Buildings at 1200-1206 Washington Street
Encyclopedia
The Buildings at 1200–1206 Washington Street, also known as the El Dorado Apartments and the Yellow Flats, are a historic district located in Hoboken
, New Jersey
. The buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places
on March 9, 1987.
, by the architect Charles Fall. They are located between 12th Street and 13th Street on the eastern side of Washington Street, a commercial district with many retail stores and restaurants. The five-story complex is roughly 2 blocks south of Weehawken Cove, the former site of the Hudson Tea Building, and 2 blocks west of the Hudson River
. The entire complex is the full length of Washington Street between 12th and 13th Streets, with several rows of apartments wrapping around the corners of both streets, and in total the Yellow Flats contain 174 living units. The addresses listed under the National Register of Historic Places are specifically 1200, 1202, 1204 and 1206. A large fire in January 2008 caused major damage to the complex; the damage has since been repaired.
, the "Witch of Wall Street
" chose after her move from London
to live in a small, cheap apartment at the Yellow Flats, where she rented a three-room apartment for $19 to $23 per month. To avoid establishing a residency permanent enough to attract the attention of tax officials in any state, Hetty took up several residences in Hoboken and Brooklyn Heights
, which has resulted in a discrepancy between whether or not she lived in the apartments listed under the National Register of Historic Places. At the Yellow Flats, she listed her buzzer as C. Dewey, the name of her pet Skye terrier
. It was also reported that she lived as a guest of the Yellow Flats buildings' janitor, Jacob Van Twisk.
At the end of his career in 1905, Blind Tom Wiggins
, one of the most famous musical performers of his day who played at the White House for President James Buchanan
and was highly regarded by Mark Twain
, moved into an apartment in the Yellow Flats. Several years later, he died at the home of neighbor Mrs. Eliza Bethune Lerche.
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on March 9, 1987.
History
In the 1890s, the Buildings at 1200–1206 Washington Street were built by the Hoboken Land and Improvement CompanyHoboken Land and Improvement Company Building
The Hoboken Land and Improvement Company Building, is located in Hoboken, New Jersey. The building was designed by Charles Fall and was built by Myles Tierney in 1889. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 3, 1979. The building housed the offices of the Steven's...
, by the architect Charles Fall. They are located between 12th Street and 13th Street on the eastern side of Washington Street, a commercial district with many retail stores and restaurants. The five-story complex is roughly 2 blocks south of Weehawken Cove, the former site of the Hudson Tea Building, and 2 blocks west of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. The entire complex is the full length of Washington Street between 12th and 13th Streets, with several rows of apartments wrapping around the corners of both streets, and in total the Yellow Flats contain 174 living units. The addresses listed under the National Register of Historic Places are specifically 1200, 1202, 1204 and 1206. A large fire in January 2008 caused major damage to the complex; the damage has since been repaired.
Famous residents
Although she was considered to be one of the wealthiest women of her day, and it has even been said that she had the means to buy Hoboken, Hetty GreenHetty Green
Hetty Green , nicknamed "The Witch of Wall Street" , was an American businesswoman, remarkable for her frugality during the Gilded Age, as well as for being the first American woman to make a substantial impact on Wall Street.-Birth and early years:She was born Henrietta Howland Robinson in New...
, the "Witch of Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
" chose after her move from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to live in a small, cheap apartment at the Yellow Flats, where she rented a three-room apartment for $19 to $23 per month. To avoid establishing a residency permanent enough to attract the attention of tax officials in any state, Hetty took up several residences in Hoboken and Brooklyn Heights
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights is a culturally diverse neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Originally referred to as 'Brooklyn Village', it has been a prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. As of 2000, Brooklyn Heights sustained a population of 22,594 people. The neighborhood is part of...
, which has resulted in a discrepancy between whether or not she lived in the apartments listed under the National Register of Historic Places. At the Yellow Flats, she listed her buzzer as C. Dewey, the name of her pet Skye terrier
Skye Terrier
The Skye Terrier is a breed of dog that is a long, low, hardy terrier.-Coat:The Skye is double coated, with a short, soft undercoat and a hard, straight topcoat. The ideal coat length is 5 inches , with no extra credit for a longer coat. The shorter hair of the head veils the forehead and...
. It was also reported that she lived as a guest of the Yellow Flats buildings' janitor, Jacob Van Twisk.
At the end of his career in 1905, Blind Tom Wiggins
Blind Tom Wiggins
Thomas "Blind Tom" Wiggins was an African American autistic savant and musical prodigy on the piano. He had numerous original compositions published and had a lengthy and largely successful performing career throughout the United States...
, one of the most famous musical performers of his day who played at the White House for President James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
and was highly regarded by Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, moved into an apartment in the Yellow Flats. Several years later, he died at the home of neighbor Mrs. Eliza Bethune Lerche.
External links
- View of Buildings at 1200-1206 Washington Street via Google Street ViewGoogle Street ViewGoogle Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from various positions along many streets in the world...
- Photo of Buildings