The Bowery Boys: New York City History
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
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
The history of New York City — as told through the stories of its oldest bars. We’ve put together the ultimate New York City historic bar crawl, a celebration of the city’s old taverns, pubs, and ale houses with 18th- and 19th-century connections. And throughout this two-part mini-series, you’ll learn so much about the city’s… Read More
Once upon a time New York City oysters were not only plentiful and healthy in the harbor, they were an everyday, common food source. The original fast food! For that reason, the oyster could be an official New York City mascot. Oyster farming was a major occupation. Oyster houses were an incredibly common place for… Read More
A special presentation of our live show Bowery Boys History Live, recorded at City Winery, July 2, 2025, with a very unusual theme — Gilded Age Golden Girls. Whatever could it mean? *cue the song Thank You For Being A Friend* Bowery Boys History Live is a storytelling cabaret of all-true tales and spellbinding secrets from the past,… Read More
On a new episode of The Gilded Gentleman, prepare for a very chilling exploration of spiritualism with Carl and a man very attuned to the spirit world. Many people throughout the 19th century were fascinated with the idea of connecting with the beyond. Even the famous ‘Commodore’ Cornelius Vanderbilt was intrigued with the notion. Historian Anthony Bellov joins Carl… Read More
PODCAST A history of the comic book industry in New York City, how the energy and diversity of the city influenced the burgeoning medium in the 1930s and 40s and how New York’s history reflects out from the origins of its most popular characters. In the 1890s a newspaper rivalry between William Randolph Hearst and… Read More
TERROR ON THE BEACH! Seaside resorts from Cape May, New Jersey, to Montauk, Long Island, were paralyzed in fear during the summer of 1916. Not because of the threat of lurking German U-boats and saboteurs. But because of sharks.On July 1, 1916, Charles Epting Vansant was killed by a shark while swimming at a resort in Beach… Read More
We bring you a classic episode of The Gilded Gentleman, hosted by social and culinary historian Carl Raymond, just in time for a new season of HBO’s The Gilded Age. In The Real Mrs. Astor, Carl looks at one of the most legendary figures of the period – Caroline Astor, or the Mrs Astor, the ruler and creator of… Read More
So we don’t know if you’ve heard, but New York City is an expensive place to live these days. So we thought it might be time to revisit the tale of the city’s most famous district of luxury — Fifth Avenue. For about a hundred years, this avenue was mostly residential— but residences of the most… Read More
People who live in Inwood know how truly special it is. Manhattan’s northernmost neighborhood (aside from Marble Hill) feels like it’s outside of the city — and in some places, even outside of time and space. Unlike the lower Manhattan’s flat avenues and organized streets, Inwood varies wildly in elevation and its streets wind up hills and… Read More
While you may know the Brooklyn Museum for its wildly popular cutting-edge exhibitions, the borough’s premier art institution can actually trace its origins back to a more rustic era — and to the birth of the city of Brooklyn itself. On July 4, 1825, the growing village laid a cornerstone for its new Brooklyn Apprentices… Read More
In 1939, Robert Moses sprung his latest project upon the world — the Brooklyn-Battery Bridge, connecting the tip of Manhattan to the Brooklyn waterfront, slicing through New York Harbor just to the north of Governor’s Island. To build it, Moses dictated that the historic Battery Park would need to be redesigned. And its star attraction… Read More