Herman Melville's Home, Victoria Pichardo

"Wow, it's so tall!"
Side view of tall shiny building that now stands at 6 Pearl
View of Battery Park across the street
Though Herman Melville's home looked nothing like this skyscraper, this is what has replaced his birthplace.
Building is behind us.
Herman Melville, one of the most famous American authors, was born here in New York City. His home was located on 6 Pearl Street in Manhattan. As a young man in search of adventures, Melville shipped out on a boat as a cabin boy. When he returned home he wrote about his adventures. Melville loved the sea and it is appropriate that he lived across the street from the East River. Many of his works were about adventures at sea. Melville wrote a novel which was ignored in his time but is now known as a masterpiece. Moby Dick, a novel about whaling adventures became recognized 30 years after his death.
Visiting Herman Meleville's birth place was a great experience for me. Pearl street is one of the most historical places in Manhattan. Many of the buildings and even the stones on the ground, have been there for many years. Not until I visited the literary site did I realize that Pearl street is a historical site in Manhattan. Especially because Melville the author of Moby Dick lived there. It's interesting and always fun to learn the historical significance of different areas within walking distance of my home. the area and surroundings are beautiful, especially across the street. If you walk by the East river you can see Staten island, New Jersey, and the Statue of Liberty.

- Victoria Pichardo, 16

PACE High School

100 Hester Street

New York, NY 10002

NY Public Library and Exhibits, Spring 2009 -Ashley Cortez

St. John the Divine - Saadia Hammond

                                 St. John the Divine, Upper West Side, Manhattan

Located in Saint John Divine, a famous Catholic Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the poet's corner is set as a memorial. The American poet's Corner was created in 1984 to memorialize American writers of high repute, modeled after a similar alcove for writers at Westminster Abbey in London. As you walk into the church the poet's corner is to your left. The poet's corner is made up of stone slabs on the wall and on the floor. Each stone has the writer’s name, their date of birth and death, and a memorable quotation from the writer's work. To date, there are thirty writers with stone slabs and the list will expand yearly. Visiting the Poet's Corner opened my eyes to many aspects. I realized although i have lived in New York City all my life I never made an effort to explore Saint John's and what it has to offer. I seen not only the poets corner but also the memorial to the F.D.N.Y. and the beautiful chapel.  Visiting the American Poet's Corner at Saint John the Divine helped me appreciate American writers that helped alter my learning ability as an aspiring writer and also helped me contribute toward their memorable honor. - Saadia Hammond, 16 years old PACE High School, Chinatown, NYC

Literary Sites in New York City

So for the next leg in my literary road trip, I will be working a little closer to home:  New York City!  Since I do teach in Chinatown and my students live all around the five boroughs, I asked their assistance in seeking out places of literary importance in the city.  Here I will post their descriptions of the sites they visited and the pictures they took while there.  They will receive extra credit for their footwork and submissions.  Enjoy!