Appleton Building facts for kids

The Appleton Building was a famous building in New York City. It stood at 346 and 348 Broadway, a busy street. The building was four stories tall and made entirely of brown stone. It was a well-known sight in the mid-1800s and one of Broadway's oldest buildings.

A Look Back: The Appleton Building's Story

The Appleton Building was once home to D. Appleton & Company. They were publishers who moved their offices in April 1860. After they left, the building was changed a lot. It then welcomed new tenants, Graybon, McCreary, & Co. These were merchants who sold fabrics and clothing, known as "dry goods." They rented the whole building.

The building was also home to S.B. Chittenden & Company. They were big sellers and importers of dry goods. At the time it was destroyed, the building was owned by Appleton & Company. It was worth about $250,000.

In March 1854, architects Geo. Carstensen and Chs. Gildemeister had their offices there. By January 1855, Foster, Dixon & Company offered lessons at 346 Broadway. They taught writing, math, and bookkeeping. This helped men get ready for jobs in business offices.

The New York Book Publishers' Association also met at the Appleton Building. This happened on September 12, 1855. An accountant named C.C. Marsh offered lessons in bookkeeping there in February 1857.

Amazing Art: Raphael's Cartoons

Charles B. Norton worked at the Appleton Building. He was a special agent for books and papers. In December 1859, he brought some amazing art to New York City. These were large prints of Raphael's famous "cartoons." Cartoons in this case mean large drawings used to create paintings or tapestries.

These prints were made from special plates at Hampton Court Palace in England. They were very big, about 38 by 25 inches. Day & Son, who were engravers for Queen Victoria, made them. A set of seven of these beautiful prints sold for $10 in New York.

The Fire That Destroyed It

The Appleton Building was destroyed by a huge fire on February 12, 1867. A police officer found the fire at 5:40 in the morning. In just one hour, the large building was completely on fire.

A nearby dry goods store, E.S. Jaffray & Company, also caught fire on its upper floors. Many of its windows burned, but the fire there was put out quickly. S.B. Chittenden, who had offices in the Appleton Building, lost a lot of money. Their loss was estimated between $800,000 and $1 million. The Appleton Building itself was a total loss.