bank, which was incorporated in 1785. There are twenty-four insurance companies, with an aggregate capital of seven millions and a quarter. The charitable institutions of the city are numerous. Of these, one of the most important is the Institution for the Education of the Blind, recently established under very favorable circumstances. Besides this are the Asylum for Indigent Boys, the Female Asylum, Charitable Mechanic Association, Prison Discipline Society, and many others. The Massachusetts General Hospital is situated in the west part of the town; it has been pronounced the finest building in the state. The Quarantine Hospital is situated on Rainsford island, in the harbor, and about six miles from the city.
The number of periodicals issued in this city is above seventy, inclusive of dailies and annuals. The first paper published in the country was the Boston News Letter, commenced in 1704, and continued for nearly seventy-two years. The oldest surviving journal established since the revolution is the Columbian Centinel, which was commenced in 1784.
Boston is celebrated for her public schools, and the great efforts which have been made by her citizens in the cause of education. The expenditures for these institutions, during the year ending August, 1833, amounted to over seventy thousand dollars. Social libraries are numerous. The Boston Athenæum was established in 1806, and contains above twenty-eight thousand volumes. Though accessible only to men of fortune, as the price of a share is three hundred dollars, it is still a useful institution.Annual subscribers are admitted at ten dollars. This noble establishment is situated in Pearl street, in a fine building, for the half of which the proprietors were indebted to the munificence of the late James Perkins,Esq.Attached to the Athenæum is a gallery of the fine arts, in which is held an annual exhibition that has hitherto been the source of a considerable income. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Massachusetts Historical Society, are highly respectable institutions which have issued numerous volumes of great value, and possess considerable libraries. On the whole, the libraries of Boston are neither so large nor so generally accessible as might be expected from the wealth and liberality of her citizens.
Middlesex canal unites the water communication between Boston and the Merrimack river, at the bend in Chelmsford; the company for its construction was incorporated in 1793. The toll has amounted some years to about twenty-five thousand dollars. Rail-roads are now complete, connecting this city with Providence, Worcester, Lowell, Springfield and Salem. The marine rail-way, which affords facilities for the repair of large vessels, has been in successful operation since 1826. One of the greatest improvements of late years has been the building of Mercantile wharf, which ranges in front of the harbor, between City wharf and Lewis’s wharf. It has made access to the northern extremity of the city very convenient from the central parts, and has led to great improvements.
Since 1822, when the city was incorporated, Boston has been governed by a mayor, eight aldermen, and a common council of forty-eight members, chosen annually. With the town of Chelsea, it constitutes the county of Suffolk, and sends one representative to Congress. As a commercial city, it holds a second rank among the seaports of the United States. There are many manufactures in the city, and much wealth of the citizens is invested in the manufactories of Waltham, Lowell, and other towns.Population, ninety-three thousand three hundred andeighty-three.61
Bordentown, a town of New Jersey, in Burlington county, standing on a steep sand bank on the west side of the Delaware, is chiefly remarkable for the villa of Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king of Spain. This is a long white building, with two low square towers at the ends, and a shot-tower near it by the river.Pop.three thousand four hundred and thirty-four.
Brattleborois a pleasant village, in Windham county, Vermont, on the Connecticut. It is situated on an elevated plain above the river; at the bridge over the stream are several manufactories, the chief of which are of paper and machinery, which are made here in large quantities. The situation of the village is quite romantic and picturesque. Population, two thousand and six hundred and twenty-four.
Bridgeport, in Fairfield county on Long Island sound, maintains an active intercourse with New York by means of sloops and steamboats, and furnishes that city with a great amount of produce. The harbor is shoal, but with a good channel; the town is pleasant and thriving. Population four thousand five hundred and seventy.
Brighton, a town of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is celebrated for its annual cattle show and fair which has been held here ever since the revolution. Vast numbers of cattle for the Boston market are brought here from all quarters of the country. The soil is good, and well cultivated. Population, one thousand four hundred and five.
Bristol, a thriving town, situated on Narragansett bay, about half way between Providence and Newport, is distinguished for its pleasant situation, healthful climate, rich soil, and a commodious, safe harbor. This town suffered greatly during the revolutionary war, a great part of it having been destroyed by the British; but it is now in a very flourishing state, and has a good shipping trade: onions in great quantities, and a variety of provisions and garden roots, are raised here for exportation. Mount Hope, celebrated in the early history of New England as the residence of king Philip, is within the limits of Bristol; it is a cone-shaped hill, with a pointed summit, and exhibits a charming prospect. Population, three thousand four hundred and ninety.
Brooklyn, a large town on Long Island, separated from the city of New York by the narrow channel of East river. It is properly a suburb of that city, and is a place of great business. It is regularly built, and contains many fine houses, the residence of merchants from the city. The UnitedStates navy yard is in the east quarter, upon a bay called the Wallabout. Near this town a bloody and disastrous battle was fought with the British in 1776. The town stands on an eminence, and commands fine views of the city and bay. A constant intercourse is kept up with New York by steamboats. It is the third town in the state in regard to its population, which amounts to 36,221.
Brookvilleis pleasantly situated in the forks of Whitewater, and is the seat of justice of Franklin county, Illinois. It was laid out in the year 1811; but no improvements were made until the succeeding year, and then but partially, owing to the unsettled state of the frontiers; its vicinity to the Indian boundary being about fifteen miles. The late war completely checked the emigration to this country, and consequently the town ceased to improve; since that period, it has improved and been noted for the enterprise of its citizens. It is now, however, decaying. It contains about a hundred houses.
Brunswickis a town of Cumberland county, Maine, situated on the south side of Androscoggin river, twenty-six miles north-east of Portland. The river has many falls at this place, on which are situated numerous mills, and manufactories of cotton and woollen. It is chiefly distinguished as the seat of Bowdoin college, which was established here in 1794. This institution is partly supported by funds bequeathed by governor Bowdoin, of Massachusetts, from whom the college takes its name. Population of Brunswick, four thousand two hundred and fifty-nine.
Buffalo, delightfully situated near the margin of lake Erie, three hundred and twenty-seven miles from Albany, and twenty-two from the falls of Niagara, is a place of considerable importance, and the emporium of the lake commerce. The principal streets are from sixty-six to one hundred feet wide; these are intersected by others of equal width, and as many of the houses are of brick, two and three stories high, they make a neat and handsome appearance. Buffalo, standing on the great road leading from Albany to Ohio, possesses natural advantages for trade, equal to any internal place in the United States.
Its harbor is singularly fitted for the two kinds of navigation that are here brought together, the entrance from the lake being sheltered by the point on which the light-house is erected, and the two small rivers which here unite their waters affording every convenience for landing and re-shipping goods; a number of basins and lateral canals communicate with the great canal. This harbor is thronged with steamboats and every kind of water craft; it is one of the most busy and bustling places in the country.
‘In Buffalo,’ says a recent writer, ‘the miserable descendants of the Iroquois or Six Nations may constantly be seen in the streets. The Senecas have three villages within nine miles. If any man wishes to observe the effect of an intercourse between whites and Indians, let him go to Buffalo. There he may see red men, reeling drunk in the streets, begging in the most abject manner for liquor, and the women in the lowest stage of moral and physical degradation. They are in some measure civilized, some of them having adopted the costume of the whites, and living by the cultivation of the soil. Should they continue to reside in their present dwelling-place, it is to be hoped that the change will be complete. When the chase will no longer afford them a subsistence; when they are completely hemmed in by the whites, they must of necessity have recourse to agriculturefor the means of living, and knowledge must be the attendant of industry—but as long as they are able to live, no matter how wretchedly, in idleness, they will not work, and will continue to retrograde.’ Population, eighteen thousand three hundred and fifty-six.
Burlington, in Chittenden county, Vermont, on lake Champlain, is a flourishing and commercial town. It is situated on the declivity of a hill, commanding an extensive view of the lake, and a beautiful prospect of the town. It is the seat of the university of Vermont, and of several manufactories. Its commerce is considerable. Population, four thousand two hundred and seventy-one.
Burlington Citystands on the banks of the Delaware, eighteen miles north-east from Philadelphia. The main streets are conveniently spacious, and mostly ornamented with rows of trees in the fronts of the houses, which are regularly arranged. The river opposite the town is about a mile wide, and under shelter of two islands, affords a safe and convenient harbor; but, though well situated for trade, Burlington is too near the opulent city of Philadelphia to admit of any considerable increase of foreign commerce. Population, two thousand six hundred and seventy.
Cahokia, inSt.Clair county, Illinois, is situated on a small stream, about one mile east of the Mississippi, and five miles belowSt.Louis. It is pleasantly situated, and is inhabited chiefly by French people. This town contains a post-office and a Roman catholic chapel, and is the seat of justice for the county.
Cambridge, a town of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, lies west of Boston, was settled in 1631. It is a fine village, containing many very pleasant residences, and is divided into three distinct portions. East Cambridge is a suburb of Boston, with which it is connected by Cragie’s bridge; it is flourishing, and has some glass and iron manufactories. Old Cambridge is about three miles from the city, and is the seat of Harvard college, the oldest and richest university in the United States; this institution is fully described in another portion of the volume. In the western part lies Fresh Pond, a fine sheet of water, much resorted to in summer by citizens of the neighboring towns. In the south-westerly part is a beautiful hilly grovecalled Mount Auburn, recently devoted to the purposes of a cemetery,and forming one of the most beautiful burial places in theworld.62The first printing-press in America was set up here, and was used by Stephen Day,who printed theFreeman’s Oath. During the siege of Boston, in 1776, the American army encamped here, and vestiges of some of their intrenchments still remain in the neighborhood. Population, eight thousand one hundred and twenty-seven.
Harvard University.
Harvard University.
Camden, in Kershaw district, South Carolina, on the Wateree, is the seat of justice for the district. It is chiefly celebrated for the battles fought in its vicinity during the revolutionary war. Population, one thousand. A flourishing town of the same name in Oneida county, New York, has a population of about two thousand.
Canandaigua, capital of Ontario county, New York, on the outlet of the lake of the same name, is one of the pleasantest towns in the country. The principal street runs along the ridge of a hill, which rises from the north end of the lake, for the distance of a mile; it is handsomely planted with trees, and the houses, which are generally painted white with green blinds, present a very neat appearance. In the centre of the town is a large square; the neighborhood abounds with pleasant gardens. Population, five thousand six hundred and fifty-two.
Castine, a town of Maine, built on a promontory at the head of Penobscot bay, is placed in a commanding situation, and has an excellent harbor. It was taken by the British during the last war, but was restored in 1815. Population one thousand one hundred and eighty-eight.
Catskill, principal town of Greene county, New York, is situated on the west bank of the Hudson river, nearly opposite the city of Hudson, andthirty-one miles south of Albany. It exhibits gentle elevations in the neighborhood, and the soil is generally good; it is well watered, has fine meadows, and good mill sites. Population, 5,339.
Charleston, the chief city of South Carolina, stands upon a piece of land projecting into the bay, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and has a deep and safe harbor. Ships drawing twenty feet of water pass the bar. The city is regularly built; the fine houses are very large, many of them inclosed like the great hotels in Paris, and all of them covered with verandas, and situated in gardens neatly dressed, and in summer and fall, not only adorned with the finest evergreen shrubs, but with a great variety of beautiful roses, jonquils, and other flowers. On the other hand, many of the streets are dirty and unpaved, and the houses in some parts of the town have a filthy appearance. The churches and public buildings are handsome, especiallySt.Michael’s church, with its steeple one hundred and sixty-eight feet high. The post office is a large, handsome building. Most of the finest buildings here were erected previously to the revolution. There are many charitable institutions, among which the Orphan Asylum stands in the first rank.
The society of Charleston is refined, intelligent and hospitable. The commerce of the place consists chiefly in the export of rice and cotton. On account of its level character, the city is liable to occasional inundation; but it is, nevertheless, a fine commercial mart, and highly prosperous, exhibiting most of the institutions which mark a liberal and opulent community. This city is celebrated in the history of the revolution. Population, twenty-nine thousand two hundred and sixty-one.
Charlestown, in Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is an irregular town, containing some fine situations. Here are the United States navy yard, and the finest dry-dock in the country; the Massachusetts state prison, an insane hospital, and the Ursuline convent. This town was burnt in 1775, by the British troops. On the eminence of Bunker Hill, a splendid monument of granite has been for some time in an unfinished state; but there is every hope of its immediate completion. Population ten thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Chilicothe, in Ross county, Ohio, formerly the seat of the state government, is situated on the west bank of the Scioto, on a beautiful and extensive plain. It is laid out on a large scale, with a great number of out-lots attached to it. The plan is regular; the streets cross each other at right angles, and every square is divided into four parts. In the vicinity are several mills and manufactories, and the Grand canal is cut through the town. The town was laid out in 1796, on the site of an old Indian village. Population, three thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven.
Cincinnati, the largest town in Ohio, is handsomely built, and surrounded by a range of fine wooded hills, which command a beautiful prospect. The plain on which it is situated occupies about four square miles; the height of the rising ground above the alluvial plain is about fifty feet. The population is much mixed, being composed of emigrants from all parts of the union, and most of the countries of Europe. Its progressive increase has been most wonderful. In 1813, Cincinnati numbered about four thousand inhabitants; in 1820, ten thousand; in 1840, forty-six thousand three hundred and eighty-two.
It has extensive flour and sawmills, worked by steam, and various manufactures.The public buildings are twenty-four churches, the College Athenæum, Medical College, Mechanics’ Institute, four market houses, a theatre, two museums, a famous and tasteless bazaar, a bank for the United States branch, court house, and other edifices. The charitable and religious associations are numerous. There are sixteen periodical publications. There are three city insurance companies, and two branches of companies at Hartford, Connecticut. Water is furnished for the inhabitants from the Ohio river, and is distributed over town at an average expense of eight dollars for a family.
Vast remains of ancient fortifications, embankments, stone walls, earthen mounds, the latter containing rude stone coffins filled with human bones, have been discovered within the precincts of this town; and many curious articles dug up, composed of jasper, rock crystal, cannel-coal, copper, sculptural representations on different substances, altogether tending to prove that this country was formerly inhabited by a race of men very different from the present American Indians.
Circleville, the seat of justice of Pickaway county, Ohio, is situated on the Pickaway bottom, about half a mile east of the Scioto. Its site is two mounds of earth, one circular, and the other square, containing about twenty acres. In the centre of the town is a small vacant circle. From this focus the streets diverge in regular radii. The growth of this town has been owing to the wealth of the surrounding plantations. Population, two thousand three hundred and twenty-nine.
Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina, is situated on the Congaree, one hundred and ten miles north-north-west of Charleston. It is the seat of the college of the state. The town is regularly built, and occupies an elevated plain gently sloping on every side. Population, four thousand two hundred ninety-five. There are eleven other towns called Columbia in the United States.
Columbus, the metropolis of the state of Ohio, is situated on the east bank of the Scioto, on an elevated plain of several hundred acres. It is situated near the middle of Franklin county, and within twenty miles of the centre of the state, in a fine fertile country. It was founded in 1812, in the midst of a thick forest. It contains a state house, court house, penitentiary, a classical seminary, three churches, and an asylum for the deaf and dumb. Population, six thousand and forty-eight.
Concord, a town of Merrimack county, New Hampshire, is the capital of the state. It is pleasantly situated on both sides of the Merrimack, along which spread some rich intervals. The chief village is on the west side, and forms a street two miles in length. It contains a state house and a state prison, both of granite. It was first settled in 1724, and twenty years afterwards suffered severely from the Indians. By the river and Middlesex canal, Concord has a boat navigation to Boston; and it is a place of considerable trade. Population, four thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight.
Concord, a village of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, is celebrated as the place of meeting of the first provincial congress in 1774, and the first opposition to the British arms.Population, one thousand eighthundred.63
Covington, a town of Genesee county, New York, has a soil of ordinary quality, well watered. Population, two thousand four hundred and thirty-eight.
Dayton, chief town of Montgomery county, Ohio, is situated on the left bank of Great Miami river, near the point where it is met by the canal. It is a flourishing place, with many mills and factories. Population six thousand and sixty-seven.
Detroit, the capital of Michigan territory, is situated on the bank of the river of the same name. During the French jurisdiction, it was the farthest post on the lakes except Macinac. Since 1815, this town has rapidly improved; before, it was small and of no importance except in a military view. It is famous for the siege here sustained by Major Gladwyn against the united tribes of Indians under Pontiac, and for its surrender to the British forces in the year 1812, by General Hull. The ground plan of the city of Detroit is laid out like that of Washington, and the buildings are very much scattered. The jail, state house, and two churches, constitute the chief public buildings. The Erie canal has done much to increase the prosperity of this town, and the Ohio canal will give it an additional impulse. Population nine thousand one hundred and two.
The streets of Detroit are generally crowded with Indians of one tribe or other, who collect here to sell their skins; at night, all those who are not admitted into private houses, and remain there quietly, are turned out of the town, and the gates shut upon them. The French inhabitants employed upon the lakes and rivers are very dexterous watermen, and will navigate a small bark in a rough sea with incredible skill. They have nothing like enterprise in business, and are very fond of music, dancing, and smoking tobacco; the women have generally lively and expressive countenances.
The fort stands on a low ridge, in the rear of the town, at the distance of about two hundred yards. From the summit of this ridge, the country gradually subsides to a low swampy plain, from five to nine miles across, covered with thick groves of young timber. Beyond this plain commences a surface moderately hilly.
Dover, a town of Kent county, Delaware, and capital of the state. It is handsomely laid out and built on a small stream that runs into the Delaware. The houses are mostly of brick, and in the centre of the town is a spacious square surrounded by the public buildings. Population, 3790.
Dover, a town of Strafford county, New Hampshire, is situated on the falls of the Cocheco, a stream running into the Piscataqua. The falls have several pitches, one of which is forty feet perpendicular, affording a vast water power, which has been applied to manufacturing purposes. This town was settled in 1623, and is the oldest in the state. The greater part of the timber exported from New Hampshire is brought to Dover. Population, five thousand four hundred and fifty-eight.
Easton, a town of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, situated on the Delaware, at the mouth of the Lehigh, is a handsome town, regularly laid out with a large square in the centre. The union of three canals at this point, gives it vast facilities for trade. The scenery of the neighborhood is remarkably picturesque. The town is laid out at right angles. Population, five thousand five hundred and ten.
Eastport, a town of Washington county, Maine, and the most easternpoint of the United States. It is situated on Moose island in Passamaquoddy bay, and is favorably situated for an extensive traffic up the Passamaquoddy and the other rivers falling into the bay of Fundy. The principal business is afforded by the fisheries and the lumber trade. Population, two thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Economy, a beautiful village of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, on the Ohio, a few miles below Pittsburg. It is inhabited solely by the sect of Harmonists, under the celebrated Rapp. The village is regularly built, and the streets are laid out at right angles. Industry is the characteristic of the inhabitants, who are of German origin. The property purports to be held in common, though it has been stated that the legal tenure of it is in the hands of the principal. The grape is extensively cultivated here; a thriving trade is carried on with the neighboring country, and the establishment is in a thriving condition. Population, 1283.