The Bowery Boys: New York City History
Bowery Boys Walks is proud to be supported by Founded by NYC, celebrating New York City’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. This month, we’re celebrating the Village Halloween Parade, the largest Halloween parade in the world. The parade started as a small-time puppet parade for kids in the… Read More
For this year’s annual Bowery Boys Ghost Stories podcast, Greg and Tom take a road trip to Long Island to explore the region’s most famous haunted tales from legend and folklore, ‘real’ reported stories of otherworldly encounters that have shaped this historic area of New York state. When you think of Long Island and scary… Read More
Our first ghost stories show was released on October 11, 2007, featuring New York City’s famous haunted tales and urban legends (with historical context). Since that time we have released seventeen Halloween-related shows as well as a recording of our Joe’s Pub live show. Take a spooky trip down memory lane with a re-listen to… Read More
On October 26, 1825, the fate of New York City – and the entire United States – changed with the opening of the Erie Canal, a manmade waterway that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie. It was the most significant engineering project of its time, linking the ocean to the nation’s interior — a… Read More
Get into the spooky spirit of the season with the Bowery Boys’ first-ever ghost-themed walking tour — with Historic Haunts of Lower Manhattan, sponsored by Founded by NYC. Discover amazing history and hear mysterious tales on this enchanting walk through Lower Manhattan. And for this tour, we’ve called into service one of New York City’s… Read More
Dominicans comprise the largest immigration group in modern New York City, and Dominican culture has become embedded in the city’s rich fabric of immigrant history. And in one place in particular — Washington Heights. This historic neighborhood of Upper Manhattan is named for George Washington, who led the Continental Army in an early, pivotal battle… Read More
Today’s New York neighborhood called NoHo, wedged between Greenwich Village and the East Village, holds many captivating stories from the 19th century, and the tales of many people and places that then went on to become associated with the Gilded Age. The Astor family began their dynasty here in both investment and real estate as did the well-known… Read More
Above: John Purroy Mitchel, the ‘boy mayor’, in 1910 PODCAST As New York City enters the final stages of this year’s mayoral election, let’s look back on a decidedly more unusual contest 110 years ago, pitting Tammany Hall and their estranged ally (Mayor William Jay Gaynor) up against a baby-faced newcomer, the (second) youngest man… Read More
On January 3, 1924, 25-year-old George Gershwin was shooting pool in a Manhattan billiard hall when his brother Ira read aloud a shocking newspaper article: “George Gershwin is at work on a jazz concerto.” There was just one problem—George had never agreed to write any such piece. What happened next would change American music forever.… Read More
Since its launch in 2011, NYC Broadway Week has become a beloved tradition for theater lovers, offering a rare opportunity to experience world-class productions at a fraction of the cost. Held twice a year, Broadway Week allows theatergoers to purchase 2-for-1 tickets to many of Broadway’s top shows—making it easy to bring along a friend,… Read More
PODCAST The fascinating story of the Public Theater and Joseph Papp’s efforts to bring Shakespeare to the people. (Episode #88) What started in a tiny East Village basement grew to become one of New York’s most enduring summer traditions, Shakespeare in the Park, featuring world class actors performing the greatest dramas of the age. But… Read More
Ever since the premiere episode of HBO’s “The Gilded Age”, viewers and historians have discussed just how close the fictitious character of Bertha Russell (played by Carrie Coon) may be to the real-life socialite steamroller Alva Vanderbilt. She’s the subject of this week’s episode of The Gilded Gentleman podcast. There certainly seems to be similarities from Bertha and Alva’s mutual unrelenting drive to claw a place in… Read More
On the evening of December 5, 1876, the glorious Brooklyn Theatre caught fire, trapping its audience in a nightmare of flame and smoke. The theater sat near Brooklyn City Hall (today’s Brooklyn Borough Hall), and the blaze which destroyed it could be seen as far away as Prospect Park. The horrible truth was revealed in… Read More
The ultimate bar crawl of Old New York continues through a survey of classic bars and taverns that trace their origins from the 1850s through the 1880s. And this time we’re recording within two of America’s most famous establishments, joined by the people who know that history the best. In Part One, we introduced you… Read More
On the latest episode of The Gilded Gentleman, meet the man who helped create New York’s Gilded Age high society, a fussy and imperious Southerner who eventually found himself on the receiving end of snobbish scorn. The famous Mrs. Caroline Astor was credited with building and shaping the Gilded Age elite. But at her side and… Read More