The Forgotten Fifth Avenue South of Washington Square Park
If New York City streets had their own royal court, Broadway would be the old king and Fifth Avenue would be its fabulous queen. Just saying Fifth Avenue evokes glamour, … Continued
If New York City streets had their own royal court, Broadway would be the old king and Fifth Avenue would be its fabulous queen. Just saying Fifth Avenue evokes glamour, … Continued
By William Roka
Today we’re highlighting the rich Indigenous history of our neighborhood. This is crucial both to understand and respect the full history of the land we live on, and to recognize … Continued
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Today is Earth Day, first celebrated in NYC in 1970, and you may notice some of the streets around the city harkening to a quieter era. Legislation passed in the City … Continued
Last week, all eyes were on Rockefeller Center for the lighting of that famous Christmas tree. But did you know that the tree lighting in Washington Square Park was a … Continued
By Sheryl
Last night, the 55th Washington Square Music Festival held its first of four free concerts in Washington Square Park. The music festival is sponsored by the Washington Square Association, an … Continued
On May 25, 1967, the film Barefoot in the Park, based on the Neil Simon play, was released. It’s fun to watch this film now, to see how some things … Continued
By Ted
The settling in of cold weather has us here at GVSHP feeling a little nostalgic for snowfalls past. Images from the GVSHP archive of Washington Square Park covered in snow … Continued
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our new Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. For decades traffic was allowed to freely flow through … Continued
“I had spent many years pursuing excellence, because that is what classical music is all about… Now [jazz] was dedicated to freedom, and that was far more important.” – Nina … Continued
In the early 1800s, the area around modern-day Christopher Street was suffering from overcrowding, following the migration of residents from lower Manhattan after the yellow fever outbreak of 1822 that … Continued
In our blog series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate … Continued
On July 18, 2013, Village Preservation publicly signaled the alarm over legislation passed in Albany with little community input but with massive potential impact for the West Village and communities … Continued
By David Herman
In 1900, the Social Reform Club hosted a lecture by labor leader Edward King.
James Renwick was one of the most influential, accomplished, and skilled American architects of the 19th century.
In 1754, there was no library in New York. Can you believe it? Today we are taking a wonderful journey through our neighborhoods to trace the beginnings of the New … Continued
Jackson Square Library, one of New York City’s first free circulating libraries, was a gift of George Washington Vanderbilt, III.
The area south of Union Square, on the border between Greenwich Village and the East Village, is changing. The approval of the new 14th Street Tech Hub south of Union Square combined … Continued
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Over the years, Off the Grid has featured many posts about Tompkins Square Park, including The Young Lords Start in Tompkins Square Park, The Tompkins Square Park Riots of 1988, … Continued
On October 26, 1900, two great writers with ties to the Village began a correspondence that would spark a lifelong friendship…
By Matt
This is a re-posting of a piece written by GVSHP’s Matthew Morowitz. Sunday, July 9th marked the 198th anniversary of the last execution that took place in Washington Square – … Continued
This Saturday and Sunday, expert tour guide Joyce Gold will lead tours celebrating the radical, notorious women of Washington Square. The square and its environs have a long been home … Continued
Autumn is in the air here in the Village! As the leaves start to change and the air becomes cooler and more crisp, what better way to enjoy than out … Continued
By Matt
On this date in 2011, the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), presented a “Resource Evaluation” that agreed with the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s earlier finding that the complex known … Continued
George Washington was born on February 22nd, and his birthday was unofficially celebrated by Americans on that date throughout the 19th century. February 22nd finally became a federal holiday in … Continued
The Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park is in some ways the heart of the Village. The white marble structure was designed by renowned architect Stanford White and built … Continued
I recently read the novella Washington Square for the first time, eager to see how this 1880 work by Henry James might paint the Square of olden days. Although the … Continued
It’s summer and the flowers are in bloom! We are so lucky to have so many parks and gardens in Greenwich Village and the East Village, where we can enjoy … Continued
By Ted
On July 9th, 1819, Rose Butler was executed in the Potter’s Field located in what is now Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Rose, a nineteen year old black female … Continued
This post is the third in a three-part series about holidays held in the Village, a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2014 Intro to Public History … Continued
By Amanda
This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, … Continued
By Drew
One of the many tools historic preservationists use in their work is historic images. They are an invaluable resource in seeing firsthand how our built environment has changed and stayed … Continued
By Sheryl
On August 28th, 1963, one of the most iconic and transformative events of the civil rights movement took place, the ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.’ One of the … Continued
If you have ever spent time in the area where Bleecker Street meets Sixth Avenue, then you know it’s a busy place with lots of people, cars, buses, bicycles, strollers, … Continued
Warm, sunny days in the Village have us here at GVSHP looking forward to our annual house tour, which takes place this Sunday, May 5th. There’s still time to buy … Continued
A familiar site to New Yorkers and visitors alike, the charming Washington Mews sits just one block north of Washington Square Park. There are a few street names in New … Continued
Two weeks ago, Off the Grid featured a notice announcing the lighting of the tree in Tompkins Square Park. At this year’s lighting ceremony on December 9th, a plaque was … Continued
With Fashion Week ending yesterday, we thought we’d wrap up our week with a look at some fashions of yesteryear in which the Village played a supporting role. The urban … Continued
By Drew
Jonathan Kuhn, a long-time Village resident who is also the Director of Art & Antiquities at the Department of Parks and Recreation, has curated an exhibition at Central Park’s Arsenal … Continued
On this day in 1895 (that’s 117 years ago if you’re counting), Washington Square Arch was dedicated. The above image shows what the arch looked like that year. Designed by … Continued
Trinity Real Estate, the major property owner in the Hudson Square neighborhood, is proposing to rezone more than a dozen blocks in Hudson Square, stretching from Houston to Canal Street, … Continued
One of the most interesting things about New York City’s public parks is the rich history that lies beyond the grass and trees. Abingdon Square, bounded by 8th Avenue, Hudson … Continued
By Dana
With Presidents’ Day, celebrating George Washington’s birthday (among other things) just around the corner, we thought we would take a brief look at one of the Village’s most conspicuous monuments … Continued
The iconic early 19th century rowhouses that flank the north side of Washington Square Park are in many a passersby’s mind synonymous with the early history of the neighborhood. Originally, … Continued
On this day, August 1, in the year 1864 during the Civil War, General Philip Sheridan was appointed by Ulysses S. Grant as commander of the Army of the Shenandoah, … Continued
By Dana
After the Supreme Court Decision DOBBS v.JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION overturning Roe v. Wade was released on Friday, June 24, people took to the streets. It was no surprise that people hoping to make their voices heard looked to our neighborhoods as a gathering place. Two of the many protests and rallies that took place in New York City were held in Washington Square Park and Union Square. These protests were organized by intersectional advocacy groups across Labor, Defund the Police, Housing, Immigration, and LGBTQIA+ movements.
The New York City Landmarks Law was enacted on April 19, 1965, by Mayor Robert Wagner. It was the culmination of a lengthy and laborious process, spurred in part, famously, … Continued
Early spring is a magical time in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. As we recently discussed, the season has long been a source of inspiration for poets, artists, … Continued
The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD) is a haven of history, culture, and artistic expression many have called the beating heart of New York City. The GVHD stands as a … Continued
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the fascinating contents in our Village Independent Democrats collection, added to our Preservation History Archive in early 2024. The Women’s House of Detention opened … Continued
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our Village Independent Democrats collection, added to our Preservation History Archive in early 2024. Carol Greitzer is a politician, … Continued
Some winters in New York City see almost no appreciable snowfall (prior to late January 2024, for example, there had been over 700 days without), and other years we have … Continued
The year is 1944, and in a brick row house by a lush Greenwich Village garden lives a “shy little black cat” named Jenny Linsky with her caretaker, the old … Continued
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo … Continued
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! The South Village in the 50s and 60s was a hotbed of creativity and activism. Where … Continued
New York City was powered by horses for almost three hundred years. At its peak, well over 150,000 horses and by some estimates up to 200,000 lived in the city. … Continued
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! In December 2016, following a multi-year advocacy campaign spearheaded by Village Preservation, the Sullivan … Continued
You’re probably not that likely to associate military veterans with Greenwich Village and the East Village; in the popular mind, the neighborhoods’ profile is much more strongly associated with peace … Continued
Since 1973, New York City has hosted one of the most extravagant and enchanting Halloween celebrations in the world: the Village Halloween Parade. Its beginnings in the early 1970s were … Continued
By the time the demolition of McKim, Mead & White’s monumental Penn Station commenced on October 28th, 1963, advocates had been fighting to save the Beaux Arts building for several … Continued
“You can help save Washington Square Park. Robert Moses can be stopped. A handful of women did it in Central Park. The bird watchers did it in Central Park. The … Continued
By Juan Rivero
After World War II, the U.S. saw the rise of modernist jewelry: handcrafted jewelry inspired by Cubism, Surrealism and Constructivism. There were two hubs of this movement: San Francisco, which … Continued
By Maya Wilson
Greenwich Village resident and photographer Marjorie Zien has spent the last several decades chronicling life in her neighborhood and city. In 2021 she donated a collection of photos to Village … Continued
A year or two into my career as a historic preservationist, I was accused (in good humor) of being a warden of “the ephemera of New York.” I tended toward … Continued
The veneration of a martyred-thirteen-year old virgin once brought residents of the South Village together in celebration every August 11th. A special mass would kick off the event, which was … Continued
By Juan Rivero
Hip Hop at 50This is the first in a series of posts that celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Birth of Hip Hop. Our exploration takes us to the seminal … Continued
It is well known that newspapers were once the place to go for everything: international news, an apartment, weekend plans, and maybe even a date. They might no longer play … Continued
Jean Shepherd (July 26, 1921 – October 16, 1999) is probably best known as the voice of the beloved and relatively new holiday classic, A Christmas Story. But he was … Continued
Many of the most revered artists of the past century were profoundly impacted by their time in and around our neighborhoods. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has risen above even those … Continued
By Jena Hinton
There’s no better place to enjoy summer than the East Village, Greenwich Village, and NoHo! There is something for everyone, including amazing local ice cream, live music, community gardens and … Continued
There’s a particular exuberance in the air as spring gives way to summer in the Village. We love June around here for many reasons: seeing all the people and pets … Continued
For five seasons, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel had us slapping our knees and laughing from our bellies with its quick-witted humor and whimsical absurdity. Each character seemed to move at … Continued
By Jena Hinton
Humans, anthropocentric as they are, project their emotive capacity onto the inanimate world. If you’re throwing away an old pair of shoes, and you stare at them long enough, they … Continued
By Juan Rivero
This special two-part series explores Ai Weiwei’s experiences in two different East Villages — one in New York and the other in Beijing — both of which were hubs of … Continued
By Maya Wilson
Art Smith was an influential American jewelry designer who gained popularity in the mid-20th century for his bold and abstract designs. At his studio in Greenwich Village, Smith created unique … Continued
By Maya Wilson
Greenwich Village lost one of its most eloquent voices with the passing of food critic and author Mimi Sheraton (1926-2023). She was a champion of her neighborhood, where she lived … Continued
By Juan Rivero
There comes a time each spring when one can’t help but marvel at the sights and sounds of our neighborhoods. The blooming magnolias and budding leaves are made even more … Continued
By Jena Hinton
108, 110, 112, and 114 Waverly Place are a curious collection of houses. They are all that remain of nine houses built in 1826 for city comptroller Thomas R. Mercein. … Continued
By Maya Wilson
Since our founding in 1980, Village Preservation has cultivated a staggering collection of historic research and resources. Among the jewels of this collection are our Historic Image Archive and our … Continued
By Jena Hinton
Ada Louise Huxtable (March 14, 1921 – January 7, 2013) was arguably the most formidable critical voice regarding architecture of the second half of the 20th century. Huxtable, who became the … Continued
Our oral history collection contains many incredibly compelling stories about our neighborhoods’ histories, told from a first-person perspective by those who were in the center of the action. Perhaps no … Continued
Many of us may daydream about being transported back to the bohemian Greenwich Village of the 1960s. Beyond our own imaginations, one particularly effective way to do that is via … Continued
Occasionally referred to as the “Grand Dame of Washington Square Park,” Doris Diether (January 10, 1929 — September 16, 2021) was a critical figure in the early preservation battles of … Continued
Since the late 1950s, Joan Baez (b. January 9, 1941) has had a storied career, releasing over 30 albums in six languages, often using her music as a platform for … Continued
In 2016, we revisited Washington Square Park and the radical fight to go completely “car-free”. At the time, it was a matter of preventing power broker Robert Moses from devastating … Continued
In the latter half of the 19th century, Manhattan and Brooklyn became centers of everyday life for thousands of Italian immigrants entering the United States. Their numbers started off small … Continued
By David Herman
After witnessing twenty-five hours of heavy bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814 during the War of 1812, lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key was sure that when dawn came, the British … Continued
Village Preservation is pleased to announce the 2nd year of VILLAGE VOICES, an outdoor public art exhibition produced by Village Preservation that celebrates and illuminates the artistic, social, political, and cultural … Continued
Ralph Lee’s interest in puppetry and theater began as a young boy in his family’s home in Middlebury, Vermont. An early creative spark launched him on a career that ultimately took him to the role he’s most often recognized for, as the “father” of Greenwich Village’s annual Halloween Parade.
By David Herman
Greenwich Village Congressmember Bella Abzug (D-NY) urged congress in 1973 to designate August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th … Continued
Thrift shopping is one of the favorite past-times in our neighborhoods, whether by longtime locals, newcomers, or visitors. Who could possibly resist the allure of spending a weekend browsing the … Continued
us through our history with insights that help us understand our own times as much as we begin to understand the past. We hope you check out James and Michelle’s work and continue to come along such journeys through Village Preservation’s programming.
Any time of year is a good time to explore our nation’s rich and enduring immigrant history. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to travel far to honor the spirit … Continued
Dave Van Ronk has been called a “folk singer’s folk singer.” He personified the image of the Greenwich Village artist and musician as the “local” who didn’t forsake his roots … Continued
According to historian Christopher Moore, the first legally emancipated community of people of African descent in North America was found in Lower Manhattan, comprising much of present-day Greenwich Village, NoHo, … Continued
Village Preservation’s proposed South of Union Square Historic District was recently named one of 2022-2023’s “Seven to Save” — the biannual list of the most important endangered historic sites in … Continued
New York City’s trees shade us in the summer, beautify our neighborhoods, help reduce noise, clean our air, counteract heat islands, absorb rainwater, and support important urban wildlife, among an … Continued
On May 4th, 1626, Dutch Explorer Peter Minuit landed on the island known to its indigenous population as Manahatta, orchestrating what has often been referred to as the “purchase” of … Continued
Christopher Moore (b. January 20, 1952, d. March 13, 2022, of complications from COVID and pneumonia) was a curator, archivist, author, storyteller, researcher, and the longest-serving member of New York … Continued