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 … Continued
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Category: People
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
Remembering the 344th Lost Firefighter, and Fire Patrol House #2
The number “343” is indelibly linked with September 11, 2001 — the official number of firefighters killed on 9/11. However, a 344th New York City firefighter was killed at the … Continued
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 … Continued
A Times Square Art Excursion with Carole Teller
There are limitless things to discover among the astounding collections of photographs by Carole Teller in GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive. A resident of the East Village for over 50 years, … Continued
Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground’s Last Show and Album at Max’s
The Village’s misfits, we know quite well, are very dedicated, special kinds of misfits. Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground certainly fall into this category. Everyone remembers when they were … Continued
From George Washington to Hudson Square: The history of the Charlton-King-VanDam neighborhood
It’s an often-overlooked enclave with the largest concentration of Federal and Greek Revival style houses in New York City. Its origins can be traced back to historical figures as esteemed … Continued
More Historic Images? Yes, Please!
We recently added two new collections of photographs to the GVSHP Historic Image Archive, and they do not fail to impress! One is the Meatpacking District Above 14th Street/Chelsea Market/High … Continued
Many Layers of History at 8th Avenue and 13th Street: Jackson Square Park
This post is part of a series about Village blocks that correspond to calendar dates. Once again, another August date corresponds with a Village intersection. Jackson Square Park is located … 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
The Greenwich Village Building With a Starring Role in Hitchcock’s Rear Window
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 … Continued
“Papa” Luigi Fagazy: Pillar of the South Village
An important figure within New York’s Italian immigrant communities was the padrone — a middleman acting on behalf of his compatriots, helping them with advice, assistance, and protection. Padrone actually means … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
A Tour of the Bowery, From GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive and Urban Archive
The Bowery is Manhattan’s oldest street, predating European settlement. We don’t know exactly when native Americans first began to use this path. We do know that in those early days … Continued
A Duel, A Land Sale, and A Very Unusual History (thanks, Aaron Burr)
On this date in 1804, just five days following his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr sold two plots of land in our neighborhood. Why? Well, he was charged with multiple … Continued
Business of the Month: Random Accessories, 77 East 4th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
Many Layers of History at 7th Avenue and 12th Street: St. Vincent’s Hospital
This piece is part of a series about Village blocks that correspond to calendar dates. You can read some of the other ones here. Another day, another date that corresponds … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Cooper Hewitt Museum, Former Andrew Carnegie Mansion
The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum at 2 East 91st Street is a renowned museum and institution, the only of its kind in the United States, born of a long history and connection between philanthropy and industry.
Many Layers of History at 7th Street and 2nd Avenue
As we enter July, it’s not hard to notice that some of the dates align with some neighborhood intersections. In honor of today’s date, we are taking a look at some … Continued
Helen Keller’s Village Activist Life and Legacy
Helen Keller’s connections to New York City and Greenwich Village are numerous but perhaps less well known, as they are largely rooted in her work not as an advocate for … Continued
Historic Photo Mystery Solved!
As we add images to our Historic Image Archive, we try to provide as much identifying information as possible on each one. Sometimes the images come to us with the exact … Continued
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 … Continued
St. John’s in the Village Episcopal Church, Honoring their Open Door
Walking through the 11th Street horse-walk into the courtyard of St. John’s in the Village Episcopal Church is like walking through a magical passageway into a holy place. It’s all … Continued
St. Vincent’s Project: Novenas for a Lost Hospital
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, one of Greenwich Village’s most inventive and exciting producers of new works, is partnering with GVSHP, the NYC AIDS Memorial Board, St. John’s in the Village, and … Continued
Remembering Romana Raffetto, South Village Pasta and Sauce Maven, Neighbor
We at GVSHP were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Romana Raffetto of Raffetto’s Fresh Pasta, located at 144 West Houston Street. She was a great friend to GVSHP … Continued
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 … Continued
GVSHP’s First Plaque, On 1st Street
This is an updated version of a previous post by Andito Lloyd. On May 30, 2012, GVSHP officially launched its historic plaque program with the unveiling of our very first … Continued
Taking on REBNY and Winning
Are you one of the many people who has had to take on the seemingly all-powerful Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) in a real estate/preservation fight? Sometimes it … Continued
Penny Arcade: Downtown Iconoclast and “Queen of the Underground” to host GVSHP’s Village Awards
Penny Arcade has been living the bohemian life in New York City, and making art about it, on and off for more than four decades. She says she is “fundamentally … Continued
Discovering Yaroslava Surmach Mills, East Villager, Ukrainian, Artist
In the days leading up to the 2018 East Village St. Georges Ukrainian Festival, GVSHP took a trip to the Ukrainian Museum in New York City on East 6th Street to … Continued
Elizabeth Blackwell In Our Neighborhood: The historic sites where America’s first female doctor made her mark
One of the most radical and influential women of the 19th century changed the course of public health history while living and working in Greenwich Village and the East Village. … Continued
Business of the Month: Dual Specialty Store, 91 First Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back – Jacob Riis Park’s Art Deco Bathhouse
With its parallel octagonal towers rising above the beach, the sprawling Art Deco bathhouse complex at Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways has, since opening in 1932, served as a monument to Art Deco design, grand public works, and popular beach-time fun.
Anthology Film Archives — 2018 Village Awardee
Anthology Film Archives is an international center dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema. GVSHP is proud … Continued
Announcing the 2018 Village Awardees
Over the past 28 years, GVSHP has honored the unique and outstanding people, organizations, places, and business that make the Village what it is with our Village Awards. You can RSVP … Continued
Remembering the Ritz
There are a number of legendary rock venues in our neighborhood, many an integral part of the 1980s NYC club scene. One of the leading ones was ‘The Ritz,’ located … Continued
(the former) Trump SoHo, and Years of Non-Compliance
The building formerly known as the Trump Soho has made the national and international news. But GVSHP was protesting it over ten years ago when its construction was first announced on … Continued
Remembering Willem de Kooning
On April 24, 1904, artist and former resident of our neighborhood, Willem de Kooning, was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He would go on to be one of the 20th … Continued
Edward Hopper’s Greenwich Village: The real-life inspirations behind his paintings
There’s no lack of artists deeply associated with New York. But among the many painters who’ve been inspired by our city, perhaps none has had a more enduring and deeper … Continued
An Unusual Resident for An Unusual House: Richard Harding Davis and 108 Waverly Place
In the course of our research about buildings and events in our neighborhood, we often come upon some unusual characters and stories. One which certainly qualifies is Richard Harding Davis, an … Continued
Village Preservation Oral History: Merce Cunningham
Village Preservation shares our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village and the East Village such unique and vibrant neighborhoods. … Continued
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Mountaintop
On April 3rd, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered what would become both his last and one of his most powerful speeches, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” In it, he … Continued
Celebrating the 15th Amendment on Bleecker Street
On March 30, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was certified as duly ratified, prohibiting the denial of citizens the right to vote based on “race, color, or … Continued
Anthony Congo, Freed Slave and Early Lower Manhattan Landowner
On March 26, 1647, Anthony (also referred to as Antony) Congo, a newly manumitted slave of the Dutch West India Company, was granted six acres of land by the Council … Continued
Honoring Lucy and Lenny Cecere
Lucy Cecere, who passed away on March 19, 2011, at the age of 89, was small in stature, but a true giant in a neighborhood of outsized personalities in which … Continued
(Re-)Remembering Diane Arbus
Diane Arbus was born on March 14, 1923, and died by her own hand a mere forty-eight years later on July 26, 1971. The acclaimed and celebrated photographer’s body of … Continued
Is there a Doctor in the Village? Yes, and Her Name Was Elizabeth Blackwell
Continuing our celebration of Women’s History, today we look at a seminal figure not only in women’s history but medical history as well — Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. You may already … 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
GVSHP Oral History: Paula DeLuccia Poons
GVSHP is excited to share our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village and the East Village such unique and … Continued
Elizabeth Jennings Graham — New York’s Rosa Parks, A Century Earlier
Exploring African American history in our neighborhoods, today we look at Elizabeth Jennings Graham, a woman who, in her simple quest to get to her church on East 6th Street … Continued
Dylan Thomas in New York: The Rock Star Poet at his Zenith
1950 was a seminal year in the life of the “last rock star poet,” Dylan Thomas. On February 20th of that year the much-celebrated Welsh poet arrived in New York … Continued
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!), … Continued
15 Sites of Critical African American History in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village has been known throughout its existence for breaking new ground and embracing outsiders. One often-forgotten but important element of that trailblazing narrative is the extraordinary role the Village played … Continued
North America’s First Freed Black Settlement Right in our Neighborhood
In continuing our celebration of black history, we have a new and exciting entry to our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map: North America’s First Freed Black Settlement. According to … Continued
“Shampoo” and Other Inspirations Found on St. Mark’s Place
Shampoo, the iconic movie satire, was released on February 11, 1975, but is set on Election Day 1968, the day Richard Nixon was first elected President of the United States. … Continued
The Lower East Side People’s Federal Credit Union
The presence of banks in neighborhood retail spaces often elicit mixed feelings at best. Typically these tend to deaden the streetscape and are owned and operated by some faceless, distant … Continued
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 … Continued
Black History Month 2018 – Learn and Celebrate with Us!
Black History Month gives us the opportunity to look at an important and too often overlooked or undervalued part of American, New York, and neighborhood history and highlighting. Within our … 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
Angela Davis: Her Greenwich Village Connections
This is an updated reposting of a blog by staffer, Matthew Morowitz, January 26th, 2016. Activist, leftist, and radical feminist — these are just some of the words used to describe Angela … Continued
Disappearing New York: The Case of the Missing Watch Repair Shop
Like most of us who live and work in the city, it’s hard to imagine living or working anywhere else. I, myself, have struggled with this for many years. Where … 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.
Remembering the Arch (and other) Conspirators
On January 23, 1917, poet Gertrude Drick, painters John Sloan and Marcel Duchamp, and actors Russell Mann, Betty Turner, and Charles Ellis climbed to the top of Washington Square Arch. Drick … Continued
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 … Continued
The Greenwich Village church that threw a presidential election
The stately church building at 141-145 West 13th Street in the West Village is the picture of serene elegance. Built in 1846-47 in the Greek Revival style, the classical balance … Continued
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s Rich and Varied Legacy
When a woman born into the privileged class bucks the system and comes into her own as an artist and philanthropist, a great story is born. Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney was … Continued
The Historic Fire Patrol House No. 2: Not Your Average Firehouse
The former firehouse located at 84 West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village is often noted for being the renovated and restored home of TV personality and journalist Anderson Cooper. But it’s just as noteworthy … Continued
Historic Preservation 101: What is a Landmark?
This is a re-posting of a piece originally written in 2011. Architect Phillip Johnson and others protesting the demolition of Pennsylvania Station We speak often of historic districts, individual landmarks … Continued
Fred W. McDarrah’s Greenwich Village and the East Village of the 1950s and 60s
Perhaps no single photographer could be said to have captured the energy, the cultural ferment, the reverberating social change emanating from New York City in the second half of the 20th century … Continued
Julius’ Bar, an LGBT Landmark
On December 5, 2012, GVSHP asked the New York State Office of Historic Preservation to find Julius’ Bar (a Village Award winner) eligible for the State and National Registers of … Continued
Remembering James Baldwin
Through his writing, televised debates, and public speaking across the globe, author and activist James Baldwin (August 2, 1924 — December 1, 1987) was a vital voice for the civil rights movement. … Continued
Electric Lady Studios: Jimi Hendrix, And So Much More
Jimi Hendrix would have turned 75 this week. In his brief 27 years and even briefer musical career, Hendrix left an indelible mark upon guitar playing and rock music, permanently transforming … Continued
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 … Continued
Remembering Jimi Hendrix
Who doesn’t know the opening notes? Who can’t recognize the wild, seething energy behind them? Who hasn’t seen his face, wavering with smoke and mystery? We heard him at concerts … 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
Moby Dick: Herman Melville’s Epic Journey Began on Gansevoort Street
On November 14, 1851, Herman Melville’s magnum opus, Moby-Dick, was published. Unlike the search for a white whale, it isn’t difficult to find Melville’s deep connection to the Village, as … Continued
Suffragette City
Today we look back on a critical milestone in the health of our democracy and a red letter day for the State of New York. The achievement of full voting … Continued
Stories from GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive- “Is That My Mother?”
Since its online release in August, 2017, GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive has been the source of several amazing stories. The recently released Carole Teller’s Changing New York Collection particularly so, … Continued
Happy Birthday, Eugene O’Neill
On this day in 1888, Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born, and the course of American theater would change forever. O’Neill became the first American dramatist to regard the stage as … Continued
Farewell to Matt Umanov Guitars
Last week Matt Umanov Guitars released the following bittersweet statement: “After fifty-three years of having been in the business of helping so many guitar (and all the other fretted instruments) players … Continued
From Willem de Kooning’s loft to the threat of the wrecking ball: The history of 827-831 Broadway
Underneath the lyrical and much-admired sherbet-colored facades of the twin lofts at 827-831 Broadway lies a New York tale like no other. Incorporating snuff, sewing machines, and cigar store Indians; Abstract Expressionists; … Continued
“On the Road” Published
This is an update of a post written by former GVSHP staffer Andito Lloyd. The seminal tome of the Beat generation, Jack Kerouac’s novel, “On the Road,” was published on September … Continued
Happy Birthday, Charlie Parker
On August 29, 1920, Charles Parker Jr. was born in Kansas City, Kansas. A towering figure in American jazz, he spent his final years in New York, and lived at 151 … Continued
A 15-year-old Greenwich Village student inspired the hit song ‘Summer in the City’
Everyone knows the folk-rock classic “Summer in the City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful, which topped the charts 51 years ago this August in 1966. But fewer know the song’s roots … Continued
Happy Birthday, Madonna!
Madonna Louise Ciccione, known simply as Madonna, was born on this day in 1958 in Bay City, Michigan. The singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, film director, author and businesswoman has … Continued
Happy Birthday, Linda Ellerbee!
Today we celebrate the birthday of journalist and Village resident Linda Ellerbee.
Clifford Odets and The Group Theatre
Clifford Odets, one of America’s greatest playwrights, passed away on this day in 1963 at the age of 57. Odets grew up in the Bronx but migrated downtown as … Continued
The Glittering and Gritty History of 24 Bond
If you happen to look up while strolling down Bond or Lafayette Streets, you might come upon a curious sight – dozens of small, golden statues dancing along the wrought … Continued
St. Mark’s in the Bowery: Sam Shepard’s First Theatrical Home
“…But who knows what is real anyway? Reality is overrated. What remains are the words scrawled upon an unwinding panorama, vestiges of dusty stills peeled from memory, a threnody of gone … 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, Debbie Harry
Deborah Harry, lead singer of the seminal punk and new wave band Blondie, was born July 1, 1945. Both she as an artist and the group Blondie grew out of … Continued
Happy Birthday, Housing Activist Frances Goldin
“This is my home, and I love it here” Frances Goldin said about the Lower East Side, her home for over 70 years. GVSHP loves Fran (as she likes to … 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
GVSHP’s First Historic Plaque, On First Street
This is an updated version of a previous post by Andito Lloyd. On May 30, 2012, GVSHP officially launched its historic plaque program in partnership with the Two Boots Foundation … Continued
April 19, 1927: Mae West Sentenced on Morals Charges at Jefferson Market Courthouse
“Miss West, are you trying to show contempt for this court?” “On the contrary, your Honor,” Mae sweetly responded. “I was doin’ my best to conceal it.” Known for her … Continued
Mourning President Lincoln Along Broadway
This is an updated re-posting of a piece originally penned by GVSHP staff member Drew Durniak. It was on April 14, 1865 that President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by actor … Continued
King’s Assassination Began Fifteen Year Quest for a National Holiday
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Witnesses point towards the fleeing gunman moments … Continued
Remembering Jeanne Manford and the Founding of PFLAG
On this date in 2013, GVSHP and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) unveiled our plaque to memorialize and celebrate Jeanne Manford at the Church of the Village at … Continued
Mother Courage – Serving Feminism and Food
March is Women’s History Month. We here at GVSHP are celebrating by highlighting different sites and locations of significance to Women’s history in the Village. A great source is our recently-released Civil … Continued