Happy Birthday, Jane Freilicher!
On November 29, 1924, artist Jane Freilicher was born. Freilicher was a member of the New York School, “an informal group of American poets, painters, dancers, and musicians active in … Continued
The Bygone Days of a Cowboy Club in Greenwich Village
I found this cool photo in the archives of Fred McDarrah’s work and the neon sign for “The Village Barn” immediately caught my eye. I had no idea what this … Continued
Remembering Jimi Hendrix
Who doesn’t know the opening notes? Who can’t recognize the wild, seething energy behind them? Who hasn’t seen his face, wavering with smoke and mystery? We heard him at concerts … Continued
New Historic Images Show Italian Immigrant Life in the South Village
The Center for Migration Studies of New York is a think tank and educational institute devoted to the study of international migration, the promotion of understanding between immigrants and receiving communities, … Continued
An Attitude of Gratitude at GVSHP
As we reflect upon the turbulence of the past year, we at GVSHP are continually reminded that while the times may be tough, we have an abundance of things for … Continued
November 22, 1909: A Frail 23 Year Old Woman Ignites the Strike of the 20,000 at Cooper Union
On November 22, 1909, a frail 23-year-old woman, who’d been brutally beaten by strike-breakers, was helped up onto the stage of the Great Hall at the Cooper Union. Leaders of … Continued
This is Radio Clash
On November 20, 1981, The Clash’s genre-defying record ‘This Is Radio Clash’ was released. The band’s last stand-alone single, it presaged not only the direction the band would go in … Continued
Peeling Back Two Hundred Years of History on Second Avenue
I recently wrote about the rich and interesting cultural history behind the Ukrainian National Home, located at 140-142 Second Avenue just south of 9th Street in the East Village, for … Continued
The Ukrainian National Home’s Surprising History
On 2nd Avenue, just south of 9th Street at No. 140-142, sits one of the East Village’s oddest structures. Clad in metal and adorned with Cyrillic lettering, the building sports … Continued
Business of the Month – Village Music World, 197 Bleecker Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
Moby Dick: Herman Melville’s Epic Journey Began on Gansevoort Street
On November 14, 1851, Herman Melville’s magnum opus, Moby-Dick, was published. Unlike the search for a white whale, it isn’t difficult to find Melville’s deep connection to the Village, as … Continued
Solving Mysteries in Historic Photos, Part II
Last time we put out a call to the public to help us solve some mysteries in historic photos, we got a great response. While we have identified many of … Continued
Touring Bleecker Street’s Diverse History
Last week I took a break from my normal duties as GVSHP’s Director of Research and Preservation and led about forty people on a tour of Bleecker Street as part … Continued
Otis Kidwell Burger, Who’s Seen the Village From Suffrage to Luxury
West Village history can’t be said to live in any one person, but Otis Kidwell Burger has seen a great deal of it, and holds a great deal more in … Continued
Shop Local; Small Business Saturday
November 25th is Small Business Saturday to supporting shopping local small shops. We recently hosted an architectural walking tour of Bleecker Street to draw attention to the array of shops … Continued
Labor History in the Village
Some of the most important events and most prominent figures in the labor movement bear strong connections to the Village and East Village. Without these courageous individuals, or the events … Continued
Suffragette City
Today we look back on a critical milestone in the health of our democracy and a red letter day for the State of New York. The achievement of full voting … Continued
The Birth of the Provincetown Playhouse
On November 3, 1916, the Provincetown Players performed their first production in their new home in Greenwich Village. The theater company performed King Arthur’s Socks by Floyd Dell, The Game by Louise Bryant, … Continued
African Free School, First in America for Black Students, Found a Home in Greenwich Village
The African Free School was founded on November 2, 1787 in Lower Manhattan by the New-York Manumission Society and founding fathers Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. It was the very first school … Continued
Remember ‘The Alamo’: A history of the Astor Place cube
On November 1, 1967, an enigmatic 20-foot-tall cube first appeared on a lonely traffic island where Astor Place and 8th Street meet. Though several months before the release of “2001: … Continued
The Alamo Turns 50!
On November 1, 1967, an 8′ x 8′ x 8′ 1,800-pound giant black cube was installed in Astor Place as one of 25 temporary public artworks by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. However, … Continued
Two Village Ghost Stories!
As a surprise Halloween treat, this year’s Bowery Boys ghost stories podcast is focused all on the Village! While some of the stories are quite familiar to us at GVSHP, … Continued
Honoring and Preserving 101 Avenue A, Home of the Pyramid Club
On October 30, 2007, GVSHP submitted a request to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission that they consider 101 Avenue A (6th/7th Streets) in the East Village as an individual New … Continued
The East Village’s Club 57 Gets A Show at MoMa
Who would have thought that the basement of a Catholic church would serve as a crucible of creativity in the East Village in the early Reagan era? One did, however, and … Continued
How Edith Wharton and Henry James Struck Up A Friendship Around Washington Square
On October 26, 1900, two great writers with ties to the Village began a correspondence that would spark a lifelong friendship…
Rare photos of the High Line being demolished in the 1960s tell the story of a changing West Village
Few structures have had a more far-reaching impact upon the West Village and Chelsea than the High Line. Its construction in 1934, then partial demolition in the early ’60s, and … Continued
Fingers Crossed for Another: Individual Landmark Designations We’ve Won
We had a promising hearing last Tuesday at the Landmarks Preservation Commission on our proposed landmark designation of 827-831 Broadway, with a vote planned for this coming Tuesday, October 31st. … Continued
On West 13th Street, A Journal Founded By Transcendentalists, That Hit “Like An Atom Bomb”
Not many people remember it today, but The Dial, one of the most influential literary magazines of its time, was housed at 152 West 13th Street, and published some of the … Continued
Stories from GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive- “Is That My Mother?”
Since its online release in August, 2017, GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive has been the source of several amazing stories. The recently released Carole Teller’s Changing New York Collection particularly so, … Continued
This Day in Preservation History: Home of Alexander Hamilton (Jr.) is Landmarked
The Federal-style rowhouse at 4 St. Mark’s Place, also known as the Hamilton-Holly house and the former home of Trash and Vaudeville, was designated an individual New York City landmark on … Continued
The High Line is Dismantled and the West Side is Transformed
There’s no overstating it – we at Village Preservation love our members and friends sharing old mementos and images of our neighborhood. Personal or family pictures taken of one’s surroundings or … Continued
A Tale of Two 50’s!
Fifty years ago today, the musical Hair premiered at The Public Theater. The first rock musical, it would go on to become a pacifist symbol throughout the world and bring groundbreaking … Continued
Happy Birthday, Eugene O’Neill
On this day in 1888, Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born, and the course of American theater would change forever. O’Neill became the first American dramatist to regard the stage as … Continued
Murder He Wrote: Gruesome Tragedies That Shook the Village
Our neighborhoods are home to many charms and delights, known throughout the world. But they’ve also been home to more than their fair share of horror and mayhem. Below are … Continued
Happy Birthday, Richard Meier
American architect Richard Meier was born on this day in 1934. Over the course of his nearly sixty-year career Meier has designed countless buildings all over the world and received numerous … Continued
Business of the Month – The Ink Pad, 37 7th Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
Farewell to Matt Umanov Guitars
Last week Matt Umanov Guitars released the following bittersweet statement: “After fifty-three years of having been in the business of helping so many guitar (and all the other fretted instruments) players … Continued
Puerto Rico On Our Mind Entering Columbus Day Weekend
Puerto Rico is in our hearts and minds these days, both as the island continues to work towards a sustainable recovery after Hurrican Maria, and with the upcoming federal holiday … Continued
de Kooning’s Greenwich Village
While much has been said lately about the 11th hour salvation of 827-831 Broadway, two critically important buildings in the life and work of artists Willem de Kooning and Elaine … Continued
The South Village’s Italian Heritage
Many think of Little Italy’s Mulberry Street or the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue as the centers of Italian-American life and culture in New York. But some of the most historically significant … Continued
1890 Census Map: A Window Into our Incredibly Crowded and Diverse Immigrant Past
As a historian and researcher who frequently relies on census data for information, nothing frustrates me more than the fact that nearly all of the 1890 Federal Census records were … Continued
Happy Birthday to Wolf Kahn, who Draws the City like a Landscape
The renowned painter Wolf Kahn was born on October 4, 1927. In his oral history with GVSHP, Wolf Kahn brought wit, snark, and great, detailed memories about his time in … Continued
October 15th: A Community Conversation with Andrew Berman!
GVSHP is happy to announce a new program “Community Conference: The Village Past, Present, and Future with GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman,” that will be taking place on Sunday, October 15th … Continued
Whaam! Pow! Celebrating the Life and Work of Roy Lichtenstein
In a city filled to the brim with galleries, museums, artists’ studios, and, of course, avid art lovers, we’ve all undoubtedly walked by a display of Pop Art at some … Continued
Iconic album covers of Greenwich Village and the East Village: Then and now
There’s no shortage of sites in the Village and East Village where great makers of popular music lived or performed. Less well known, however, are the multitude of sites that … Continued
Sullivan-Thompson Historic Historic District Gets Its Landmark Street Signs
The Sullivan-Thompson Historic District is the Village’s most recently designated historic district, and was designated in record time. We’re happy to report that it has received its new street signs in record … Continued
W.E.B. Du Bois Makes – and Teaches – History at the New School, September 27, 1948
On September 27, 1948, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, more commonly known as W.E.B. Du Bois, began teaching the very first African-American history and culture class ever taught at a … Continued
Mysterious Name & Address Cast in Iron Reveals Layers of History
Walking on East 9th Street the other day I saw a new and surprising element on the Mud Cafe storefront at 307 East 9th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, … Continued
Happy Birthday, Tom Bernardin!
Our good friend Tom Bernardin was born on this day in 1948. A longtime resident of the West Village, Tom is perhaps best known as the “unofficial” historian of Julius’ … Continued
Trump SoHo Fined and Restrictions Enforced After City Shamed Into Enforcing Law
On this day in 2014, GVSHP wrote Mayor de Blasio to demand that the Trump Soho be subject to strict and clear oversight and enforcement, something missing for years under the … Continued
From Willem de Kooning’s loft to the threat of the wrecking ball: The history of 827-831 Broadway
Underneath the lyrical and much-admired sherbet-colored facades of the twin lofts at 827-831 Broadway lies a New York tale like no other. Incorporating snuff, sewing machines, and cigar store Indians; Abstract Expressionists; … Continued
Friends Apartments- Fiction or Fantasy?
Love them or hate them, Friends was an acclaimed television mainstay, winning 69 awards during its eleven year run from 1994-2004. Friends debuted on September 22nd, 1994, with Greenwich Village … Continued
Saved From the Wrecking Ball: Today, and Fifty Years Ago
Victory snatched from the jaws of defeat! We have seen it on many occasions here at GVSHP. Most recently, in case you haven’t heard, we were victorious in persuading the … Continued
Celebrating David Rothenberg and the Fortune Society
Last night, GVSHP and the Fortune Society hosted a celebration in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Fortune Society’s founding by David Rothenberg, and marking the release of GVSHP’s … Continued
Welcome Aboard, Ariel Kates!
Today we are very excited to welcome aboard Ariel Kates as our new Manager of Programming and Communications. Ariel is thrilled to be a part of our public programming and outreach … Continued
Preserving Small Businesses with the Murrays
James and Karla Murray are influential artists, small business advocates, and 2015 GVSHP Regina Kellerman Village Awardees. They have captured and preserved scores of Village locales (and thousands of NYC locales). Over … Continued
How Alphabet City’s ‘milk laboratory’ led to modern pasteurization
The utilitarian building at 151 Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets would hardly elicit a second glance from the casual passerby today. But its unassuming looks belie the incredible story of … Continued
Eleventh Street Methodist Episcopal Chapel Landmark Designation
On this day in 2010, the Eleventh Street Methodist Episcopal Chapel (545-547 E. 11th Street) was designated a New York City landmark.
Critical Public Meeting Tonight to Save Our Neighborhood!
Critical Public Meeting on Saving Third & Fourth Avenue Corridors in the East Village TONIGHT — Wednesday, September 13th Anyone who cares about overdevelopment in the area between 3rd and 5th … Continued
When Taxi’s Sunshine Cab Company Made A Home in Greenwich Village
On this day in 1978, the award-winning television show Taxi aired its first episode. The much-loved pathos-filled comedy set in a New York full of misfits, dreamers, and malcontents largely took … Continued
Business of the Month – Blaustein Paint & Hardware – 51 Greenwich Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
When New York really became New York
On this day in 1664, then-Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrendered what was known as New Amsterdam, the capital of New Netherland, to English naval Colonel Richard Nicolls. The European settlement … Continued
David Rothenberg, Civil Rights and Social Justice Pioneer
Civil rights and social justice crusader David Rothenberg, the founder of the Fortune Society and a 2015 Village Award winner, has now been added to the GVSHP Civil Rights and … Continued
Lafayette’s Local Legacy: A Street Brimming With Landmarks
Lafayette Street in NoHo is much on my mind today. September 6 happens to be the birthday in 1757 of the man for whom the street is named, the Marquis … Continued
“On the Road” Published
This is an update of a post written by former GVSHP staffer Andito Lloyd. The seminal tome of the Beat generation, Jack Kerouac’s novel, “On the Road,” was published on September … Continued
An East Village Landmark Gets a Facelift
While we all get ready to enjoy the holiday weekend, there is no holiday for preservation! At next Tuesday’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) hearing, an exciting application will be presented … Continued
In the Village Voice today – August 31, 1967
Though the Village Voice ceased production some time ago, old issues can provide a nice insight into what was going on in the neighborhood and the world in years passed. … Continued
The Art of the Artist’s Studio
This piece was originally posted in 2014 These beautiful late summer days have got us thinking about sun and sky. Which has us thinking about that most iconic of Village … Continued
Happy Birthday, Charlie Parker
On August 29, 1920, Charles Parker Jr. was born in Kansas City, Kansas. A towering figure in American jazz, he spent his final years in New York, and lived at 151 … Continued
East Village Cheese!
Tonight is GVSHP’s Cheese Please! Members Only Summer Tasting at Murray’s Cheese. We LOVE cheese here at GVSHP! Murray’s is a beloved and renowned Greenwich Village staple, and has been … Continued
Carole Teller — Photographer, and Artist
Carole Teller’s rich collection of photographs of our neighborhoods over the last half century, which she generously donated to GVSHP, have created quite the buzz on the web of late, … Continued
How LGBT activism led to NYC’s most notorious bank robbery: The real story behind ‘Dog Day Afternoon’
The most notorious bank robbery in New York City history took place on August 22, 1972, during the decidedly dog days of that long hot summer. Immortalized in the film … Continued
Thirsty Thursday! Village boîtes abound!
Greenwich Village is often referred to as the Paris of this side of the Atlantic. I’m not sure I would go quite that far, but truly the Village is glorious … Continued
August 23, 1813: “The Bowery” is Born
It was August 23 of 1813 when the Common Council of New York City officially put the name “The Bowery” on the books as a city street name. But New … Continued
Rally to Save 112-120 East 11th Street — One Year Ago Today
It seems well over a year ago when we rallied outside 112-120 East 11th Street to protest the demolition of these five tenement buildings with a history of rent stabilized … Continued
Solving Mysteries in Historic Photos
One of many wonderful things GVSHP does is accept donations of old photos for our historic image archive, so we can share them with the world. Old photos of course … Continued
The Skidmore House becomes a landmark
On this day in 1970, the Landmarks Preservation Commission granted landmark status to the dignified Greek Revival house at 37 East 4th Street. This three and a half story house was built … Continued
A 15-year-old Greenwich Village student inspired the hit song ‘Summer in the City’
Everyone knows the folk-rock classic “Summer in the City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful, which topped the charts 51 years ago this August in 1966. But fewer know the song’s roots … Continued
Throwback Thursday with Carole Teller’s Photos
You may know that every Thursday, social media (Instagram especially) is abuzz with #tbt. The hashtag stands for Throwback Thursday and it’s a chance for everyone to post fun, funny, … Continued
Happy Birthday, Madonna!
Madonna Louise Ciccione, known simply as Madonna, was born on this day in 1958 in Bay City, Michigan. The singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, film director, author and businesswoman has … Continued
Happy Birthday, Linda Ellerbee!
Today we celebrate the birthday of journalist and Village resident Linda Ellerbee.
Clifford Odets and The Group Theatre
Clifford Odets, one of America’s greatest playwrights, passed away on this day in 1963 at the age of 57. Odets grew up in the Bronx but migrated downtown as … Continued
Happy Birthday, Alex Haley!
Pulitzer-prize winning American author Alex Haley was born this day, on August 11, 1921. GVSHP’s Civil Rights & Social Justice Map highlights over a hundred sites in our neighborhood associated … Continued
Ladies Like Beer Too
This is an updated re-posting of a piece written by former GVSHP staffer Dana Schultz. Walk into McSorley’s Old Ale House today and you will see an equal mix of … Continued
The Village’s Twin Peaks: From a quirky ‘Swiss-chalet’ to a landmarks controversy
Few buildings capture the whimsy, flamboyance, and bohemian spirit of early 20th century Greenwich Village as does the building known as “Twin Peaks” at 102 Bedford Street. Described as a “wonderfully … Continued
Business of the Month – Flower Power Herbs & Roots, 406 East 9th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, … Continued
What’s in Webster Hall’s Past – and Future?
August 8th, 2007 was a joyous day in the GVSHP office – because that’s when we first received written notice from the LPC than they planned to consider Webster Hall … Continued
Walk & Draw: MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens
On Saturday, GVSHP held a second Walk & Draw event, this time to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens historic district.
Roundup of posts on immigration and the Village
Immigration is a core theme in the history of New York City, and in the Village this is reflected in both the architecture and remaining and past cultural enclaves. People … Continued
The Glittering and Gritty History of 24 Bond
If you happen to look up while strolling down Bond or Lafayette Streets, you might come upon a curious sight – dozens of small, golden statues dancing along the wrought … Continued
‘Heard it through the grapevine?’ The source was probably at 6th Avenue and 11th Street
On August 6, 1966, the first known recording of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” was made by the Miracles. Written by Motown pioneers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, the … Continued
MacDougal Sullivan Gardens — One of New York’s Oldest and Most Special Historic Districts
On August 2nd, 1967, MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens was designated a New York City historic district. These 22 homes surround a beautiful private garden oasis, and this was one of the first … Continued
St. Mark’s in the Bowery: Sam Shepard’s First Theatrical Home
“…But who knows what is real anyway? Reality is overrated. What remains are the words scrawled upon an unwinding panorama, vestiges of dusty stills peeled from memory, a threnody of gone … Continued
The Ashcan School and the Beginnings of the Whitney
The streetscapes and street life of New York City are some of the most robust sensorial experiences. From towering skyscrapers to bright flashing lights to pungent (sometimes fragrant) smells and … Continued
Happy Birthday Marcel Duchamp!
This is an updated reposting of a blog by former staffer, Lauren Snetiker, July 28th, 2015 Today marks what would have been Marcel Duchamp’s 130th Birthday. Duchamp was born in … Continued
Impeachment and the Village
On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that President Richard M. Nixon be impeached and removed from office. And while many remember the two year saga which placed … Continued
How a 15th-century French migration gave us the term ‘Bohemian’
“Bohemian” may be hard to define, but we all know it when we see it. But even in a city like New York, where bohemian can be used to describe … Continued
USPS’ Landmark Legacy: the Cooper Station Post Office
On July 26, 1775 the United States Postal System was established by the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. Franklin, in his turn, put in … Continued
How Zoning Shapes Our Neighborhoods
On July 25, 1916, New York City adopted the very first zoning rules anywhere in the country. This system for regulating the size, height, use, and other related characteristics of … Continued
