19th Century NoHo: Discover the origins of The Gilded Age in Downtown Manhattan
Our walk will dive into the history of NoHo (North of Houston Street), a geographically small neighborhood in downtown Manhattan that contains within its borders an outsized amount of New York City history. New York is a dynamic city that is constantly reinventing itself, and perhaps no period in the city’s history has been marked by such significant change as the 1800s. The events and people you will hear about on this tour will involve tales of glamour, greed, money, and murder in 19th-century New York.
Before New York’s elite migrated to Fifth Avenue and made their way uptown, this small slice of Manhattan—what would have been called the Bond Street neighborhood 200 hundred years ago—was one of the most fashionable enclaves in the city. NoHo—located between Washington Square Park and the East Village—is an interesting area to explore because the physical changes that were taking place in New York City, and the social tensions that existed as immigrants poured into the city and the population exploded, played out in NoHo. This neighborhood from Broadway to the Bowery was transformed over the course of the 1800s, and in many ways the area’s history is a representation of the changes that defined New York City in the 19th century:
The wealth that was on display in the city, as New York grew from a shipping hub, anchored by its merchant class, to a world city occupied by many of America’s new titans of industry, culminating in the excesses of the Gilded Age in the later decades of the century. The influx of immigrants and the exploding population in the 1800s and the social tensions that arose. And the continuous march north, as the city grew and the population moved farther up the island of Manhattan. This development would wash over NoHo, transforming farmland at the start of the 1800s to a dense, mixed-use neighborhood in the heart of the city by the close of the century.
On the walking tour, you will:
On the walking tour, you will:
This entertaining and informative tour is ideal for lovers of New York City history, fans of the Gilded Age who are interested in learning about the roots of New York’s Gilded Age society, and locals who are curious about NoHo, the often-overlooked neighborhood between Washington Square Park and the East Village.
The tour starts and ends near Astor Place. We will send you the meeting place after you book.
2 Hours
Aaron Schielke is a licensed New York City tour guide who loves exploring cities. He has worked on the design and production of a series of city guidebooks. Aaron has a BA in Architecture with a focus on urban design. He’s excited to be leading the NoHo Bowery Boys Walk.
Krikor Daglian, a New York City resident for nearly twenty years, has walked, biked, driven, subway-ed, bused and boated around much of the city. During his time here, he’s played in rock bands, written and edited for a guidebook, worked in many different industries (web start-up, market research, beauty), prowled the city as a street photographer and generally absorbed as much as he could about the many facets of New York’s rich culture.
NoHo on the Bowery Boys New York City History Podcast
Study up for our walking tour by listening to the Bowery Boys episodes:
19th Century NoHo: Aaron Schielke on The Gilded Gentleman Podcast
Episode 276: The Murder on Bond Street: Who Killed Dr. Burdell?
Episode 289: Astor Place Opera House Riot in 1849
Episode 422: Grace Church
For Groups & Corporations
Book this tour privately for your family, friends, or special occasion — or have us build something custom for your company or school.
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