The subway is our city’s circulation system, one that needs to work efficiently and grow and evolve to meet the needs of all New Yorkers. After years of expansion in … Continued
In 2018, Village Preservation launched its campaign to designate South of Union Square a historic district, and protect an architecturally rich neighborhood alive with New York and national history that … Continued
Village Preservation has released its 2023–24 annual report, a colorful and comprehensive 24-page document that shows how the past year has been one of immense growth, challenges, and progress for … Continued
East Village resident Hettie Jones — beloved writer and poet, committed activist for social justice and preservation, and recipient of Village Preservation’s Village Award in 2019 — passed away on … Continued
The churches of Harlem have long served as essential institutions in the neighborhood, shaping not only the spiritual lives of residents, but also the bonds that strengthen community. Many great … Continued
The growth of the Italian-American community in the South Village in the late 19th and early 20th centuries can often be traced through the rise of Italian restaurants in the … Continued
After years of effort by Village Preservation, the historic No. 50 West 13th Street is now on the path to NYC landmark designation. The Greek Revival row house between Fifth … Continued
Every June, New Yorkers and people from around the world gather in our city to celebrate Pride Month and honor the memory of the Stonewall Riots, three nights in 1969 … Continued
The Washington Square Park Conservancy was founded 10 years ago, a mere drop in the bucket of time compared to almost two centuries for the park at the heart of … Continued
Since 2006, May has marked Jewish American Heritage Month, 31 days to explore and celebrate the impact of Jewish values, contributions, and culture on the nation’s history and character. Greenwich … Continued
May is coming just around the proverbial corner on our calendars. Those 31 days bring us Preservation Month, when we celebrate historic sites across the country as well as highlight … Continued
Greenwich Village has long been a font of creativity, especially among those who use the written word as their medium of expression. Since the 19th century, the neighborhood has been … Continued
On March 27, 2012, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated as landmarks three of Manhattan’s oldest homes, all of which are gathered in a row on Dominick Street. Nos. 32, 34, … Continued
There’s no better time than Women’s History Month to explore the lives and accomplishments of the many influential women who lived and worked South of Union Square. One of our … Continued
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and … Continued
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are rich with sites that have played invaluable roles in New York City’s and the nation’s Black history. Too many of these buildings have yet to be protected.
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and … Continued
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and … Continued
John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest American by the time he passed in 1848, earning his fortune of $20 million (about $800 million in today’s dollars) first in the fur … Continued
You decide to write a blog post about Bright Lights, Big City, the 1987 film based on a novel published three years earlier about the excesses and pitfalls of life … Continued
Former president Jimmy Carter and his late wife Rosalynn Carter were long at the forefront of Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit that helps communities build new homes and improve existing … Continued
Christopher Street is one of New York City’s oldest streets: known as Skinner Road in the 18th century, it was rechristened in 1799 by local landowner Charles Christopher Amos with … Continued
You decide to write a blog post about Bright Lights, Big City, the 1987 film based on a novel published three years earlier about the excesses and pitfalls of life … Continued
One of the most beloved features of the Statue of Liberty is the poem inscribed on a bronze plaque inside its pedestal. “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses … Continued
On October 10, 2023, Chronicle Books published The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families. It’s an anthology assembled by Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer that combines … Continued
Greenwich Village has long been a mecca for artists and artistic endeavors. For over a century and a half, the neighborhood has fostered creative energy thanks in part to its … Continued
”Congratulations, Dorothy, you’ve done it again. They all hate it.” So said Alfred H. Barr Jr., the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, to Dorothy Canning Miller, its … Continued
Today we’re celebrating the accomplishments of some historic writers and authors who made their mark in the neighborhood South of Union Square. Writing is one of the many creative professions … Continued
Linda Yowell, architect and preservationist, recently donated a wide assortment of photos to Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive, covering the 1970s through the late 1990s. Among them are images of … Continued
Opened in 1972 as the Queens County Art and Cultural Center, the Queens Museum stands in the midst of busy Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in a building as old as the … Continued
On July 28, 2020, Village Preservation sent a long and comprehensive letter to Sarah Carroll, chair of the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, asking the agency to preserve historic 59 Fifth … Continued
The East Village is a neighborhood known for its rich history, diversity, and creative culture. That diversity includes the wealth of religious institutions found across the neighborhood, as highlighted by … Continued
Launched in 2017, Village Preservation’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Map marks sites in our neighborhoods significant to the history of various civil rights and social justice movements, and now … Continued
LGBTQ+ Pride and History Month is upon us. As we take the time to honor the struggles and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City and beyond, there … Continued
Village Preservation is very proud to honor Yara Arts Group as a Village Awardee in 2023. Join us in recognizing Yara and these other worthy awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual … Continued
Village Preservation is very proud to honor Dashwood Books as a Village Awardee in 2023. Join us in recognizing Dashwood and these other worthy awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting … Continued
Coming up the weekend of May 20-21 is the Sacred Sites Open House, a series of programs organized by the New York Landmarks Conservancy to give visitors unique access to … Continued
Walking through the East Village means walking through history. The neighborhood features 30 individual landmarks, one of the highest concentrations in the city, that offer a unique view of our … 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
For most of its existence, pedestrians were able to freely and joyfully spin the black monolith known as the “Alamo” (more commonly referred to as the Astor Place Cube, or … Continued
International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Of course we do that all year round as we explore the stories behind the streets, buildings … Continued
Welcome to February, and African American History Month! Village Preservation has long documented the stories behind the streets, buildings and people of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. Those … Continued
The East 10th Street Historic District — officially designated on this day in 2012 — covers the northern side of the street between Avenues A and B, 26 buildings in … Continued
In the late 19th century, very few libraries in New York City were devoted to offering collections of popular and serious reading to the general public, and especially to the … Continued
The West Side Elevated Highway had been a dark presence looming over the edge of the Meatpacking District and other Hudson River Manhattan neighborhoods for several decades in the mid-20th … Continued
In 1957, Ralph Walker was honored as “the architect of the century” by the American Institute of Architects. Walker (November 28, 1889–January 17, 1973) hit his peak in the profession … Continued
Once upon a time, people bought almost all of their books in bookstores. People still do a lot of literary shopping in local storefronts, and our neighborhoods still have many … Continued
Village Preservation shares our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo such unique and vibrant … 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
On October 6, 1683, thirteen families arrived in Philadelphia and founded the first German settlement in North America. Since then, generations of Germans have immigrated to the United States, with … Continued
Deep below Broadway and Lafayette Street, in the passageway connecting the intersection’s namesake station with the Bleecker Street downtown platform, is an art installation that honors the communities who lived … Continued
James Stewart Polshek, who over the course of a 70-year career came to be known as a “quiet giant of modern architecture,” passed away on September 9 at the age … Continued
New York’s mass transit is the circulation system for our metropolis, allowing the city to survive and flourish even with the nation’s highest population density living in some very tight … 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.
New York City is fortunate to have a plethora of historic and often socially active religious institutions throughout the five boroughs. While most exist beyond the bounds of Greenwich Village, … Continued
In the 1970s, the University Hotel at 673 Broadway was fading away. What had once been the grandest hotel in the city in the 19th century, and a gathering place … 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
Tension was high on the streets of Manhattan on July 13, 1863. Two days earlier, the federal Conscription Act took effect in New York City, establishing a draft lottery to … Continued
Every June, New Yorkers and people from around the world gather in our city to celebrate Pride Month and honor the memory of the Stonewall Riots, three nights in 1969 … Continued
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
Standing on one of the highest points in Manhattan, the Morris-Jumel Mansion has been part of the northern Manhattan landscape for more than 250 years. Surrounded by Roger Morris Park on Edgecombe Avenue, the structure is the oldest home in Manhattan and a beloved museum in Washington Heights …
Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This year, on June … Continued
On April 21, Village Preservation joined with the the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project to honor the city’s oldest gay bar and a pioneering event from the early days of … Continued
Louis Werckle “is a little old man, of no physical strength, and of apparently less courage.” That’s how The New York Times snarkily described the janitor of the Manhattan Savings … Continued
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are not known for having the large structures that can be found in Midtown (and thanks to last week’s rejection of a plan … Continued
There are many sites throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo that have played an important role in Black history and the struggle for civil rights in the United … Continued
New York City is blessed with a broad range of historic and internationally recognized cultural institutions across the five boroughs. But few know how many of them have origins here … Continued
On March 4, 1789, the U.S. Constitution went into effect as the first Congress met at Federal Hall on Wall Street, ushering in the form of government we utilize in … Continued
Think of some of the most iconic sites in our great city, and what comes to mind? The Statue of Liberty. The Empire State Building. The Chrysler Building. The Queensboro … Continued
“My name is Calvin Trillin and I’ve lived in the Village off and on for more than 50 years, I guess. What I do for a living is I’m a writer, mostly The New Yorker and some The Nation, and books and a variety of things.” Thus starts Village Preservation’s latest entry in our collection of oral history, which explores the journey this humble award-winning journalist, humorist, food writer, poet, memoirist and novelist took from his Midwest origins to his being a regular presence in the West Village for decades.
Beginning in the late 18th century, the area more or less defined by today’s Bleecker, Mercer, Thompson, Sullivan, MacDougal, and Carmine Streets started to grow as a free Black community … Continued
We’re proud to share our latest oral history with writer, humorist, and longtime Greenwich Village resident Calvin Trillin. Trillin has lived on and off in Greenwich Village for over 50 … Continued
On January 3, 2017, we launched our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map, a unique online resource that marks more than 200 sites in our neighborhoods significant to the history … Continued
On the corner of East 79th Street and 5th Avenue stands a 19th-century chateau that wouldn’t be out of place in the Loire Valley, yet seems just as comfortable on the Upper East Side. It’s been home to the Ukrainian Institute of America for nearly seven decades, but thanks to its previous inhabitants, this historic structure also holds an interesting connection with the early days of Greenwich Village and New York City.
Greenwich Village is a community rich with Jewish history, especially within the area that in 1969 was designated as one of the city’s first and largest historic districts. That legacy … Continued
The Juilliard School is one of the world’s most respected schools for the performing arts. Ensconced in its Lincoln Center home for more than 50 years, the school can boast an impressive list of alumni among actors, musicians, playwrights, and dancers: William Hurt, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Adam Driver, Tim Blake Nelson, and Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams (roommates in the 1970s), to name a few. And even though Juilliard is best known as an Upper West Side school, its origins in Greenwich Village in the early 20th century tie it in with an even older and more historic local institution.
Today we’re celebrating the accomplishments of some historic lenspeople who made their mark in the neighborhood South of Union Square. Photography was one of the many creative industries shaped and … Continued
Two centuries ago, a war began in Europe that would shape boundaries and alliances on the continent for years to come. Greece, which for centuries had been under Ottoman rule, … Continued
For almost 25 years, the southeast corner of Broadway and East 4th Street was an often cacophonous mecca for music lovers from around New York City and visitors around the … Continued
