South Street seaport is a tiny historic district of new York. On the approach to it are visible swaying masts of sailing ships. In the old days there was a lively sea port.

Its history began in 1625, when the Dutch founded their trading post. They built a Wharf, first street. In 1633 has developed a lively Queen street (now pearl street). Initially, the street was right on the East river, but due to the dumping of waste into the river that was narrowed. In the early nineteenth century thus reclaimed by the river, the paved areas South street.

The prosperity of the port began long before the war for independence: this brought goods from the mother. War the port was destroyed; but in 1784 from here in Guangzhou went sailing ship "Empress of China". The flight was a success: the vehicle delivered in USA expensive tea and porcelain. Soon the port bypassed in terms of volume of trade in Boston and Philadelphia. It was here in 1818 began the first regular transatlantic commercial flights. The port life was stormy: here were based trading company, shop sailing craftsmen and wood carvers, pensions, saloons, brothels. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, these places became a shadow of desolation: the days of sailing ships passed, and the depths of the East river is not allowed to moor large ships.

In 1966, the initiative group of citizens were able to gather in an abandoned port some old ships and make announcements district historic landmark. The Museum of South Street seaport was opened a year later. Historic buildings have been restored, preserved real cobblestones, built shopping centers. By the end of the twentieth century the local collection of historic ships has become one of the largest in the world.

Now at the berths of the port are being lifted up on fifty-meter height four mast barque "Beijing", moored near the schooner "pioneer" and "Lettie G. Howard", a floating lighthouse, "Ambrose", tugboat Helen McAllister". "Pioneer" during the season rolls of tourists on the East river and the mouth of the Hudson river. In historic buildings in the district, the Museum, which has a functioning printing press of the nineteenth century, archaeological exhibition, exhibition gallery, craft center. The Museum gives the opportunity to see and understand how they lived and worked sailors sailing fleet, port workers and employees. Nearby, on the corner of Fulton street and pearl street, a memorial lighthouse memory of the victims on the Titanic. Once he was standing on the roof of the sea Church, but she moved to another location, the lighthouse remained here.

Old sailing ships are now moored right next to the glittering skyscrapers of the modern. However, if you face the East river, it seems the time jumps in a half-century ago: the same as then, screaming gulls, swaying mast, splashing wave, homanit-lingual crowd.