5. Joseph Osborn’s Reading Room

No respectable city could be complete without a reading room, also known as a circulating library. And by 1807, New York had three worth noting: the reading room of E. Sergeant on Wall Street, the reading room of D. Longworth, which was known for its extensive collection of Shakespeare’s works; and Joseph Osborn’s reading room, which held a collection of the “most recent and fashionable publications,” including works of fiction. Reading rooms like these have evolved into the New York Public Library, but you can still find private reading rooms hidden around the city.

Next, read about 10 Historic Buildings in NYC Repurposed for the Arts and 10 Abandoned Places to Discover in Manhattan, NYC. Contact the author @ImShilohF.