Collection of The New-York Historical Society
Brennan Farm House, 84th and Broadway, 1879.
Most New Yorkers today are living on what was once farmland.As early as the 17th century, before Manhattan formed its famous grid, the island contained farms in neighborhoods from Midtown to the Upper West Side.
The Museum of the City of New York's online collection reveals what the city looked like at the time. The series, "The Greatest Grid," features illustrations and photos of New York City's former rolling hills, which were later demolished to create a flat streetscape.
Take a look at the city's transformation below.