Landmarks of New York Site of Wall of New Amsterdam In 1653 the City of New Amsterdam erected a wall along the northern edge of town to protect the inhabitants from attack. This wall, five to six feet high was constructed of heavy planks laid horizontally, and ran from the Hudson River to the East River on the line of present-day Wall Street. Frequently in need of repair, the wall had been abandoned by 1699. Plaque erected 1965 by the New York Community Trust