Bowery Boogie | A Lower East Side Chronicle

You might not realize it, but you owe quite a debt of gratitude to Schott Brothers.  Next time you zip up one of your jackets, know that it was Schott who pioneered the concept.  The American clothing company first planted roots in the Lower East Side in 1913, and has quite a unique history.

This post is dedicated to all the brave men and women who have sacrificed their freedom so that we could enjoy ours.  On this Memorial Day, we salute you. Between 1940 and 1942, the Mediterranean island of Malta was the scene of intense fighting between the Royal Army and Axis forces.  Ultimately, the Britons were [...]

It’s been more than five weeks since a fire on Grand Street killed one tenant, left scores of families homeless, and gutted the century-old tenement buildings at 283, 287, and 289 Grand.  Many of us who work nearby have been watching the fire’s aftermath play out on a daily basis, constantly reminded of our neighbors’ [...]

Fire up the busted old Delorean (1.21 gigawatts!), and prepare for time travel yet again.  Citynoise unearthed a great collection of color photographs shot in the Lower East Side of the 1940s. All prints are from the Charles W. Cushman collection. It’s always fascinating to see such history in color. Simply spectacular.

At first glance, 49 Market Street is a rather nondescript building. Its features are fairly characteristic with the rest of the block.  A quick upward tilt of the head, however, reveals an interesting horse’s head amidst the masonry.  Just one component that highlights a colorful history.

[Photo via The Bowery Boys] By the late 1800s, many in Manhattan were already glorifying characters in downtown gangs, much the same way society glorifies mob culture today.  As this article published in the New York Times on August 17, 1879 reveals, the Bowery Boy remained a romanticized interest to city folk long after the [...]