walking tour

Oldest Wooden House in Village

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Number 17 Grove Street built in 1822 is the oldest wooden building in Greenwich Village, New York City. Houses at that time were taxed on how many windows there were but in this haouse there is an abundance of windows because the owner a Mr. Williamm Hyde was a sash maker, so he could afford the extra taxes and most likely wanted to show off his wares. In 1870 a third story was added yet inside there is only one bedroom, a kitchen, bath and a sitting room. Back in the 1960’s my mother helped an invalid who lived there.

17 Grove Street

Short Break

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I will be away for 3 weeks visiting my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and her family in Sydney, Australia from September 24 to October 16, 2018. You may book tours before and after those dates.

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Marc (fat baby in the middle) with neighbors by Horatio Street, 1940’s.

 

Republic of Greenwich Village

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 The 24th of this month will mark the 100th anniversary of the declaration of “The Independent Republic of Greenwich Village”. On the evening of January 24th 1917 a group of Greenwich Villagers and the artist Marcel Duchamp ascended the stairs in the Washington arch to a room at the top where they partied before going to the roof. They decorated the edges of the roof with colored crepe paper, shot off cap guns and declared the Independent Republic of Greenwich Village.

Tour Highlights

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view from Ganssenvort hotel 007.JPG

view from Gansevoort Hotel

As we wind through the heart of Greenwich Village and its most picturesque streets you will hear some intriguing stories:

  • Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, colectected import taxes from ships at the foot of Gannesvort street named after his maternal grandfather in the historic Meat Market.
  • The High Line has been resurrected as New York’s “hanging garden” and is one of the most popular places to visit in New York City. It was put into service in 1930 as an elevated freight line to transport produce, including beef and poultry for the meat market. The last load of turkeys was delivered In 1980.
  • The artists’ loft buildings at Westbeth where vacuum tubes and other 20th century electronics were developed.
  • Jane St. where the mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton was taken after his duel with Aaron Burr.
  • See the former rooming house where John Wilkes Booth tried to recruit another actor into his conspiracy to abduct President Lincoln.
  • I will tell you of poets, writers, undiscovered artists and actors, such as James Baldwin, Heim Gross, Lauren Bacall, Richie Havens, and Bob Dylan.
  • We pass through MacDougal Street, which is named for a pirate and later American patriot Alexander McDougal.
  • If you like, we may stop at one of the Village coffee shops for refreshments.
  • Finally, Washington Square Park where as a child I played in the fountain. At that same fountain, as a teenager, I listened to poetry recited by a giant, muscular, former world heavyweight contender known as King Brown. Where in the early 19thc the first labor protest brought out the militia and a quarter of a million marched in the 30’s against Fascism.
  • Two centuries of architecture. From early 19thc. federal style town houses to a glass walled building by Frank Geary.