New York's Meat District Has a History

The Meatpacking District in New York’s, Manhattan was not always the trendy posh spot that it is today, with all of its eateries and night clubs. It actually started out as a trading village for an Algonquin Indian Tribe. They traded it off to the Dutch and in became a tobacco plantation. The English owned it after the Dutch. Then America built Fort Gansevoort to protect New York during the war of 1812. After the war, New York purchased much of Gansevoort from a gentleman named John Astor.

The Hudson Railway was then put in and that area became a farmers market. By turn of 1900, the area evolved into a meat market area. This was made possible with the arrival of the underground brine-cooling system, which allowed them to keep the meat safe. It was a hustling, bustling community of the meat business.

In the 1980’s, it became notorious for drug dealing and other illicit activity. In the 1990’s the Meatpacking District started a transformation that led to urban, trendy shops and nightclubs. Many of these eateries and nightclubs are frequented by New York’s hips and elite.

The meat packing history is still carried through this area, with 35 wholesale meat companies still operating by day. There meat companies sit right next to high end fashion stores, art galleries, hair salons and restaurants. It is a great Manhattan area to visit.