Washington Square Park has been one our most beloved public spaces for generations. From potters field to parade ground to one of the most iconic public spaces in the world, its symbolism and utilization are unrivaled since its transformation to parkland was approved on January 16, 1826. This history comes alive in the images preserved […]
Emily Post, one of America’s most influential figures in the field of etiquette, lived a life that combined a deep understanding of social protocol with the pulse of New York City’s energetic, ever-changing culture. Though most famous for her book Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home (1922), her personal life and […]
Dogs have been known as ‘man’s best friend’ for ages. However, no animal has probably done more for, and been more intertwined with, human development than the horse. In realms of farming, warfare, and transportation, the horse has played a critical role in shaping the world we live in today, especially New York and our […]
October is known for the autumnal changing of the leaves, Halloween, and of course Archtober, the month-long celebration of all things architecture across the five boroughs. Village Preservation, an event sponsor, highlights noteworthy historic buildings in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, as well as some of our city’s great landmarks that have some […]
The Washington Square Park Conservancy was founded 10 years ago, a mere drop in the bucket of time compared to almost two centuries for the park at the heart of Greenwich Village. Yet in that short time, the organization has had an outsized impact on the historic greenspace it cares for and manages, and thus […]
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our new Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. For decades traffic was allowed to freely flow through Washington Square Park, causing much of the park to essentially be an extension to Fifth Avenue. The battle to remove this traffic was hard fought […]
We’re continuing to spend a lot of time thinking about things we used to do before the coronavirus outbreak, that we’re looking forward to hopefully doing again once things return to ‘normal.’ We’ve also been spending a lot of time going through our historic image archive at www.archive.gvshp.org, remembering some of those once-common activities, and […]
We’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about things we used to do before the coronavirus outbreak, that we’re looking forward to hopefully doing again once things return to ‘normal.’ We’ve also been spending a lot of time going through our historic image archive at www.archive.gvshp.org, remembering some of those once-common activities, and just […]
The theater at 1 Sheridan Square has a long history as a vibrant, varied West Village performance space. Housed in a building constructed in 1834 by Samuel Whitmore, the space has had a fascinating life throughout the years in its many iterations as a dining place, a club, and a theater.
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and celebrations. The kooky, sparkling Auntie Mame — the central character of Patrick Dennis’ beloved novel of the same name — burst into popular culture the […]
In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of the Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their special histories, and reveal their (sometimes hidden) connections to the Village. Our Historic Image Archive is a veritable treasure trove of images that depict New […]
Trying to limit oneself to just 10 of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District is truly a fool’s errand. And not one without controversy — since the last column, more than a few disgruntled New Yorkers whose favorites didn’t make the list have reached out (in almost all cases these were places which […]
This weekend I went to the Whitney Museum, and as I was wandering around on the 7th Floor I found images of the Village that are familiar, nostalgic, bright, and utterly unique. Identifiable from a distance, Edward Hopper’s paintings live in moments of light, clear and still, while also evoking movement like film stills, eerie […]
This is the latest installment of Off the Grid’s series, “My Favorite Things,” in which we showcase some of our very favorite spots around the neighborhood, highlighting the incredible architecture, history, people, and businesses of the Village, East Village, and NoHo; read more HERE. Holiday lights are one of my favorite things ANYWHERE they may […]
On October 26, 1900, two great writers with ties to the Village began a correspondence that would spark a lifelong friendship…
On this day in 1888, Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born, and the course of American theater would change forever. O’Neill became the first American dramatist to regard the stage as a literary medium and he remains the only U.S. playwright to capture the Nobel Prize for Literature.
This is a re-posting of a piece written by GVSHP’s Matthew Morowitz. Sunday, July 9th marked the 198th anniversary of the last execution that took place in Washington Square – the site of our neighborhood’s now-beloved public park. To commemorate this striking and layered anniversary, we are reposting an article on the subject originally written […]
Have you heard that chant, or others like it, echoing off Greenwich Village buildings recently? I know I have, because the recent political goings-on have turned our city and country into one giant public space for demonstration. But in the streets of Greenwich Village and the East Village, this is nothing new. Our neighborhoods’ public […]
This series shines a light on the important things we’re achieving together in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. Each month, we’ll be exploring a new site or topic that has benefited from GVSHP’s work. With your support, every day we make a difference.
It never fails to amaze me what we sometimes find, historically, was located in our neighborhoods. DNAInfo NY recently published an article, “MAP: Discover the Hidden History of New York’s First Sex Districts.” In addition to a history of prostitution in 19th century New York City, the article features an interactive map. The map identifies […]
The Washington Square Arch in Washington Square Park is in some ways the heart of the Village. The white marble structure was designed by renowned architect Stanford White and built in 1890-1892. It replaced an earlier, temporary privately-funded arch, made of plaster and wood, that was erected in 1889 to commemorate the centenary of George Washington’s […]
Burial spaces serve a wide variety of purposes: religious, political, socioeconomic. For example, a graveyard might demarcate the boundary of a church or private property, while the kind of interment that was undertaken (burial, cremation, mausoleum) might give insight into the roles and statuses the deceased maintained in their lifetime. It also gives us insight […]
I recently read the novella Washington Square for the first time, eager to see how this 1880 work by Henry James might paint the Square of olden days. Although the story was absorbing – centering on the relationship between a successful physician and the grown daughter who disappoints him – it didn’t provide quite as […]
It’s summer and the flowers are in bloom! We are so lucky to have so many parks and gardens in Greenwich Village and the East Village, where we can enjoy beautiful flowers, without having to do any of the gardening work. One of my favorites is 2013 Village Award winner Sir Winston Churchill Square. This […]
On July 9th, 1819, Rose Butler was executed in the Potter’s Field located in what is now Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Rose, a nineteen year old black female slave, was convicted of arson. She had set fire to the residence of her owners, though there were no reported injuries or casualties other than […]
Shirley Hayes is a pioneering figure in the preservation of the Village and the fight against Robert Moses’ planned Lower Manhattan Expressway through Washington Square Park. She was born on June 15, 1912 and would have been 103 today. Back in the year 2000, GVSHP had the honor of interviewing Mrs. Hayes as part of […]
On this day, April 30th, in 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America. After leading the Continental Army to victory over Britain in the War for Independence, Washington was a popular leader and logical choice. His first inauguration took place right here in New York City, at […]
We have been busy here at GVSHP! We started the year with a program by art historian Avis Berman about artist William Glackens, a painter who lived most of his life near Washington Square, and who was a member of the so-called “Ashcan School” of painters that included John Sloan and Robert Henri. Then my […]
At this time of year it’s easy to get in touch with your inner child. Everywhere you look there are reminders of how much of this holiday season is geared toward children. “Toys for Tots,” “Charlie Brown Christmas,” and of course, academic winter break. We all remember how much we enjoyed the end of the […]
Jonathan Kuhn, a long-time Village resident who is also the Director of Art & Antiquities at the Department of Parks and Recreation, has curated an exhibition at Central Park’s Arsenal Gallery. Parkcentric: Photographs from the Museum of the City of New York, 1890-1940, features 68 images of 24 parks by the likes of Berenice Abbott, […]
The iconic early 19th century rowhouses that flank the north side of Washington Square Park are in many a passersby’s mind synonymous with the early history of the neighborhood. Originally, the whole block looked like this. Developed in 1833 under the auspices of the Trustees of Sailors’ Snug Harbor, the row was built to house […]
In an article from the October issue of O Magazine actress Katie Holmes declares, “I love Greenwich Village.”Back in 2009 it was widely speculated that Holmes and her husband Tom Cruise purchased a $15 million townhouse at 42 West 12th Street in the Greenwich Village Historic District.
