From The Peopling of NYC

A Beginning
The Chelsea neighborhood receives its name from Captain Thomas Clarke, a British seaman who was a veteran of the French and Indian War. He purchased the land bound by the Hudson River and 8th Avenue, between 21st and 24th Street from farmer Jacob Somerindyck and his wife. Hoping to retire there, he built his home upon his large estate in the area and named it Chelsea after London's Royal Hospital for retired sailors. Capt. Clarke's grandson, Clement Clarke Moore, later became the owner of the estate and decided to divide up his estate into building lots to be rented out in 1850 due to the surge of European immigration in the area. He not only did this for profit but for the public as well, to which he donated the land on which the General Theological Seminary stands on to this day in Chelsea Square on the blocks between 20th and 21st streets and 9th and 10th avenues.

New Neighbors Arrive
What was once farmland with Dutch neighbors further north, Chelsea was becoming a suburban housing district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was due in part to many factors such as the building of the Henry Hudson Railroad in 1847 which brought industrial plants to the neighborhood, as well as the physical addition of landmass to Chelsea in the 1860's, expanding the neighborhood westward to accommodate more European immigration. People started living in two or three family apartments. The amount of commercial property was rapidly increasing while more options in residential housing were being offered. Higher quality luxury homes were being sold, such as the real estate in what is known as London Terrace which extends from 23rd to 24th street between 9th and 10th avenues.

The Spotlight
By this time, 14th street was becoming an increasingly popular shopping and cultural center of the city, it was a hot spot for business, what with big names such as B. Altman and R.H. Macy setting up shop there. In 1868 Pike's Opera house was bought for the hefty sum of $1 million by James Fisk and Jay Gould and was turned into the Grand Opera House and in '69, Edwin Boothe's theater as well as Proctor's 23rd street theater opened, featuring numerous vaudeville plays. Today, the area is now known as the Ladies Mile Historic District and is also where the magnificent Hugh O'Neill Building stands.

An Upgrade
Further progression arrived in 1913 with the building of the first subway underneath 7th avenue and the conversion of elevated railroads from steam to electric engines. Down on street level, horse-drawn carriages were being replaced by electric trolleys which in turn, were eventually replaced by buses. The waterfront of Chelsea Piers also brought in big business and new housing was being made for the increasing population of longshoremen.

Info from:
Chelsea : an introduction to a metropolitan community / excerpts from studies by students of the Mills School under the direction of Louise P. Mitchell and Amy Hewes ; assisted by Don Gifford and Merton L.Reichler.New York : Mills School , 1955.


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