![Planning map for the New York City grid system. The map shows all of Manhattan, with the streets and parks labeled.](/sites/default/files/styles/1488x480/public/greatestgrid.jpg?h=26848b14&itok=wgbBXUAg)
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The street grid is a defining element of Manhattan.
Established in 1811 to blanket the island when New York was a compact town at the southern tip, the grid was the city’s first great civic enterprise and a vision of brazen ambition. It is also a milestone in the history of city planning and sets a standard to think just as boldly about New York’s future.
Visit the Greatest Grid website to explore educational resources, interactive maps and more.