The area of West 44th Street in New York City was just a patch of farmland and forest in 1792. The American Revolutionary War had ended less than 10 years before, and maybe events that took place then caused the ghost that eventually became known as Lucy Ryan to haunt this area.
After the Revolutionary War, New York City grew and by the 1800s a road was laid down in what would eventually become 44th Street. In 1862, a brick townhouse and cottage occupied the lot, and within 10 years it was up for sale.
