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Author: Matt

Many Layers of History at 1st Avenue and 3rd Street

New Year, new entries! As the calendar year resets, so to the dates that correspond to Village intersections.  We begin our 2019 series back where it all started: the East Village.  In honor of today’s date, we are taking a look at the history and buildings around 1st Avenue and 3rd Street.

    Many Layers of History Throughout 2018

    As the calendar year comes to a close, GVSHP is looking back at some of our 2018 blog posts.  Our neighborhoods are so rich in history on every street and around every intersection, we’d love to explore and share each one.  But given that could take years, in 2018 we decided to let the calendar be our guide, […]

      A Tale of Two Crises: Thomas Paine and Marie Du Mont

      On December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine published The American Crisis, a series of pamphlets that helped fan the flames of American patriotism to inspire the American troops and public during the long, arduous years of the Revolutionary War.  In a previous blog post, we discussed Paine, his legacy, and how he spent his final years […]

        Henry Highland Garnet and the Village

        On December 23, 1815, African-American abolitionist, minister, educator, and orator Henry Highland Garnet was born into slavery. Garnet escaped his bondage and worked hard to fight for himself and the African-American community, eventually becoming the first African-American to address the United States House of Representatives.  He also at one time resided at 185 Bleecker Street.

          POPS goes the Village!

          Privately owned public spaces, or POPS, are public areas adjoining or adjacent to buildings created through incentivized zoning.  What this zoning means is that by providing a public space, developers are given a floor area bonus, allowing them to build a larger building with a greater Floor Area Ratio (FAR) than they would have been […]

          The Cemeteries of the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue Shearith Israel

          On March 31, 1492, Spain ordered that all Jews living within the kingdom either convert to Christianity or be expelled. Portugal did the same less than five years later. Some of those Spanish Jews converted and remained in Spain, either secretly practicing their faith or genuinely converting (even some of those, however, continued to face […]

          Ernest Flagg Roundup!

          On November 12th, 1968, Firehouse Engine Co. 33 at 44 Great Jones Street was designated a New York City landmark.  The design of the firehouse, a “distinguished example of French Beaux Arts architecture,” is attributed to architect Ernest Flagg (February 6, 1857 – April 10, 1947).  Flagg has designed quite a few significant buildings around […]

            Many Layers of History at 7th Avenue and 11th Street

            This post is part of a series about Village intersections that correspond to the date.  In July, we took a look at 7th Avenue and 12th Street and discussed the former St. Vincent’s Hospital.  Yet, just a block down on 11th Street more history can be seen that’s not connected to the demolished medical center. In […]

              Halloween Has Gone to the Dogs!

              The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade has been a much-loved event in the East Village since the 1990s.  This year’s parade was initially canceled, but then moved to the East River Park Amphitheater. 

                Basque & Bank

                October 25 is the Day of the Basque Country, the national holiday of the Basque Autonomous Community.  But did you know that 82 Bank Street was once a major hub for the Basque community in NYC?

                  Lost Saints of the Village

                  The Village is hallowed ground, and much like any sacred space, its landscape is marked by holy figures.  For our neighborhoods, these figures are the architecture, and we even have our own “saints.”  Yet, while these saints are often canonized in our memory, some of them have unfortunately left our temporal plane.  With our fighting […]

                  Remembering General Slocum, the man

                  On September 24, 1827, Union General Henry Slocum was born.  Though the namesake of the steamship fire that became one of the largest losses of life in NYC history (second only to 9/11), General Slocum the man was also an important figure in his own right, having served prominent in the Civil War, and served […]

                  Villagers, (Pumpkin) Spice Up Your Life!

                  The fall equinox is this weekend, ushering in the start of autumn. As we all know, autumn has a flavor, and that flavor is pumpkin spice.  A mixture generally consisting of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice, in the 21st century it has made its way out of the pumpkin pie and into the coffee […]

                  Many Layers of History at 9th Street and 5th Avenue

                  This post is part of a series about Village intersections that correspond to the date. September is here and a new month means a new corresponding Village intersection!  Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue is now the site of several large apartment buildings, but did you know it was once the location of the famous Brevoort […]

                  Many Layers of History, and Beyond the Village and Back: Penn Station

                  Today is a rare day on Off the Grid as we are able to combine two of our ongoing series: Many Layers of History and Beyond the Village and Back. Unlike some of our other ‘Many Layers of History’ dates, August 31st or 8/31 does not correspond with any Village intersection.  But it does correspond with […]

                  Cats and the Village

                  August 8th is International Cat Day! From pets to pest control, cats make up an important but often overlooked part of NYC and its neighborhoods.  In the Village, you can not only find them in many of the bodegas that dot the neighborhoods, but also in a few areas dedicated to rescuing cats and finding […]

                    Many Layers of History at St. Marks and 2nd Avenue!

                    This post is part of a series about Village blocks that correspond to calendar dates.  You can read some of the other ones here. August is here and so is another date that corresponds with a Village intersection! As we are now in the 8th month, we’re taking a look at every East Villager’s favorite […]

                    A Tale of Two Forgotten Alexander Jackson Davis Mansions

                    Architect Alexander Jackson Davis was born on July 24, 1803.  Davis,  one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, is perhaps best known for his association with the Gothic Revival style of architecture and rural settings.  Though many surviving examples by Davis exist in upstate New York and at other locales […]

                    One Small Step for Man…One Giant Leap for 121 Charles Street!

                    On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Moon Landing became one of the most defining events of American History in the 20th Century.  Two years prior though, the Village experienced its own “Goodnight Moon Landing” when the house of Margaret Wise Brown, author of the famous children’s book Goodnight Moon, was moved from 1335 York […]

                    Beyond the Village and Back: “Becoming Visible” and The Legacy of Stonewall at the NYPL

                    Our Beyond the Village and Back series takes a look at great landmarks in New York City outside of our neighborhoods, finding the sometimes hidden connection to the Village.  Today we take a slightly unorthodox approach of looking back at a groundbreaking exhibit which took place on June 18th, 1994 at one of our city’s most […]

                    Many Layers of History at 6th Avenue and 11th Street

                    Once again, another date has come that lines up with an intersection in the Village, but as the calendar starts to climb, our focus also starts to move westwards.  In honor of today’s date, we are taking a look at some of the buildings and history on and around the intersection of 6th Avenue and […]

                    Pride Month in All Corners of the Village

                    June is Pride Month, which makes it especially exciting time to be in the Village.  LGBT history is closely tied with the Village and environs, and throughout the course of this month we’re focusing on four areas of our neighborhood — the West Village, East Village, South Village, and NoHo — to highlight important locations, […]

                    Smells Like The Pyramid Club

                    Nirvana is one of the most influential alternative rock bands of all time.  They helped to popularize this genre of music and brought the Washington State grunge scene that emerged in the 1980’s-90’s to the masses.  Though most closely associated with that other coast, on April 26th, 1990, the band played a highly important gig […]

                    From Condemned Land to National Monument: Christopher Park

                    Christopher Park has come a long way; beginning its life as a condemned parcel of land on April 5, 1837, the park was born, transformed, and eventually born again as a National Monument.  The park is public space, historic space, and adored by Village residents and visitors alike.  In many ways, Christopher Park reflects everything […]

                    Gerde’s Folk City: The End of a Greenwich Village Icon

                    Gerde’s Folk City was a Greenwich Village music venue central to the folk and rock scenes in this neighborhood for a quarter century.  Though always moving locations, the club finally came to an end on March 26, 1986 after an iconic 25-year run.  Today we take a look back at the history of this once […]

                    Snow and the City

                    Only three months into the year and we have already experienced four Nor’easters here in NYC! Though a definite inconvenience, snow is nothing new to New Yorkers, and many have stories and memories of other winter woes from years gone by and how that affected the city and their neighborhoods.  One Nor’easter that has stood […]

                    Be Aware! The Ides of March and the Village

                    Beware the Ides of March! Though Caesar may have had cause to worry, thankfully the Village is a little more manageable than the Roman Republic.  However, that doesn’t mean this Ides we can’t be aware of it with our own twist.  Below are a few tidbits of Village history that hopefully help you notice the […]

                    The Founding of Our Lady of Pompeii

                    On March 7th, 1898, Our Lady of Pompeii Church was incorporated as a separate parish.  This South Village icon has been serving the neighborhood since 1926, but Our Lady of Pompeii has been a part of the Village since 1892.  In addition to serving the neighborhood, Our Lady of Pompeii also has a connection to […]

                    Many Layers of History between 3rd and 2nd Avenues

                    Scratch the sidewalk anywhere in the Village or East Village and you’ll always find interesting layers of history.  Last month, we went out on a limb and talked about 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street in honor of February 2nd (2/2), but today, March 2nd (3/2) we’re expanding our focus.  Both 3rd and 2nd Avenues run through the […]

                      President’s Day Roundup!

                      Happy President’s Day! Though the Village is only one neighborhood in our great, big country (though ask any resident and they will say the Village should be its own country!), it has some distinct connections to several few of our nation’s past presidents.  To celebrate the day, we are doing a roundup of our presidential […]

                      The Village is our Valentine!

                      Happy Valentine’s Day! For us at GVSHP, the Village, East Village, and NoHo are our Valentine, and we find new reasons to fall in love with them each and every day. In honor of the holiday, we are listing a few of the reasons why we love our neighborhoods, and ways you can get involved […]

                      The “East Village” Is Born, In Print

                      On February 7, 1960 the New York Times wrote an article discussing changes in Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side.  Four years beforehand the El (above ground subway) had been removed from Third Avenue.  With that barrier dismantled, Villagers from the west began to move east as “new shops, luxury and middle-income housing, and […]

                      Many Layers of History on Second Avenue and Second Street

                      Our neighborhood has many wonderful intersections, where generations of history and culture intersect — too many, in fact, to easily do them all justice. But on February 2nd, the second day of the second month, we thought we’d take a closer look at just one of those intersections, Second Avenue and Second Street.  It may […]

                      Remembering Jodie Lane

                      On January 16, 2004, Jodie Lane was walking her dogs in the East Village, where they began to act erratically around the corner of 11th Street and 1st Avenue (about a block away from GVSHP’s offices).  When Jodie went down to investigate, she received a fatal dose of electricity coming from a metal ConEd junction […]

                      Landmarks vs. National Monuments: How Safe is the Stonewall Inn?

                      In late April of last year, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reviewing all National Monuments created under the Antiquities Act since 1996.  As the Stonewall National Monument, designated in 2016, would fall within this review, many individuals and advocacy groups have voiced their concerns that the current administration might strip the monument […]

                      Our 2018 Resolutions

                      Happy New Year! We here at GVSHP hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and look forward to 2018! Like many people everywhere, GVSHP has also made some resolutions for the New Year.  Some of our biggest goals for this year center on our advocacy efforts, our Historic Image Archive, and our public programming.  In 2018 […]

                      The Gay Activist Alliance is Founded

                      On December 21, 1969, the Gay Activist Alliance (GAA) was founded.  Almost exactly six months after the Stonewall Riots, the group was founded by Marty Robinson, Jim Owles, and Arthur Evans, as an offshoot of the Gay Liberation Front.  The GAA was intended to be a “single issue, politically neutral [organization]”, whose goal would be to […]

                      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 the 1950s and 1960s in New York City.”  She was also a long-time Village resident and has even included her own recollections about her life […]

                      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 connected to them, we might never have had fair wages, better working conditions, or the right to collective bargaining.  Below are a few standout homes […]

                      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, two particularly caught our eyes and ears: one about a haunted NYU dorm and the other about a townhouse on Bank Street…

                      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 innovations to the American musical theater genre.  As we remember this 50th Anniversary, we are preparing to celebrate another 50th that’s right up the street […]

                      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 just a few of the more notorious examples that have wreaked havoc upon our neighborhoods. The Butchery on Bond Street On January 31st, 1857, dentist […]

                      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’ Bar, and is also a contributor to our oral history collection.

                      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 oral history with David and his addition to our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map.  If you missed last night’s celebration, or want to relive […]

                      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 a wonderful supporter of the neighborhood and GVSHP for many years.  While Murray’s serves so many New Yorkers from its West Village location, we thought […]

                        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, with coverage in Lonely Planet, the U.K Daily Mail, NBC, Time Out NY, Gothamist, Curbed, World Journal, and Untapped Cities, among many others. But who […]

                          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 place the foundation of many aspects of today’s mail system.  Today, the U.S. Postal Service is one the nation’s largest civil employers, with over 40,000 […]

                          Rosetta Stones Right in Our Home: Little Germany

                          On July 19, 1799, the Rosetta Stone was discovered during the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt.  This stele is inscribed in three languages — Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Ancient Greek — and became the key to finally translating and unlocking the secrets of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic script. Like ancient Egypt, our neighborhoods have been a shifting […]

                          Echoes of Bastille Day in Greenwich Village

                          On July 14, 1789, the Storming of the Bastille was the galvanizing event that kicked off the French Revolution.  The Bastille was a fortress-prison that held both political prisoners and a cache of weapons.  By storming the oppressive structure, the revolutionaries were not only able to obtain armaments to further their cause, but provide a symbol […]

                          The Church of the Village: Remembering Injustice Against Gay Clergy Event

                          On Wednesday, June 21st, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation attended a plaque unveiling at the Church of the Village to honor former gay clergymen.  Reverends Clarence Edward Egan and Paul Abels were both pastors in the Village, very active in the neighborhood, and firmly rooted in fighting for civil rights and social justice.  […]

                          LGBT History in All Corners: NoHo

                          June is Pride Month, an especially exciting time in our neighborhoods.  LGBT history is closely tied with the Village and environs, and this month we’re highlighting the LGBT history of the West Village, East Village, South Village, and NoHo.  Many of these sites can be found on our GVSHP Civil Rights and Social Justice Map, and we […]

                          2017 Village Award Winner: Frank Collerius

                          Off the Grid is highlighting the 2017 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. Read about other awardees here. Frank Collerius has been the branch manager of the Jefferson Market Library (JML) since 1999.  Frank has truly succeeded in […]

                          Remembering Two Disasters: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the East Village Gas Explosion

                          106 years ago, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire took place, which was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in American history.  This tragedy is commemorated each year with memorials and reflections upon the plight and progress of workers, women, and immigrants. The Shirtwaist Factory Fire also offers a time to reflect on another more recent tragedy […]

                          Happy Pi Day!

                          Happy Pi Day! Every year on March 14th is the celebration of the mathematical constant Pi (π) as the month/day (3/14) matches the first three significant digits of π (3.14).  A traditional way to celebrate Pi Day is to indulge in a slice of pie.  Below we have compiled a list of a few places […]

                          Black History Month in the Village: African-American & LGBT Historic Sites

                          February is Black History Month.  We here at GVSHP are celebrating it by highlighting different sites of significance to the African-American community within our neighborhoods.  We’re focusing on sites found on our new Civil Rights & Social Justice Map, discussing their connections to African-American History and the Civil Rights Movement.

                          GVSHP 2016 Book List & Holiday Gift Ideas

                          In 2016, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation held approximately 15 book-related programs. Each author related their insights, perspectives, and tales of Village history and beyond, showing the multifaceted depth that you can only find on our streets and in our buildings.  What better way to celebrate these wonderful literary works than by giving them […]

                          10th Street, A. T. Stewart, & Ladies’ Mile

                          For everyone who attended Saturday’s walking tour, we hope you enjoyed learning about shopping in the Gilded Age and the Ladies’ Mile.  Did you know that November 21 actually is an important date in the establishment of this shopping district?

                          Chess Forum program this Thursday, Nov. 10th at 7pm!

                          This Thursday, GVSHP will be hosting a program with our October Business of the Month, Chess Forum.  The program is in preparation for the World Championship of Chess, which will begin the following day here New York City — the first time it’s been held in our hometown in over 20 years.  More information can […]

                          Witchcraft and EVill

                          Happy Halloween! It’s a time for tricks and treats and taking to the Village streets for mischief and mayhem, fun and fright, and a parade on 6th Ave. starting at around 7pm.  Though tonight’s paranormal procession will signal the end of the Halloween season, that doesn’t mean the Village will be without the supernatural until next […]

                          Village Purr-servation

                          At GVSHP, we’re proud and protective of many of our community’s more well-known residents.  Recently, one of them was attacked in a high traffic online forum, sparking widespread outrage… 

                            The House of Death

                            14 West 10th Street is a Greek Revival house near Washington Square Park with a dark history.  It is probably most well known for being a one-time residence of Mark Twain, but did you know it’s also the site of a terrifying haunting and gruesome tragedy? Let’s take a closer look at what some people […]

                            Village Parks and Gardens Round-Up

                            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 and about in some Greenwich Village greenspace?  In addition to providing some bucolic backdrop, the parks in the Village are as historic as the buildings.  […]

                            Unrecognizable: Former Village Institutions and what has taken their place

                            It’s no secret that the Village has changed.  However, due to rising demand for real estate, hyper-gentrification threatens the unique and special fabric of our neighborhoods.  It’s not just small and independent businesses and cultural institutions that are being lost, but the livelihoods of many Village residents.  These were the places they worked, places they shopped, […]

                            Merchant’s House Round-Up!

                            This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Merchant’s House Museum.  The museum is the only historic house museum in the Greenwich Village/Soho/NoHo neighborhoods, and is considered one of the finest surviving examples of domestic architecture from the period, the late-Federal and Greek Revival styles (the house dates to 1832).  On Wednesday, September 21st, […]