Early Gridiron

In the June/July issue the article “Britain’s Yankee Whaling Town” mentioned that Milford Haven’s street plan might have been adopted from New York. Although New York City had some streets at right angles in 1793 when Milford Haven was first laid out, the gridiron street plan of New York above Houston Street was commissioned in 1807 and completed in 1811. It is referred to as the Commissioners’ Map and was based on a survey by the engineer John Randel, Jr. It is on display at the Museum of the City of New York.