Paul Cadmus’ Greenwich Village
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
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 72 Fifth Avenue, Appleton & Co. Headquarters
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 … Continued
Even More Daytonian in Greenwich Village
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
Daytonian in Greenwich Village
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
Beyond the Village and Back: Congregation Shearith Israel
Congregation Shearith Israel, now located at 2 West 70th Street, takes pride in being the very first Jewish congregation in North America, where something like half the world’s Jewish population now lives.
Publishing giants, radical literature, and women’s suffrage: More secrets of Union Square South
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
Even More Charm Added to Greenwich Village Historic District Tour
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. On April 29th, 2019, … Continued
Horatio Gomez: Physician, Philanthropist, and Caretaker of Greenwich Village’s Architectural Heritage
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
Retracing The East Village’s Historic Little Italy
October, the month when we mark Columbus Day, is also Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month. That combined with the recent celebrations around the 125th anniversary of Veniero’s inspires a closer … Continued
Third Street Music School’s Long Journey to 11th Street
The Third Street Music School Settlement was founded by Emilie A. Wagner (b. April 11, 1879) as the Music School Settlement with just 10 students in 1894. How they made … Continued
12 historic Italian-American sites of the East Village
October is Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month! That’s a perfect time to take a closer look at the East Village’s own historic Little Italy, centered around First Avenue near the beloved pastry … Continued
How Greenwich Village and the East Village Launched the 19th Century Hebrew Free School Movement
Nineteenth-century Jewish immigrant life in New York is well-documented, when massive waves of Jews, first from Germany and then from Eastern Europe, began to flood into the city. This made … Continued
Hilly Kristal’s Long Road to the Bowery and Rock and Roll Legend
Hillel (Hilly) Kristal, founder of legendary rock club CBGB, was born on September 23, 1931 in New York City. His early life, well into adulthood, might not have given any … Continued
‘Friends’: Greenwich Village Fantasy vs. Reality
On September 22, 1994, the TV show ‘Friends’ premiered on NBC. Airing ten seasons, it was consistently one of the most popular shows on television, and after decades of syndication, … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Arthur Miller Edition
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 … Continued
Mazel Tov! Yiddish Theater is born
On August 12th, 1882, the very first Yiddish theatrical performance in New York City was held in a building which still stands at 66 East 4th Street, between the Bowery … Continued
Uncovering the stories behind downtown’s overlooked synagogues
On August 8, 2008, Village Preservation and the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC) submitted a request to the LPC to landmark a little-known but remarkable survivor– Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 515 East 6th … Continued
President Announces Resignation
On August 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced his resignation, effective noon the following day. Following months of impeachment proceedings, Nixon could read the writing on the wall that his … Continued
Graphic Designer Extraordinaire, Milton Glaser
Milton Glaser’s “I ♥ NY” logo is one of the most iconic and most replicated logos of the late 20th century, filling the storefronts of our city’s souvenir markets and … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Little Ukraine
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 … Continued
17 LGBT landmarks of Greenwich Village
In late June, New York is in the throes of celebrating the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, three nights of disturbances from June 28th to June 30th 1969, which are recognized globally as the … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Synagogues
If you’re walking around the East Village, you’re likely standing on (or near) holy ground. To illustrate this, we’ve created a tour of current and former synagogues in the neighborhood. … Continued
Hettie Jones, 2019 Village Awardee
Hettie Jones is a talented writer, a loving mother and grandmother, a forceful activist, a nurturing teacher, and a friendly neighbor and preservationist. She is the stuff neighborhood dreams are … Continued
11 landmarks of immigration in Greenwich Village
Each year, immigrant history week is celebrated in late April, commemorating the day in 1907 when more immigrants came through Ellis Island than any other day in history. More than … Continued
12 social change champions of Greenwich Village
Few places on Earth have attracted more or a broader array of activists and agitators for social change than Greenwich Village. And much of that activity took place right in … Continued
A Building Blocks Tour of East Village Landmarks
We have just added a new tour to our wildly popular East Village Building Blocks, our online tool which provides invaluable information about over 2,200 properties in the East Village. … Continued
Great Writers and the Greenwich Village Historic District
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 Greenwich … Continued
Exploring East Village Music Meccas with Building Blocks
This is part of a series of curated tours to help the public explore the buildings and history shared on our recently-launched East Village Building Blocks site — see it here. From 19th-century concert … Continued
Remembering a Big Day for East Village Landmarking
On March 18, 2008, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved the designation of four East Village landmarks, and they were as varied as the East Village itself. They were … Continued
Chaim Gross on LaGuardia Place, and “The Family” on Bleecker
When the days are finally seeming longer than they used to be, the beautiful details of the Village begin to reveal themselves in new ways. Today, I’m thinking about public … Continued
A Building Blocks Tour of the Squats of the East Village
This is part of a series of curated tours to help the public explore the buildings and history shared on our recently-launched East Village Building Blocks site — see it here. During … Continued
20 transformative women of Greenwich Village
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District on April 29, 1969. One of the city’s oldest and still largest historic districts, it’s … Continued
A Building-by-Building Tour of the East Village’s Kleindeutschland
From the mid-19th through the early 20th century, the East Village was the center of what came to be known as Kleindeutschland, or “Little Germany” – the largest German-speaking community in … Continued
New Oral Histories Highlight Yiddish Theater Walk of Fame
GVSHP is a proud leader and co-founder of the Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Theater Walk of Fame. As part of our ongoing efforts to celebrate and preserve this … Continued
Emma Goldman, Birth Control Crusader, Arrested
Emma Goldman, anarchist and feminist, advocate of free speech, free love, birth control, and the eight-hour workday, was arrested in New York City on February 11, 1916. Charged with violating … Continued
15 things you didn’t know about the East Village
Earlier this month, GVSHP launched its East Village Preservation effort, releasing its new website “East Village Building Blocks,” which contains historic information and images for every one of the neighborhood’s 2,200 buildings. Of course, … Continued
From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South
Straddling Greenwich Village and the East Village, the neighborhood south of Union Square between Fifth and Third Avenues was once a center of groundbreaking commercial innovations, radical leftist politics, and … Continued
Happy Chanukah from the Village – Celebrating Through History!
I was holiday shopping at my local bookstore and was delighted to encounter Emily Jenkins’ “All of a Kind Family Hanukkah.” In the book, a Jewish immigrant family prepares for … Continued
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a Visual Ode to the Village
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
One Street, Many Great Local Businesses: Bleecker Street
Four years ago today, GVSHP launched our Business of the Month program, in which each month a local independent business is featured on GVSHP’s website and blog Off the Grid, … Continued
Nile Rodgers: Musical Innovator, Child of the Village
The award-winning guitarist, composer, and producer Nile Rodgers was born on September 19, 1952. Rodgers co-founded the influential disco group Chic; produced music for artists as diverse as David Bowie, … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Assyrian Revival on West 30th Street
In 2001, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 130 West 30th Street as a Landmark. Designed by the preeminent architect Cass Gilbert in 1927–28, the building was built to accommodate offices, showrooms and manufacturing space for the fur industry.
More Photo Mysteries from our Newest Historic Photo Collection
We recently unveiled the new addition to our Historic Image Archive, Carole Teller’s Changing New York, Part 4, which includes about two hundred fifty images of Greenwich Village, the East Village, … Continued
A Synagogue Preserved, Reflecting a Neighborhood’s Transformation
On August 9, 2010, GVSHP and the East Village Community Coalition asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider designating this historic building at 323-327 East 6th Street with various layers of … Continued
United States v. Windsor
On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 decision (United States v. Windsor), declared unconstitutional part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which … Continued
Remembering the worst disaster in NYC maritime history: The sinking of the General Slocum ferry
On June 15, 1904, a disaster of unprecedented proportions took place in New York City, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 lives, mostly women and children. This largely forgotten … Continued
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 … Continued
Oral Histories on the Founding of An Artists’ Colony, A Prison Reform Organization, and So Much More
GVSHP has been conducting and sharing oral histories since the mid-1990s. As we look back on two powerhouse oral histories, we’re considering the importance of such documents as “the first … Continued
Beyond The Village and Back: the Statue of Liberty and “The New Colossus”
On an average day in New York City, you might catch sight of the Statue of Liberty on the subway, meandering down the High Line, or maybe if you are somewhere along the Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn waterfront.
Rock On, Fillmore East!
Today, 105 Second Avenue is a bank. The city moves on and overtakes what used to be at a given spot pretty quickly, but maybe you know that 105 Second … Continued
15 Trailblazing Women of Greenwich Village and the East Village
Greenwich Village is well known as the home to libertines in the 1920s and feminists in the 1960s and ’70s. But going back to at least the 19th century, the … Continued
Allen Ginsberg’s Kaddish Written Here
Over the past six months, GVSHP has participated in the CUNY Corp service-learning program that places students in paid internships throughout the City. GVSHP’s intern, Oluwaseun Eleyinafe, a Lehman College … Continued
A Landmark From the Heyday of Yiddish Theater That Still Stands Today
Many New Yorkers were left reeling from the closure and demolition of the Landmark Sunshine Theater on East Houston Street in 2018. Just outside of Village Preservation’s catchment area, the … Continued
How an East Village building went from gangster hangout to Andy Warhol’s Electric Circus
Fifty years ago this week, the Velvet Underground released their second album, “White Light/White Heat.” Their darkest record, it was also arguably the Velvet’s most influential, inspiring a generation of … Continued
Philip Glass: A Life in Music, and in the East Village
World-renowned composer and East Village denizen Philip Glass was born on January 31, 1937 in Baltimore. The child of Jewish emigrants from Lithuania, his mother aided Holocaust survivors and recent … Continued
Beyond The Village and Back: Temple Emanu-El, Reform Movement Builder and Shaker
Today we are going to take a look at Temple Emanu-El located at 65th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It is New York’s largest synagogue, and by reputation is the largest Reform synagogue in the world. But this very uptown institution actually has some very downtown roots, which may surprise you.
East 12th Street’s “Ghost Church”: From Pathbreaking House of Worship to NYU Dorm
The disembodied church steeple sitting in front of a 26-story NYU dorm on East 12th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues makes for one of the more head-scratching sights in … Continued
Will the Real Petrus Stuyvesant Please Stand Up?
In this part of New York, the Stuyvesant name is all around us: Stuyvesant Street, Stuyvesant Town, Stuyvesant Square, the old Stuyvesant Casino (a former East Village jazz club, now the … Continued
Remembering Fiorello LaGuardia
Many today are too young to remember that the name LaGuardia didn’t always just refer what is frequently called the worst airport in America. Rather, it also referred to a … Continued
November 22, 1909: A Frail 23 Year Old Woman Ignites the Strike of the 20,000 at Cooper Union
On November 22, 1909, a frail 23-year-old woman, who’d been brutally beaten by strike-breakers, was helped up onto the stage of the Great Hall at the Cooper Union. Leaders of … Continued
Peeling Back Two Hundred Years of History on Second Avenue
I recently wrote about the rich and interesting cultural history behind the Ukrainian National Home, located at 140-142 Second Avenue just south of 9th Street in the East Village, for … Continued
The Ukrainian National Home’s Surprising History
On 2nd Avenue, just south of 9th Street at No. 140-142, sits one of the East Village’s oddest structures. Clad in metal and adorned with Cyrillic lettering, the building sports … Continued
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 … Continued
The South Village’s Italian Heritage
Many think of Little Italy’s Mulberry Street or the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue as the centers of Italian-American life and culture in New York. But some of the most historically significant … Continued
Happy Birthday to Wolf Kahn, who Draws the City like a Landscape
The renowned painter Wolf Kahn was born on October 4, 1927. In his oral history with GVSHP, Wolf Kahn brought wit, snark, and great, detailed memories about his time in … Continued
Welcome Aboard, Ariel Kates!
Today we are very excited to welcome aboard Ariel Kates as our new Manager of Programming and Communications. Ariel is thrilled to be a part of our public programming and outreach … Continued
When New York really became New York
On this day in 1664, then-Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrendered what was known as New Amsterdam, the capital of New Netherland, to English naval Colonel Richard Nicolls. The European settlement … Continued
Impeachment and the Village
On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that President Richard M. Nixon be impeached and removed from office. And while many remember the two year saga which placed … Continued
Happy Birthday to Villager Gloria McDarrah!
To celebrate the birthday of Villager and oral history interviewee Gloria McDarrah, we’re reposting an earlier Off the Grid piece written by Lauren Snetiker. Since writing this piece, GVSHP has … Continued
The Espionage and Sedition Acts
The Espionage Act was passed on June 15th, 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I in April of that year. Its goals included limiting interference with recruitment … Continued
LGBT History in All Corners: the South Village
June is Pride Month, an especially exciting time to be in the Village. LGBT history is closely tied with our neighborhoods, and this month we’re highlighting the LGBT history of the … Continued
A History of the East Village in 10 Objects
The following is an updated re-posting originally authored by Dana Schulz. As May is Lower East Side History Month, we at GVSHP thought it would be nice to revisit a … Continued
Congratulations to 2017 Village Awardee: B & H Dairy
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. … Continued
This Day in History: The Rosenbergs are Convicted
The following is an updated re-posting originally authored by Dana Schulz. It was on this date in 1951 that the infamous Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage. The … Continued
The First Ghetto Is Founded, and the Reverberations are Felt Centuries Later
On March 29, 1516, the Venice Ghetto was established by decree of the Venice Ruling Council. The very first ghetto, it was a tiny 2 1/2 block area on a … Continued
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 … Continued
Black History Month in the East Village: Black Arts Movement
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, including those on our new Civil Rights … Continued
Bella Abzug, A Champion for Women’s Rights
Politician, feminist and Villager Bella Abzug is featured in our Civil Rights Map. An outspoken advocate to the Equal Rights Amendment and co-founder or the organization Women Strike for Peace, … Continued
Join Us Tomorrow for an Exciting Evening at the Museum at Eldridge Street
Join GVSHP tomorrow night in the main sanctuary of the Museum at Eldridge Street as we present the Andy Statman Trio for the second consecutive year. The concert supports both … Continued
Happy Landmark Anniversary: 144 West 14th Street & 22-26 East 14th Street
14th Street is an eclectic ecotone; it’s not only the upper boundary of the Village but also the lower Boundary of Chelsea and Gramercy. It’s not surprising then that this … Continued
Immigrant Stories – America’s Greatest Asset
What makes New York the greatest city in the world? There are many ways to answer that question, but I think one reason rises to the top – New Yorkers … Continued
Happy Birthday, Issac Mizrahi!
On this day in 1961, fashion designer, author, and friend of GVSHP Issac Mizrahi was born in Brooklyn.
Plaque Unveiling for Sculptor Chaim Gross
Yesterday we were honored to unveil the latest in our Historic Plaque Program at 526 LaGuardia Place, where sculptor Chaim Gross lived and worked. You may have passed by it … Continued
Greek Revival Gone Wrong
On October 1, 2010, the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) agreed to GVSHP’s request to find 326 and 328 East 4th Street eligible for listing on the State and … Continued
Congregation Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Anshe Ungarn
Tucked away on East 7th Street between Avenues C and D is the former Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Anshe Ungarn. This small synagogue, designed in the classical revival style, is set … Continued
Man Ray: The darling of the revolutionary set (art revolution that is)
Man Ray was born on August 27, 1890 in Philadelphia to Russian Jewish immigrants. His father was a tailor and his mother a seamstress. He was named Emmanuel Radnitzky but … Continued
Farewell to Al Orensanz, a Lower East Side Cultural Hero
Today GVSHP pays its respects to Al Orensanz, the Director of the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the past 30 years, who passed away on Saturday, July 23. Al, along with … Continued
Jared Kushner’s (Preservation) Record
The Donald has been getting a lot of attention lately, what with his running for President and all. So too has his family, which is being touted as an integral … Continued
Kleindeutschland Roundup
In the late 19th and early 20th Century, the East Village and Lower East Side were home to a substantial German immigrant community. As a result, this area became known as … Continued
Lost Neighborhoods of New York: Goulash Row
New York is renowned for its vibrant immigrant history, and the many diverse neighborhoods born out of years of heavy immigration in the 19th and early 20th-centuries. But for all … Continued
2016 Village Award Winner: Jaffe Art Theater Interior Restoration
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2016 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 14th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event … Continued
Five Hundred Years Ago, The First Ghetto Is Founded
Five hundred years ago today, on March 29, 1516, the Venice Ghetto was established by decree of the Venice Ruling Council. The very first ghetto, it was a tiny 2 … Continued
GVSHP Oral History: Gloria McDarrah
Village Preservation is excited to share our oral history collection with the public, and hope they will shed more light on what makes Greenwich Village and the East Village such … Continued
Next Stop, Greenwich Village: 1953 Was a Good Year for Leaving Home
On February 4, 1976, the film Next Stop, Greenwich Village premiered. Many movies, television shows, and plays have taken place in the Village, displaying the unique characteristics of the neighborhood, but arguably, … Continued
East 4th Street and its Political Past
This post is the second of a three-part series called Histories of Fourth Street, from East to West, a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2015 Intro … Continued
Village Preservation East Village Oral History: Marilyn Appleberg
Village Preservation is excited to share our oral history collection with the public, and hope they will shed more light on what makes Greenwich Village and the East Village such … Continued
Landmarks50: 295 East 8th Street
Now home to seven apartments, 295 East 8th Street a.k.a. 127 Avenue B, opened in 1887 as the Children’s Aid Society, Tompkins Square Lodging for Boys and Industrial School. As … Continued
Frances Goldin – Glad She’s on Our Side!
“I have lived on the Lower East Side for seventy years. And when I came here, I found Nirvana, and I will die in this building — not in a … Continued
Tales from the Crypt: Greenwich Village as seen through its burial sites
Burial spaces serve a wide variety of purposes: religious, political, socioeconomic. For example, a graveyard might demarcate the boundary of a church or private property, while the kind of interment … Continued
