New York, New York

New York City began in 1626 when Dutch colonists purchased the island of Manhattan from Lenape Native Americans in order to establish a fur trading settlement. The price in today's currency was roughly $1,000. The location at the mouth of the Hudson River, which feeds into a naturally sheltered harbor and then into the Atlantic Ocean, has helped the city grow in significance as a trading city. Much of New York is built on the three islands of Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island, making land scarce and encouraging a high population density.

In the 19th century, the city successfully transformed its economy into a leading industrial manufacturing center. It was during this time that Manhattan took charge of its pattern of growth, and laid out a grid of major north-south avenues, and minor east-west streets. However, the scales required for modern industry and the growing land value eventually forced the relocation of the port up river. The city once again successfully transformed its economy to one based on commerce, and began to look inward. The construction of the elevated West Side Highway and the FDR drive in the 1960s essentially cut off the city from its historical reason to exist: the waterfront. Today, there is a growing effort to reintegrate the city with its waterfront as an amenity, the largest examples being Battery Park City and Riverside South.