Named after John Jacob Astor, Astor Place was once a wealthy residential enclave for the Astors, Vanderbilts, and Delanos. Later, it became a cultural and educational center as the home of Cooper Union and the Public Theater (formerly the Astor Library). Learn the history of Astor Place and the sites nearby: Grace Church, McSorley’s Pub, the Hamilton Fish House (aka the Stuyvesant Fish House), and the Merchant House.