319 Church Street

 interesting place, underground station, apartment building, 1876_construction

5-story residential building completed in 1876. Designed by William Widmayer. It is clad in red brick, with black sills with corbelled feet, and black metal cornices. The roof has a plain parapet with metal railing. The building has been used for storage and light manufacturing. Currently, the first story is occupied by a pizzeria and coffee shop; the upper stories were converted to residential use in 2003.

The site of 319 Church Street, formerly 36 Lispenard Street, was a stop on the Underground Railroad. On September 3rd, 1838, Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Maryland by disguising himself as a sailor traveling north. A few days later, he arrived at 36 Lispenard Street which was only a small brick building. On the site, abolitionist David Ruggles kept a reading room and press where he printed anti-slavery materials. It also served as the headquarters of the New York Vigilance Committee which aided more than 1,000 men, women, and children during their time as one of the nation's most active anti-slavery campaigns.

A plaque was erected in 2006 by the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation to commemorate the site.