PGK Art: Jasper Ward House At the end of the short two-block street called Peck Slip, is the 1807 home of Jasper Ward. This house was probably used as one of the many and notable Counting Houses, where newly arrived goods were auctioned off and distributed to entrepreneurs and shoppers, seeking the latest in cloth, spices, teas, and news from the “old country.” Jasper and his brother Bartholomew also had the foresight to buy what is now called Wards Island. At the time, Ward’s Island was part of the deep “wilds” of New York. This purchase was considered a bold move on the part of the two merchants who eventually established farms on the island as a business venture. The Triborough Bridge now passes over and is anchored by Wards Island.