While our blogs typically focus on the history of our neighborhoods and the incredible trailblazers who came before us, it is particularly satisfying to write about great artists who are still among us. David Amram is one of those extraordinary people. Village Preservation conducted an oral history with Mr. Amram on January 28, 2014, and […]
On January 11, 1967, one of the most beautiful buildings in all of New York was designated an individual landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. 330 Bowery (54 Bond) was built in 1874 and designed by Henry Engelbert in the French Second Empire style. Originally designed as a bank building for the Bond Street Bank, […]
Lillian Hellman, the playwright, memoirist, and novelist, was born in New Orleans on June 20, 1905. Her family moved to New York City when she was 5 years old, but continued to travel back and forth to New Orleans throughout her childhood. Hellman attended New York public schools while the family was in residence in […]
While the name of John Hammond Sr. (December 15, 1910 – July 10, 1987) might be unfamiliar to some, as a talent scout, producer, musicologist, broadcaster, journalist, and mentor, he helped the world to discover artists from Billie Holiday to Bob Dylan and scores more in between. Hammond was absolutely one of the most transformative figures […]
Abbie Hoffman, born Abbot Howard Hoffman on November 30, 1936, was an American political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party (“Yippies”) and was a member of the Chicago Seven. A leader of the counterculture movement of the late 1960s and a vocal anti-war proponent, it is no wonder that he found himself in […]
Did you know that National Farm to City Week begins the Thursday before Thanksgiving? This special week celebrates and recognizes the beneficial partnerships between rural and urban communities that make our food supply safe and plentiful. The Thanksgiving season is a time when many Americans gather with their families and reflect upon many blessings. One […]
Ida Tarbell was a woman far ahead of her time, as were many of those who found their way to Greenwich Village at the beginning of the 20th century. She was truly a trailblazer and remains an icon of reform. She famously took on big business and won in a way few others can claim […]
The great artist Robert Rauschenberg hailed from a small refinery town in Texas near the Louisiana border. Born on October 22nd, 1925, his early life was confined by a very conservative Christian community. It is fortunate for the world that Bob, as he was called by his friends, settled in New York in 1949, a […]
It’s Theater Thursday, and for the first time in a long time, we have good news to report on that front! In case you’ve been out of the loop, our beloved theatrical institutions have been closed for the past year and a half due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an excruciating time for […]
Jean-Claude van Itallie (May 25, 1936 – September 9, 2021) was a mainstay of the American avant-garde theater movement. Belgian-born, Mr. van Itallie immigrated to the United States with his family in 1953 and settled in Great Neck, New York. But he found his artistic home in the fertile artistic ground of the East Village […]
Who says you can’t fight City Hall? During these particularly troubling and divided political times, it is rewarding and inspiring to look to Jane Jacobs for encouragement. Jane redefined urban planning in the 20th century, and is one of the trailblazers highlighted in Village Preservation’s outdoor interactive exhibition, VILLAGE VOICES. Jane Jacobs caused people to […]
Village Preservation is pleased to announce the launch of VILLAGE VOICES, an outdoor exhibition celebrating people, places, and moments from our neighborhoods’ history. VILLAGE VOICES will be an engaging installation of exhibit boxes displayed throughout our neighborhoods featuring photographs, artifacts, and recorded narration that will provide entertaining and illuminating insight into our momentous heritage. We are […]
Many artists have been inspired by the scenes of life in New York City, particularly Lower Manhattan. But perhaps no artist captures the feeling of New York during the hot, heavy days of August like the painter John Sloan. Sloan was one of the leading figures of the “Ashcan School,” a loose collection of artists who […]
Woman Crush Wednesday is our day to celebrate and highlight the trailblazing and inspiring women who made all kinds of things happen in the world from right here in our neighborhoods. And none are so rocking as the amazing Patti Smith. Singer, songwriter, and poet Patricia Lee Smith was born on December 30, 1946, in […]
Martha Graham never considered herself a genius. For her, the measure of a dancer was their passion, and by that metric, Graham was exceptional. In creating 181 ballets and a dance technique that bears her name, Martha Graham was as prolific as she was committed to energizing the spectator into “keener awareness of life through […]
Louise Bryant was always her own person, and always somewhat of a paradox. She was a fearless journalist, activist, suffragist, and talented writer, who was also a study in contradictions — a chronic dissembler who sought the truth, a free love advocate who was prone to fits of jealousy, and a communist who twice married wealthy […]
The story of Abstract Expressionism has heretofore been primarily seen through the prism of the male-dominated world of post-War America. In that “official” history, the narrative centers around the traditional story of the man as the creator while his female counterpart is the muse. Fortunately, Joan Mitchell was not your typical female. Mitchell, as well […]
Village Preservation’s Annual Village Awards, this year on June 16th, have come to be known fondly as “the Oscars of the Village.” The very first Village Awards were held on June 10th, 1991 at Casa Italiana Zerilli Marino of NYU, at 24 West 12th Street, an historic landmark that was formerly the home of General […]
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) began his legendary career in Greenwich Village. The storied clubs and coffee houses in the neighborhood were the incubators for his formidable talent and work. You’ll find some surprises about him and his connections to the Village in our list of 80 Things We Love About Bob Dylan. We […]
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 16th, 2020 at 6 PM we will be celebrating seven outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually. The Village Awards is really one of our very […]
Greenwich Village is, in some circles, considered the “Capital of Jazz.” As jazz critic, author, and president of the Jazz Journalists Association Howard Mandel put it: “Greenwich Village is the capital of jazz because it has welcomed adventurous thinking, artistic expression, and audiences eager to hear the best of what’s exciting and new.” Some things […]
Our neighborhoods are not only places where great literature was written. It’s also where great literature was published, sometimes at great legal peril, and where tectonic-shifting battles against censorship were led and won. Nowhere is that more true than in the area South of Union Square, where art, commerce, and activism collided. And perhaps no […]
Women’s History Month gives us yet another opportunity to celebrate the marvelous and groundbreaking women who have lived and worked in our neighborhoods. Today we look at two pioneering women who lived and worked on Bank Street: Willa Cather and Lucy Sprague Mitchell. Bank Street Many of our streets are beloved by their residents and […]
Today we’re looking at the historic plaques that Village Preservation has placed throughout our neighborhoods commemorating some of the amazing women who have lived, worked, and changed history here. Historic plaques are a great tool to educate the public about the remarkable history of our neighborhoods, and the incredible people, events, and movements connected to sites […]
Judy Holliday, the brilliant star of stage and screen, was a New Yorker through and through. It makes perfect sense that while she was an up-and-coming superstar, she made her home in Greenwich Village in a floor-through apartment at 158 Waverly Place, a gorgeous 1839 Greek Revival townhouse. It is also no surprise that Holliday […]
Webster Hall at 125 East 11th street has a remarkable past. Started as a social club in 1887, it is without a doubt one of New York’s most famous gathering spots. And that long history of bringing people together under one roof had a pretty auspicious start. In February of 1887, the new protected cruiser […]
Leontyn Price, the groundbreaking, world-renowned soprano and longtime Greenwich Village resident, made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera on January 27, 1961. Ms. Price was one of the first internationally recognized African-American opera stars. Her career broke through racial barriers at another time in our history when the United States was experiencing intense racial strife […]
“American Pie” is perhaps one of the most compelling, beloved, and cryptic songs in the American songbook. Written by Don McLean in 1970, the song sprang from the Folk Music movement in Greenwich Village. Izzy Young, well known to musicians and music aficionados around the world, whose Greenwich Village shop, the Folklore Center, was the […]
If you’ve ever wondered what in the world treacle pudding is, or how one would properly consume marmite, Tea & Sympathy, the British outpost loved by Sarah Jessica Parker, Dame Judi Dench, Kevin Kwan, and none other than David Bowie, has got you covered. Opened on December 23, 1990, this tiny tea room at 108 […]
Throughout history, societies look to the arts to give insight and meaning to events and experiences. And so with good reason, we have been thinking a great deal about our theater artist community in these days and months since the pandemic has closed our beloved cultural institutions. Artists who create theater have been given the […]
With good reason, Missouri and Connecticut like to claim the great writer Samuel L. Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), as one of their own. But New Yorkers like to claim Twain as well, and there’s plenty of cause to do so. He did have a love/hate relationship with the city, […]
Lenny Bruce pushed buttons. A regular at the clubs in the Village, he was also, arguably, one of the leaders of the counterculture movement in Greenwich Village in the 1960s, and honed his stand up acts gigging in various Village night clubs. The counterculture movement in our neighborhoods during that time helped numerous comedians evolve more personal […]
Village Preservation is committed to supporting, protecting, and promoting small businesses. When we were lucky enough to be introduced to chef, author, and Village entrepreneur Fany Gerson, we were overjoyed. Fany is the consummate cook and a great example of an intrepid small business owner who is valiantly carrying on through the tough times. She […]
There are very few welcome surprises that have come along in the past months of this pandemic. But Village Preservation’s Spring House Tour Benefit, a much beloved annual event that is a hallmark of the beginning of spring in New York, is one whose fate has a happy, and unexpected, outcome! Traditionally held on the […]
Today we salute Fawzy Abdelwahed (born September 28, 1973), who, along with his wife Ola, owns and runs the much beloved East Village restaurant, B&H Dairy. Fawzy’s is a true New York story featuring a Muslim born in Egypt and a former Catholic born in Poland who worked across the street from one another, fell […]
We at Village Preservation keep tabs on all different types of preservation, including environmental sustainability. So we’ve been really interested to learn about the expanding opportunities in our neighborhoods for urban agriculture, and especially beekeeping. There are millions of bees buzzing around the five boroughs of New York City. From the rooftops of high-rises to […]
We here at Village Preservation are in the business (so to speak) of trying to help ensure historic buildings are preserved and, when necessary, adapted and reused rather than destroyed. Historic buildings lend character and tell stories that newer ones typically cannot. But they’re also good for the environment — there’s a truism that the […]
GVSHP 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 neighborhoods. Each includes the experiences and insights of leaders or long-time participants in the arts, culture, preservation, business, or civic life. 2020 marks the 75th year […]
This homesick Texan is always on the lookout for a tasty taco…! And while I may miss my home state on occasion (mostly because I miss the Tex-Mex food!), I can tell you that there are plenty of tremendous treats right here in our neighborhoods to choose from. It’s time to head out into the […]
Jackson Square Library, one of New York City’s first free circulating libraries, was a gift of George Washington Vanderbilt, III.
While it is a well-established fact that our neighborhoods have attracted and been home to some of the most groundbreaking artists and art movements of the past couple of centuries, the stories of our groundbreaking residents never cease to amaze us. One such maverick who lived in our midst was La Diva Divina, opera legend […]
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 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually. Thompson Alchemists is not just a regular neighborhood pharmacy. This […]
Westbeth is the first subsidized housing for artists in the United States, offering affordable housing and work space in New York City.
Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 — December 10, 1990), American industrialist most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, was born on the Lower East Side to Russian immigrant parents and raised in the Bronx. He was, by all accounts, an eccentric person, prone to flights of extravagance and exaggeration, and well known for his art collection […]
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. “Devonshire House” is a 13-story residential building designed in 1928 by Emery Roth. The Devonshire House design includes an eclectic mix of Beaux Arts […]
As we continue to work through the reality of this new era in our lives, it’s important to remember the creative people in our world and our neighborhoods. They are striving to make sense out of the constrained circumstances we find ourselves in, and still are finding and creating new ways to keep us thinking […]
On the 19th of April in 1860, the New York state legislature passed a bill punishing an act, or omission of an act, that caused pain to animals “unjustifiably.” It was a historic step forward in the nineteenth-century movement toward animal protection. Just a few days before the New York legislature passed the animal-welfare act […]
The theaters in our neighborhoods have long been the critical launching pads for playwrights, directors, actors, and theatrical artists of all stripes. As the Broadway lights were dimmed, for the time being, on March 12, 2020, Off Broadway Theaters struggled to make sense of what would be the best course of action for them as […]
I have been thinking a great deal about our theater artist community in these past few days. So I decided to check in with some of the Off-Broadway theaters in our neighborhood to see how they are doing during this period of pause and uncertainty. And, as always, I was overwhelmed with hope and inspiration […]
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The area south of Union Square is rich in architectural and social history which needs and deserves historic district (landmark) protections, which we have […]
The theater at 1 Sheridan Square has a long history as a vibrant, varied West Village performance space. Housed in a building constructed in 1834 by Samuel Whitmore, the space has had a fascinating life throughout the years in its many iterations as a dining place, a club, and a theater.
Jerry Fujikawa was a Japanese-American actor who had a long career in films, television, and Broadway. Jerry debuted on Broadway in the five-time Tony Award winning play The Teahouse of the August Moon. He was very a familiar face to film and television audiences whose career spanned over 30 years, including a wide variety of […]
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. 95 East 10th Street (also known as 48 Third Avenue) was built in 1886 as a tenement building by architect James M. Farnsworth & […]
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. Jackson Pollock lived a relatively short, but extremely productive artistic life. It is not a surprise that most of his prolific years were spent […]
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at gvshp.org/GVHD50. The Academy Award-winning actress and singer Celeste Holm is known for many roles over the course of her seven-decade stage and screen career. But the one which first […]
The Queensboro Bridge, built in 1909, was the first bridge linking Queens to Manhattan. Directly connecting Midtown Manhattan to booming Long Island City and used by millions of commuters each year, this amazing and still free bridge is also an architectural and engineering marvel.
This post is part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The striking loft building at 806-808 Broadway/104-106 Fourth Avenue, which runs the entire block from Broadway to Fourth Avenue behind Grace […]
Ghosts Are lurking about the Village, that’s for sure! It’s up to you to decide if you want to explore the haunted places… OR NOT! You choose… We have previously reported about some of the haunted places in the Village, but we have EVEN MORE to report to you today!!! Do not be afraid… The […]
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District in 2019. Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at gvshp.org/GVHD50. Barefoot in the Park by playwright Neil Simon, which premiered on Broadway on October 23rd, 1963 at the Biltmore Theatre, is a romp through the […]
On Columbus Day in 2012 ( which was on October 8th), Village Preservation launched its “Save the South Village” video campaign. Columbus Day is traditionally a time to celebrate the contributions made by Italian-Americans to our country. Our “Save the South Village” video campaign began as an effort to highlight the incredible history (Italian-American and […]
We at Village Preservation keep tabs on all different types of preservation, including environmental sustainability. So we’ve been really interested to learn about the expanding opportunities in our neighborhoods for urban agriculture and beekeeping. Urban agriculture is becoming a big thing in New York City. If you are interested, start looking up! Rooftop farms are […]
Village preservation is very fortunate to partner with the Public Service Scholar Program at Hunter College. The ambitious, experiential program provides undergraduate scholars academic coursework, as well as practical application. The two-semester course provides a curriculum that gives the student an understanding of how the city organizes services and the social policies that shape […]
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has been on quite a journey this past year, and Village Preservation has been thrilled to be a companion on the ride. Novenas for a Lost Hospital is a communal experience to remember, honor, re-imagine and celebrate St. Vincent’s Hospital. Inspired by the caretakers and patients of St. Vincent’s Hospital, and guided […]
You will be hard pressed to find an establishment in New York City that has survived for as long as 92 years! Well my friends, Caffe Reggio has earned that distinction. Located at 119 MacDougal Street and celebrating its birthday on August 29th, Caffe Reggio opened in 1927 and is one of this writer’s favorite […]
In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of the Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their special histories, and reveal their (sometimes hidden) connections to the Village. Our Historic Image Archive is a veritable treasure trove of images that depict New […]
On June 18, 2019, Village Preservation scored a big victory five years in the making — persuading the City to landmark two more LGBT historic sites: the LGBT Community Center at 208 W. 13th Street and the former Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) Firehouse at 99 Wooster Street. Until now, there has only been ONE […]
John D. Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 — May 23, 1937) was a determined man who ascended from very humble beginnings to unrivaled wealth and productivity after the Civil War.
On June 24, 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by New York City Police, four nights before the infamous raids that sparked the Stonewall Riots. This was not the first time the police had targeted the bar for a raid, nor would it be the last. That night, in one of a series of what […]
Our neighborhoods are gloriously filled with immigration history. The East Village alone could tell a vast part of America’s immigration history. One such group that immigrated to our shores and landed in our neighborhood is the focus of our attention today — Ukrainians! To explore some of the Ukrainian sites in the neighborhood, we’re sharing […]
Cole Porter was a paradox; a musical genius who truly defined a time in musical history, he was at once a privileged sybarite and a bohemian provocateur all at the same time. Porter also lived a contradictory lifestyle. He was gay, and yet he remained devoted to his wife until her death in 1954. It […]
The East Village has been fertile ground for theatrical innovation since the beginning of the 20th century. Off-Off Broadway productions began in the East Village as an anti-commercial and experimental or avant-garde movement of drama and theater. To celebrate the iconoclasts and innovative creators in our neighborhoods, we’ve created a tour of current and former […]
Did someone say FREE CONCERT? Yes, indeed we did! Celebrating the 125th anniversary of its historic choir, Grace Church is offering a free concert featuring current choir members and alumni, as well as professional singers, at 7:00 PM on Friday, April 26th at Grace Church, 805 Broadway at 11th Street. The music will include compositions […]
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 celebrations. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD). The GVHD contains a treasure-trove of important history, […]
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 celebrations. Friends; we have such great friends! Last year, as we set our sights on celebrating the extraordinary milestone of the 50th anniversary of the […]
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 celebrations. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD). The GVHD contains a treasure-trove of history, architecture, […]
Every month has an “Ides,” but only the month of March is known for it. The Romans did not number days of a month from the first to the last day. Instead, they counted back from three fixed points of the month: the Nones (5th or 7th, depending on the length of the month), the […]
Today is the anniversary of the start of the Russian Revolution, and so we celebrate the rise of John Reed who chronicled the Revolution from a first hand perspective. It could be said that the rise of iconic Villager John (Jack) Reed was born in the legendary salons (and arms) of Mabel Dodge. Dodge’s Salons […]
Judson Memorial Church is an extraordinary institution for countless reasons; its architecture, its dedication to inclusion, its history of providing free healthcare, its outspoken advocacy on issues of civil rights and free expression, to name just a few of its exemplary attributes. But today, we wish to focus on its dedication to the creative arts.
How do we love thee? Let us count the ways! I was treated to my very first Off-Broadway show at The Cherry Lane Theatre as a child, and so it holds a very special place in my heart. It is a dream of a little place situated in a landmarked building on one of the […]
Today, I caught up with Daniella Topol, the Artistic Director of Rattlestick Playwrights Theater since 2016. Daniella is a powerhouse in the not-for-profit theater world, and GVSHP is very proud to be amongst her friends!
They Dwelt on West 9th Street: William J. Glackens is the 6th in a series. “Art, like humanity, every time has an ancestry.” — William Glackens William Glackens (1870-1938) was an American Painter whose work is associated with the Ashcan School. He began his career as a newspaper and magazine illustrator and his roots in […]
In the years following World War I, Americans feared communist infiltration of our country following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. As we continue to see today, when fear outweighs rational debate, civil liberties pay the price.
If only these old bones could talk! Well, in the case of Rick Kelly and his amazing craft, the old bones can indeed talk, or sing, if you will. Rick Kelly is a luthier who crafts bespoke guitars from the reclaimed wood that once belonged to buildings around the city. Rick’s guitars are like having […]
Mother Teresa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work among the poor in Calcutta, India, opened an AIDS Hospice in Greenwich Village on Christmas Eve in 1985. Mother Teresa was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the poor. […]
The Village has always been, and remains, a hotbed of artistic creativity. Theater artists and companies continue to thrive here, as more and more emerge or find new homes in the neighborhood. This week, we welcome the upstart Ars Nova to the scene!
There have been a handful of times in this country when the outcome of a political campaign was truly stunning. Such was the case in 1919 when several groups known as the “Drys” won a 70 year campaign to prohibit the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol. The 18th Amendment abolished booze in on January […]
My favorite series in the past MANY years is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel written by the amazing Amy Sherman-Palladino. Not only is her rapid-fire dialogue and direction a joy to watch and listen to, but the actors who have been cast in the show are sublimely well-suited for their roles. Then, of course, there are […]
This post is part of a series about our favorite things in and about the Village. Andrew Berman, GVSHP’s Executive Director since 2002, has a plethora of favorite things about our neighborhoods, so it’s hard to press him for a discreet list. But there are a few things that Andrew feels particularly passionate about, […]
We decided it was high time for some of our most ardent and vocal supporters to have a say here on Off the Grid. To that end, we have invited one of our favorite East Villagers, Tom Birchard, owner of Veselka, to let us know his favorite East Village spots. We at GVSHP highly endorse […]
The now infamous Ninth Street Show, a ‘coming out’ of sorts for the post-war New York avant-garde art scene, began as a whimsical idea, but ended up literally overturning the hegemony of the uptown artists and art dealers over the art world in the mid-20th century New York art scene. The show was to become the […]
I love I Hate Hamlet. How could I not have known all these years that Paul Rudnick wrote the play while living at 132 West 4th Street, in the very same apartment where none other than John Barrymore lived for several years?
“For the poor New York Puerto Rican, there are three survival possibilities,” the poet Miguel Algarin wrote in 1975. “The first is to labor for money and exist in eternal debt. “The second is to refuse to trade hours for dollars and to live by your will and ‘hustle.’ “The third possibility is to create […]
“Tom Fontana does not own or use a computer. He writes his scripts in longhand on yellow legal pads. Emails for Tom are sent to his office where a hard copy is prepared for him.” This is a notice from Tom’s webmaster at tomfontana.com and I lead with this information because, in this day and age, […]
“We need to change the system. We need to overthrow, not the government, as the authorities are always accusing the Communists [of conspiring to do], but this rotten, decadent, putrid industrial capitalist system which breeds such suffering in the whited sepulcher of New York.” Such are the words of the “radical Christian,” Dorothy Day, who […]
It’s August in New York. It’s hot. Need I say more? And conversations tend to revolve around the temperatures at this time of year. How hot is it? How humid is it? When will the heat let up? Is autumn around the corner yet? We here at GVSHP decided that it was high time to […]
They Dwelt on West 9th Street: Marianne Moore, Mother of Modernism is the 5th in a series. One of this author’s favorite poets dwelt on West 9th Street. Marianne Moore, known as the Mother of Modernism, lived on the 7th floor of the neo-Classical apartment building at 35 West 9th Street from 1966 until her […]
It’s not often that a building plays a starring role in a major motion picture. But in In Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, which premiered on August 1st, 1954, that is exactly the case. Most people know that Hitchcock set the film in Greenwich Village, but did you know that the location he used as a […]
The Village is a very far cry from the Nebraska prairie where Willa Cather spent much of her childhood. But her most productive writing period was indeed while she lived in various apartments in the Village, where she lovingly and vividly wrote about the people and places she knew and cherished from her childhood in […]
They Lived on West 9th Street: Dashiell Hammett is the 4th in a series. Dashiell Hammett (May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) is arguably one of the most mysterious and alluring characters of American 20th century literature. Dashing and elusive, he rose from nothing to becoming one of the most celebrated of American writers.
