Fashion in 1910’s Greenwich Village
In the 1910’s — a period known as “the Greenwich Village Renaissance,” when a great flowering a radical political, cultural, and artistic ferment emerged took root this neighborhood — a … Continued
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Author: Maya Wilson
The Remarkable History of St. Luke’s Place
The Greenwich Village Historic District landmark designation report eloquently captures the essence of St. Luke’s Place: “Looking into this tree-lined street, our senses revel in the peace and beauty of … Continued
Tips from Our Preservation Team on Researching Your NYC Building
On Village Preservation’s Resources for Neighborhood Research page, we’ve assembled links to online directories, photo archives, maps, and more from city, state, library, educational, and other organizations — including our … Continued
Jonathan Ned Katz Oral History: LGBTQ Historian, Painter and Pioneer
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 neighborhoods. Each … Continued
The Diversity and Beauty of Loft Buildings South of Union Square
The area South of Union Square, where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, is a dynamic blend of history, commerce, and culture. It’s where great leaps forward in social movements, … Continued
A Literary Friendship Begins and Ends in Greenwich Village: Jean Toomer and Waldo Frank
The 1923 literary masterpiece Cane has been firmly established as a landmark of the Harlem Renaissance. Often likened to the works of William Faulkner, this powerful blend of poetry and … Continued
The Stories of South Village Speakeasies
On July 31, 1923, The New York Times published an article sounding the alarm about an existential threat to the bohemian life of Greenwich Village—Prohibition. The Federal Prohibition Director had … Continued
Catherine Clivette and the first Greenwich Village Historical Society
In 1941, an elderly woman with “bright blue eyes and auburn hair” stormed down to City Hall to confront Robert Moses. The fight, reported by The New Yorker, was about … Continued
Jewelry Makers of the Village and their Provincetown Summer Studios
Provincetown, Massachusetts has long had a deep and interesting connection to Greenwich Village. As one of the largest artist colonies on the East Coast, many of the artists, thinkers, and … Continued
The Meat Markets of the South Village
December is South Village Month, when we celebrate the incredible neighborhood south of Washington Square and West 4th Street. Village Preservation kicked off the effort to preserve this endangered historic neighborhood in December … Continued
WeWah & BarCheeAmpe: Pioneers of Two-Spirit Advocacy, Rooted in Greenwich Village
Coined in 1990 at the Third Annual Inter-tribal Native American First Nations Gay and Lesbian American Conference held in Winnipeg, the term “Two Spirit” (2S) refers to indigenous individuals whose … Continued
The Clay Club: Shaping Sculptural Legacies in Greenwich Village
While many are aware of the Whitney Museum’s modest origins as a studio club of artist and collector Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, fewer know that only a few feet away from … Continued
The Modernist Jewelry Studios of Greenwich Village
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
The Art and Archives of the American Indian Community House
The American Indian Community House (AICH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of Native Americans living in New York City. With a mission to enhance the well-being … Continued
Before Baldwin: The Writings of Richard Bruce Nugent
The African American literary critic and professor Henry Louis Gates once stated that the Harlem Renaissance was “surely as gay as it was Black, not that it was exclusively either … Continued
A Life Devoted to Greenwich Village Street Scenes: The Paintings of Alfred Mira
The painter Alfred Mira (1900 – 1981) was born into an Italian immigrant family and grew up Greenwich Village. His father worked as a carpenter, but young Mira had dreams … Continued
The Firsts of Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village has always been a cutting edge neighborhood, but who were the true trendsetters? Who dared to dream up something truly novel and break barriers we didn’t even know … Continued
Exploring the New York City Backdrops of Sex and the City
Sex and the City, the wildly successful TV series that captivated audiences with its fashionable characters and hooky storylines, showcased many New York City locations with its fairy tale version … Continued
The Literary Legacy of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop
In 1967, gay rights activist Craig Rodwell had a vision for a place that would serve not only as a bookstore but also as a space for community gatherings and … Continued
Strange Fruit at Cafe Society, Once Again: The Dances of Pearl Primus
The dance performance of “Strange Fruit” portrays the emotional journey of a white woman as she reacts in horror to the sight of lynching she witnessed and participated in. This … Continued
Ai Weiwei and The Two East Villages: Part Two
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
Ai Weiwei and The Two East Villages: Part One
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
Jazz and Jewelry: The Life of Art Smith
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
The East Village Eye: Chronicling the Spirit of the East Village
The East Village Eye was only in publication for eight years, but the magazine left a huge mark on the neighborhood it chronicled. The East Village Eye, nicknamed the Eye, … Continued
The Painters of 108 through 114 Waverly Place
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
Jimmy DeSana: Sexuality and Subversion
Jimmy DeSana was a photographer known for his provocative and experimental work during the late 1970s and early 1980s. His unique style of photography captured the raw and rebellious energy … Continued
How Greenwich Village Helped Save Harry Belafonte
In 1951, Harry Belafonte decided he was finished with singing. For the past few years, he had been taking acting classes at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School with … Continued