The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street
As an Amazon Associate and Bookshop.org affiliate, BookMatcher earns from qualifying purchases.
From peglegged Peter Stuyvesant to CBGB’s, the story of the Bowery reflects the history of the city that grew up around it. It was the street your mother warned you about—even if you lived in San Francisco. Long associated with skid row, saloons, freak shows, violence, and vice, the Bowery often showed the worst New York City had to offer. Yet there were times when it showed its best as well. The Bowery is New York’s oldest street and Manhattan’s broadest boulevard. Like the city itself, it has continually reinvented itself over the centuries. Named for the Dutch farms, or bouweries, of the area, the path’s lurid character was established early when it became the site of New Amsterdam’s first murder. A natural spring near the Five Points neighborhood led to breweries and taverns that became home to the gangs of New York—the “Bowery B’hoys,” “Plug Uglies,” and “Dead Rabbits.” In the Gaslight Era, teenaged streetwalkers swallowed poison in McGurk’s Suicide Hall. A brighter side to the street was reflected in places of amusement and culture over the years. A young P.T. Barnum got his start there, and Harry Houdini learned showmanship playing the music halls and dime museums. Poets, singers, hobos, gangsters, soldiers, travelers, preachers, storytellers, con-men, and reformers all gathered there. Its colorful cast of characters includes Peter Stuyvesant, Steve Brodie, Carry Nation, Stephen Foster, Stephen Crane, and even Abraham Lincoln. Now in paperback, The Bowery: The Strange History of New York’s Oldest Street traces the full story of this once notorious thoroughfare from its pre-colonial origins to the present day.
Listed under Travel · United States · Northeast · Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA)
About The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street
What is The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street about?
From peglegged Peter Stuyvesant to CBGB’s, the story of the Bowery reflects the history of the city that grew up around it. It was the street your mother warned you about—even if you lived in San Francisco. Long associated with skid row, saloons, freak shows, violence, and vice, the Bowery often showed the worst New York City had to offer.
Who wrote The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street?
The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street was written by Stephen Paul DeVillo.
What books are similar to The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street?
Explore our curated recommendations for books like The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street by Stephen Paul DeVillo, matched by theme, writing style, and atmosphere to help you find your next read.
Where can I buy The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street?
You can buy The Bowery The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street in print or ebook through the Amazon and Bookshop.org links on this page — Bookshop.org purchases also support independent bookstores.