Bowery Boogie | A Lower East Side Chronicle

[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 hoodlums [...]

Lamenting change is nothing new on the Bowery.  It’s just another fact of life.  The only difference is, these days, change on the beloved thoroughfare seems more rapid and final. An overall eradication of a certain community and its way of life, all in favor of gentrification and monied interests.
With that in mind, it’s time [...]

In this video, creator Zac van Schouwen explores the visual history of Eldridge Street between Rivington and Stanton Streets.  By animating sketches, he brings to life what the block might have looked like through its eight-generation lifespan. A much slower video can be seen here.

Following up on yesterday’s post about the trove of antique shoes discovered inside 92 Orchard Street, here is a bit of video from the scene.  It shows Tenement Museum facilities manager Bob Yucikas inspecting the footwear.

[via Tenement Museum]

Mark Miller has been renovating his 92 Orchard Street gallery space for months now.  Indeed, back in July, the old Luggage Plus signage was stripped from the facade, new security gates installed, and the interior completely gutted.  According to the DOB, the storefront is undergoing some new structural changes, including a new staircase linking the [...]

In doing research for the post about the new mosque planned for 172 Eldridge Street, we discovered some interesting history behind the property.  It involves a tugboat called James D. Nichols, rough seas, and plenty of drowning.