▁the ▁island ▁from ▁Nie uw ▁Amsterdam ▁at ▁the ▁southern ▁tip . ▁The ▁Dutch ▁expl orer ▁and ▁entrepr ene ur ▁David ▁Piet ers z . ▁de ▁V ries ▁gives ▁the ▁first ▁mention ▁of ▁it ▁in ▁his ▁journal ▁for ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 6 4 2 ▁(" the ▁W ick qu as ge ck ▁Road ▁over ▁which ▁the ▁Indians ▁passed ▁daily "). ▁The ▁Dutch ▁called ▁it ▁the ▁He eren ▁Weg h ▁or ▁He eren ▁Stra at , ▁meaning ▁" G ent le men ' s ▁Way " ▁or ▁" G ent le men ' s ▁Street " ▁– ▁echo ing ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁a ▁similar ▁street ▁in ▁Amsterdam ▁– ▁or ▁" High ▁Street " ▁or ▁" the ▁Highway "; ▁it ▁was ▁renamed ▁" B road way " ▁after ▁the ▁British ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁city , ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁unusual ▁width . ▁ ▁Although ▁currently ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁street ▁is ▁simply ▁" B road way ", ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁map ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁it ▁is ▁l abeled ▁as ▁" B road way ▁Street ". ▁In ▁the ▁mid - e igh teenth ▁century , ▁part ▁of ▁Broadway ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁lower ▁Manh attan ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Great ▁George ▁Street . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁Broadway ▁ended ▁at ▁the ▁town ▁comm ons ▁north ▁of ▁Wall ▁Street , ▁where ▁traffic ▁continued ▁up ▁the ▁East ▁Side ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁via ▁Eastern ▁Post ▁Road ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Side ▁via ▁Blo oming dale ▁Road . ▁The ▁latter , ▁which