THE vast majority of Manhattan residents live on streets that seem to run forever. Twenty-third Street clocks in at about two miles, Second Avenue at nearly seven. Thanks to Manhattan’s grid plan, which is celebrating its bicentennial with an exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, the bulk of the island is laid out in rigid checkerboard fashion.

But for a few fortunate people, there is another Manhattan, a handful of short streets that run for just a block, or two or three at the most. Their histories are invariably rich — some were born as driveways for large gated estates — and their charms quickly reveal themselves to both residents and visitors.

Such streets are typically lined with trees and exquisite old buildings, and often adjacent to parks. Many are designated as historic districts. Being off the beaten track and sometimes gated, they tend to be unusually safe. Many have adorable names, like Patchin Place and Sniffen Court, and have been home to celebrated residents (E.E. Cummings on Patchin Place; Irving Berlin on Beekman Place).

Small and tucked away, these streets offer a respite from the hectic city. “They have a special quality,” said Kevin Walsh, the creator of Forgotten New York and one of many urban bloggers who find these enclaves irresistible. “You feel it the moment you set foot on these streets.”