We’re humbled that you chose us to guide you through this historic area of New York City. First, feel free to get a feel for the area using our interactive map!

Though this map cuts off LES at the Manhattan Bridge, it actually extends and includes the Smith Housing Projects between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges

First Developed

The Lower East Side is classified as the area between Bowery, Fulton, and Houston Street. Some people tend to include the East Village as part of the Lower East Side, but this guide will focus on the first interpretation cutting it off at Houston Street.

History of the Habitation of the Lower East Side

The area is one of the oldest of New York City with its earliest inhabitants in the 17th century. Free black farmers settled there as white Dutchmen avoided the area due to its proximity to the Native Americans.  The small farms were then merged to form massive holdings. After the American Revolution, much of the Lower East Side became available again after the largest of the holdings was seized from loyalist James De Lancey (Diner). The site then attracted many families of shopkeepers and artisans ranging mostly in the poor to middle class.

In the 1830’s, many of the newly arrived Irish immigrants sought the Lower East Side for its affordability and location. The massive influx of Irish descent immigrants leads to the creation of the first tenements in New York City. Designed to maximize the capacity of people it can hold, tenements often faced unsanitary conditions.

After Irish immigrants migrated to new parts of the City, many German, Jewish immigrants took their place. The Lower East Side thus developed a widely known reputation as an immigrant neighborhood. The new wave of immigrants brought a new title to the area: Klein-Deutschland or Little Germany. Despite the German influence, it would be the Jewish faith that more widely impacted the area. Roughly seventy-five percent of Jews in New York City were situated in the Lower East Side in 1892 (Diner). Working mostly through sewing, the Jewish inhabitants found the housing affordable to their lower-ended wages. The Lower East Side became an epicenter for Jews as traditional food, books, and services were provided. Even after 1910 when many Jews began moving to other neighborhoods, they still returned to buy culturally relevant items.

Photo Credit: Row of Tenements, 260 to 268 Elizabeth St., N.Y. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Photographer: Lewis Wickes Hine 1912 March LC-DIG-nclc-04208

The Lower East Side continued to house the immigrants of New York City between the 1950’s through the 1980’s. Some ethnic groups included Dominicans, Indians, Koreans, and more. Each new wave of immigrants shared a common theme: live in the low rent area until they can move to better neighborhoods. As each group left, a new one came to take their place. The cycle continued until the 1980’s.

The Lower East Side broke  its social stigma associated with immigrants when many young artists moved to the area for the low rent. As galleries, shows, and concerts sprung up, The Lower East Side flourished from the growth of business. Today, the Lower East Side is known for its artistic qualities, but the immigrant influence has not been lost as many cultural sights are still present.

1798 Watercolor of Collect Pond with View of Bayard’s Mount

Notable Changes in Buildings or Streets

One notable change in the layout of the Lower East Side was the dredging of Collect Pond. When the Dutch landed in Manhattan in 1600’s, they gazed upon a pretty five-acre lake they called the Collect. Locals ice-skated there in the winter and it was the main source of freshwater for the colony. By 1700, many breweries and slaughterhouses had sprung up on the banks of the pond and they polluted it with spent grain and rotten pig carcasses. Locals also relieved themselves in the pond. Soon it became infested with mosquitoes and on hot summer days, the stink of sewage was crippling. Malaria and yellow fever were rampant. There were calls to dredge the pond and fill in the land. Thus one of the first notable changes in the streetscape of Lower Manhattan occurred.

Looking down Canal Street at the corner of Centre Street

Canal Street is an east-west street and runs basically the entire width of Manhattan and was so aptly named because it was once a canal for the plague-ridden waters of the Collect to the Hudson.

The Samuel Osgood House at the corner of Pearl and Cherry Streets, residence of George Washington from April 1789 to February 1790

The pond was fully landscaped in 1823 and at this time, immigration to America was a trickle of what it would become. Wealthy individuals from downtown New York moved up to the land reclaimed from the pond and built beautiful rowhouses but soon left when immigrants started pouring into the city, particularly in the Lower East Side. They also fled because their houses were literally sinking into the earth. It turned out that the men who filled in the pond cut corners and did a shoddy job. The houses in this neighborhood began to reek of sewage and bubbles of methane made the ground unstable.

Illustration of the Five Points circa 1827

The neighborhood that developed on top of the pond was called the “Five Points” so called because in the center was the intersection of Orange, Cross, and Anthony Streets, forming an area with five corners. This area would become nationally notorious for crime and disease. The population of the Five Points was predominantly Irish and they were packed in tenements tightly and suffered horrible living conditions. By 1900, the Five Points became a part of New York history.

Manhattan Municipal Building (1914)

The first call to renovate the dreaded Five Points came in 1931 from business owners who operated near the neighborhood. Because of efforts by quality of life reformers, the neighborhood was torn down and in its place the New York Civic Center was built. Including buildings like the NYPD Headquarters, Thurgood Marshall Courthouse, and Columbus Park.

Alfred E. Smith Projects

Another major transformation of the streetscape in the Lower East Side was the creation of the Alfred E. Smith Housing Projects. In the 1950’s there was a movement to change cities for the better and one way to do that was to build tall, affordable housing projects. Prior to the projects, there were vibrant neighborhoods of tenement houses. The area that the Smith houses now inhabit looked very much like the tenement houses of Chinatown or of Soho or of the protected South Street Seaport district. Nearly 22 acres of land were razed for the project and they were built in the “Garden City” style, which supported large, self-contained communities, large green spaces, and entirely cut off from the streetscape outside the community. But this model failed miserable in large part to one design flaw: it separated these communities from the larger street grid. Meaning well but this style of housing may have created havens of lawlessness that are hard to police.

Select Historical Events of the Lower East Side

Stonewall Riots:

Google Images

The Stonewall Inn is a bar known for its vibrant LGBTQ culture and history. Located in the Greenwich Village, it had an instrumental part in the fight for sexual equality in the sixties and seventies. In 1969, there were a series of riots that took place at Stonewall Inn, sparked by the zero tolerance of the NYC city police of homosexuality at that time. In fact, Stonewall Inn was one of the few establishments at the time that allowed LGBTQ drag queens, transgender people, prostitutes to show themselves openly the way they were. The Stonewall Riots brought the struggles of the LGBTQ to the forefront of the American mind forced the American public to truly grapple with what it meant and the struggles of being LGBTQ in America. The first Gay Pride Parade was inaugurated only one year after Stonewall in 1970.

The Murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers:

Google Images

The murder of Mary Rogers is one of the biggest mysteries of the 19^th century and embodied many of the struggles that faced women during that time. The Lower East Side in the 19^th century was not a good place, to say the least, for young women to be in. There are countless cases of rape, assault, and kidnappings of local women during this time. However, Ms. Roger’s case is especially sad because of the gruesome nature of her death. Ms. Rogers was a notable beauty in town. Every other day there was a suitor asking for her hand. They were taken in by her “starry eyes” and heaven-like smile. She eventually settled down with a fiancé, Daniel Payne. On July 25^th, 1841 she told her fiancé she was visited some relatives in the neighborhood. Three days later on July 28^th, her corpse was found floating in the Hudson River. Although, murders of young, beautiful women were not uncommon in the Lower East Side, her case was publicized by newspapers and sensationalized so much by the press that it led to new discussions on women safety, women well-being, and the rights of women. If all else, her murder caused people to lock their doors a little tighter at night.

The 1896 Eastern North American Heat Wave:

Google Images

In the late 19^th century, there were ten days of record humidity and temperatures often over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Though affecting all people in New York City, the poor immigrants living in the tenements in the Lower East Side suffered the most. Tenements by definition did not have good ventilation and immigrants rarely have the resources to survive natural disasters. At the end of these ten terrible days, about 1500 men, women, and children lay dead, more than the NYC Draft Riots, more than 1871 Chicago Fire. The majority of the deaths were from the lower classes, and many were from the Lower East Side.

Joseph Bloomingdale

Joseph (1842-1904) and Lyman (1841-1905) Bloomingdale-

The sons of Bavarian German-Jewish immigrants, the brothers were trained in the skill of ladies fashion by their father and would go to found Bloomingdales, one of the quintessential New York Clothing retailers.

Gov. Al Smith

Alfred E. Smith (1873-1944) – Politician

Was born in the Fourth Ward to Irish immigrants. He was elected governor of New York four times but lost his bid for president to both Hoover and FDR. He was a part of the Tammany machine but espoused progressive values.

Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia

Fiorello LaGuardia (1882-1947) – Politician

Is arguably one of the best mayors in New York History. He was the first Italian-American mayor. Despite being a republican, he was a fierce proponent of FDR’s New Deal. He dismantled the Tammany machine, used government funds to build fire stations, hospitals, housing projects, and airports.

Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby(1917-1994)-Comic Writer

Born Jacob Kurtzberg in the Lower East Side to Austrian-Jewish parents who earned wages as garment workers. As a young boy he, like many others who were born in the LES at that time, wanted to get away from the neighborhood because of the stigma associated with it. Kirby would evolve from drawing comics on strips of paper to establish one of the most popular comic book companies of all time, DC comics.

Robert DeNiro

Robert DeNiro (1943) – Actor

Born in Greenwich Village, raised in Little Italy DeNiro would grow up to become a critically acclaimed actor, nominated for four Golden Globes and a two-time Academy Award winner. He is most remembered for his portrayal of the young Vito Corleone in the Godfather.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga (1986) – Singer/Songwriter

Though she was born and raised in the Upper East Side, she attended NYU and got her music start in the nightclubs of the Lower East Side, where she lived for a time. She would become a multi-platinum artist and a pop sensation.

Cultural Events and Institutions

The Museum at Eldridge Street:

The latter half of the 19th century saw a large wave of East European Jews settling in the United States. Of the two and a half million Jewish immigrants, more than half came to the Lower East Side. The Eldridge Street Synagogue (Fig 18)[i] was erected in 1887, and it quickly became a center for prayer and community bonding. In the 1920s-1940s, the aftermath of the Great Depression and the immigration quota in place at the time hindered the initial success of the Synagogue. In 2007, it was fully restored and renewed into The Museum at Eldridge Street. The museum currently hosts many cultural events. Moreover, the architecture of the museum’s interior style is certainly a sight to behold. It invokes a Moorish design which is seen in the museum’s interior murals. The choice to use Islamic art may seem inconsistent since the museum was initially a synagogue; however, the connection between the two goes back to 11^th century Spain where Jews lived peacefully among Muslims and allowed some of their art to diffuse. The museum’s exterior architecture is gothic, one example being its rose windows.

Lower East Side Festival of the Arts:

Presented by the Theater for the New City, the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts (Fig 19)[ii] is a three-day arts event that celebrates dance, theater, film, music, comedy and art being created by New York City’s talented emerging artists. Founded in 1996, this festival preserves and promotes the spirit of creativity in NYC. It serves as a tribute to artists who have lived and produced art in the Lower East Side and the East Village, and it allows new artists to showcase their work.

First Street Green Cultural Park:

Created in 2008, First Street Green Cultural Park (Fig 20) [iii]is an open art space providing cultural activity by engaging with emerging artists, architects, community and cultural groups through a series of programs that activate this public space. The many programs offered through First Street Green Cultural Park invite unrecognized artists to exhibit their work in an open space that is accessible to anyone.

The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center:

Figure 21: The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Education Center

Founded in 1993, The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Education Center (Fig 20)[iv], named after the renowned Puerto Rican poet, Clemente Soto Velez, nurtures and aids in the development of the Puerto Rican and Latino arts in the Lower East Side. According to the Center’s website, “While the Clemente’s mission is focused on cultivation, presentation, and preservation of Puerto Rican and Latino culture, it is equally determined to operate in a multi-cultural and inclusive manner, housing and promoting artists and performance events that fully reflect the cultural diversity of the Lower East Side and the city as a whole.”

Things Worth Experiencing

1. Tenement Museum
   

   Tenement Museum at 97 Orchard

For a cultural insight, one should visit the Tenement Museum. Through the tour, one can get a true sense of the atmosphere many immigrants experienced as they started their new life in America. With parts of the building being in its original condition, the building is a standing relic and symbol of the immigrant life that meant so much to the Lower East Side. Insightful tour guides even go into detail about specific families that lived in the very rooms you tour. The hardships of immigrant families can be seen through the unsanitary and tight living quarters. After visiting, one can truly appreciate the progression the Lower East Side has made from an immigrant neighborhood into a young, artistic scene.

2. Katz’s Delicatessen

Katz’s Deli

Championed for its legendary pastrami, Katz’s Delicatessen is great place to visit when looking for a meal. Established in 1888, the deli is one of the few remaining relics of the old Hebrew Quarter. Pastrami from Katz’s Deli symbolized a taste of home to many immigrant Jews. The deli meant more to immigrants than simply a place to eat; it was a reminder of their unique culture. Today, people from around the world visit Katz’s for the coveted pastrami. The meat takes thirty days to prepare, contributing to its superior nature. Katz’s Deli is a timeless classic that offers insight into the past and, possibly, more importantly, pastrami.

3. Other Restaurants

Mission Chinese Food at 171 East Broadway

Katz’s Delicatessen isn’t the only place you can get a great bite to eat and experience history in every bite. There are many restaurants which embody the culture of New York City. Visitors and natives alike can visit restaurants such as the Russ & Daughters Cafe, famous for their bakery. If one’s in the mood for Asian food, Mission Chinese Food and Pig & Khao fuze Southeast Asian flavors to satisfy their customers.

4. Museum at Eldridge Street
   

   Interior and exterior of Eldridge St Synagogue at 12 Eldridge

The Museum at Eldridge Street is an old Jewish synagogue that was converted into a museum for all to indulge in. Opening its doors in 1887, it was built by the very immigrants who came to America. The space carries sentimental value as it provided an escape to thousands of Jewish immigrants in taxing living conditions. There is even a small congregation that still uses the space for services. The aesthetically pleasing synagogue has high ceilings and unbelievable architectural influences that still amaze visitors today. One does not need to be of the Jewish Faith to appreciate the detail of the structure.

5. Food at the Feast of San Gennaro

Cannoli-eating competition at the San Gennaro Feast

Brought over in 1926 by Italian immigrants, the Feast of San Gennaro is an eleven-day annual celebration of both the immigrant and American cultures. This September marks the 89th anniversary of the festival. The festival celebrates the struggles of Italian immigrants making their life in America. But an Italian festival would not be complete without its food. Every year Mulberry street, running from Canal to Houston, is closed to traffic and the food carts, the local restaurants, and the food vendors return home to Little Italy. This is one festival, if you’re lucky enough to be in the city in September, you would not want to miss. For a week attendants are delighted with top quality meatballs, linguini, and even a world-famous cannoli-eating competition. Come for the culture, stay for the food. The Feast of San Gennaro not only recognizes the struggles of Italian immigrants but also celebrates it.

6. Must see graffiti: “Temper Tot”
   

   Temper Tot Mural at 114 Mulberry

One of the best examples of what happens when pensive street graffiti meets the comedic flair of pop-culture artists, the “Temper Tot” is a mural that makes you think. Subverting the expected, the piece is part of Ron English’s “Popaganda” series. One of the first things people usually ask  is “How the heck did he manage that?” Indeed the wall of a tenement overlooking a parking lot is his canvas. Near the corner of Mulberry and Canal streets, the mural depicts the Hulk complete with the overly muscular body and jeans ripped and a size too small, but with a baby’s head and face. And the most striking thing about the mural is how the boy seems to be in pain. It’s so out of the ordinary but it isn’t. In our own socially accepted competition for vanity, (to be the most muscular, the most beautiful, the most successful), we often neglect our own selves, our own happiness. Temper Tot speaks to the notion that we are something more than our physical bodies, our physique and perhaps with the baby face, the artist is telling us that we are all good and innocent in a way. Temper Tot is a must see mural in the Lower East Side.

Three beautiful renovated gates at 83-87 Chrystie

7. 100 Gates

Around the city, particularly in the early mornings or late at night, you might have seen interesting designs or fantastic murals spray painted on the steel gates of a business. No, there isn’t some vigilante parading around the neighborhood vandalizing property to mete out his own idea of street beauty, like a sort of Batman with a spray can. The 100 Gates project is the brainchild of former pro skater and artist, Billy Rohan, with the Lower East Side Partnership, working to beautify the neighborhood and give it that flair that everyone knew it had but seldom saw. Walk around the neighborhood to see if you can spot them.

• Williamsburg Bridge

The Williamsburg Bridge (Fig 28) [vii] is a suspension bridge which connects the Lower East Side of Manhattan with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The bridge itself is worth seeing. Many take runs and bicycle rides on the bridge and enjoy the views of Brooklyn and Manhattan. There is also a plaza at the foot of the bridge on the Brooklyn side, called Williamsburg Bridge Plaza or George Washington Plaza, which can be used as a recreational area. Come here with your friends and family to relax while in Brooklyn, and then take a train or lengthy-yet-pleasant walk back to the vibrant Lower East Side.

• Angel Orensanz Center

Figure 29: Angel Orensantz Center

The Angel Orensanz Center, (Fig 29)[viii] originally named the Anshe Chesed Synagogue, is the oldest surviving synagogue in New York City. Built in a gothic style, the synagogue had a history of a congregation of German, Dutch, and Polish Jews. The synagogue is magnificently colored, adorned with vibrant patterns and a huge interior. A visitor to the Lower East Side must make a spot in visit to see this piece of New York City’s history.

• Seward Park

Figure 30: Seward Park in Spring

After spending a day touring the Lower East Side, you may want to relax somewhere. Seward Park (Fig 30)[ix] is a public park in the Lower East Side where families, couples, and friends can unwind and enjoy the park. Integrated with nature and surrounded by historic buildings and apartments, Seward Park is a perfect place to start a morning or end a day in one of Manhattan’s most historical areas.

Bibliography

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“The Collect Pond: New York’s First Source of Water was Filled in to Become “Five Points,” the Worst Slum in American History.” Keith New York. Keith New York, 9 Nov. 2012. Web. Accessed 31 Oct. 2016.

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“The Five Points, New York’s Most Notorious Neighborhood: Lower East Side Slum Became World Famous.” About. About.com, n.d. Accessed 31 Oct. 2016.

“Jack Kirby.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9 Dec 2010. Web. Accessed 31 Oct. 2016.

“Lady Gaga: BIography.” Biography. Biography.com, 6 Oct. 2016. Web. Accessed 31 Oct. 2016.

“Robert De Niro: Biography. Biography. Biography.com, 24 Aug. 2016. Web. Accessed 31 Oct. 2016.