Spots 
Eleven-year-old Hanny Underhill begins 1846 contemplating the fast approaching turn of the century alongside family updates from around the globe. Preparations for a historic costume ball showcase ancestral brocades while bringing local heritage alive for the younger generation. A youth choir concert proves that communal music can overcome parental skepticism and rigid household routines.
CHAPTER I → CHAPTER III
Summer visits among Dutch relatives in Tarrytown offer glimpses of regional folklore alongside historic sites near Washington Irving's estate. Relatives bestow hand-spun linens and cross-stitched wool blankets upon Margaret as wedding gifts to honor lineage over modern store-bought goods. Her wedding at St. Thomas' church marks a transition into an up-town house with modern conveniences like a dumbwaiter.
CHAPTER IV → CHAPTER VI
George Underhill joins the California Gold Rush despite family anxieties, choosing westward adventure over local real estate investments. News of the 1848 French Revolution and the rise of Louis Napoleon sparks heated debates at home about political liberty and exile. Daisy Jasper departs for a year-long European journey, while old Grandfather Bounett completes a full century of life.
CHAPTER VII → CHAPTER IX
A summer crabbing excursion along the river brings lively play, yet quieter moments leave lasting impressions on young Hanny. A visit to Edgar Allan Poe's modest cottage in Fordham reveals a grieving poet surrounded by papers in quiet contemplation. The Underhill family relocates further up-town, establishing Dr. Joe's medical practice alongside a sunlit garden and library.
CHAPTER X → CHAPTER XII
An afternoon trip across salt meadows into New Jersey introduces historic landmarks like Newark's oldest church and Cockloft Hall. Exploring Passaic valley sites with friends turns local geography into living history. Meanwhile, northern expansion continues reshaping Manhattan, replacing rural squatters' plots with new residential streets.
CHAPTER XIII → CHAPTER XIV
Attending a Jenny Lind concert leaves a deep impression of musical beauty that stays with Hanny for years. A salon gathering at Mrs. Osgood's parlor brings her face-to-face with active authors, artists, and journalists of mid-century New York. Meanwhile, manufactured garments begin replacing home-spun labor, giving women greater freedom to engage with culture.
CHAPTER XV → CHAPTER XVI
Daisy Jasper returns from Europe fully recovered and accomplished in painting, instantly renewing her close friendship with Hanny. School days at Rutgers Institute draw to a close as classmates prepare for future responsibilities. Josie Dean and Charles Reed announce their formal engagement, setting a pattern of adult romance among Hanny's immediate peers.
CHAPTER XVII → CHAPTER XIX
Graduation marks Hanny's entry into formal society, celebrated with long skirts, evening receptions, and cheerful parlor games. The opening of the 1853 World's Fair at the Crystal Palace brings international art and industrial progress directly to the city's doorstep. As peers begin marrying and building careers, Hanny stays grounded in family warmth.
CHAPTER XX → CHAPTER XXI
By 1897, Hanny looks back as a silvery-haired grandmother driving through a vastly enlarged Greater New York. Historic sites like Castle Garden and Fordham Cottage now stand alongside electric lights, tall buildings, and suspension bridges. Her grandchildren listen to stories of nineteenth-century life, finding continuity between past memories and modern city progress.
CHAPTER XXII
A portrait of girlhood, family life, and changing culture in nineteenth-century New York City.