The Bowery Boys: New York City History
The article below contains spoilers involving locations used in the movie, but no specific plot spoilers that aren’t already revealed in the trailer. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, strictly a fantasy film of course, from the vivid mind of J.K. Rowling, is nonetheless the year’s best historical depiction of New York City.  This indulgence of… Read More
03: American eating habits were transformed in the early 20th century with innovations in freezing and refrigeration, allowing all kinds of foods to be shipped across the country and stored for long periods of time. But it would actually be the television set that would inspire one of the strangest creations in culinary history — the TV… Read More
Come out and join us for two events that we are co-hosting this December in association with two terrific New York institutions. TRIVIA NIGHT WITH THE BOWERY BOYS TENEMENT MUSEUM — DECEMBER 14, 2016 “Hosts of the popular podcast The Bowery Boys: New York City History, Greg Young and Tom Meyers, test your wits with a… Read More
A stroll at dusk along the waterfront paths of Brooklyn Bridge Park presents a look at New York City like no other — the fading skies over Liberty Island and New Jersey, the silhouettes of downtown Manhattan as the lights flicker on, the bridges of the East River awakening for another beautiful night. You can… Read More
PODCAST The thrilling tale of Edwin Booth and the marvelous social club he created for the acting profession Edwin Booth was the greatest actor of the Gilded Age, a superstar of the theater who entertained millions over his long career. In this podcast, we present his extraordinary career, the tragedies that shaped his life (on… Read More
The plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare, as the finest examples of the English written word, were also the first recorded sounds ever made. Â The first recording ever made at Alexander Graham Bell‘s Volta Laboratory in Washington DC in 1881 was that of Bell’s very own voice reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Here’s another recording of Bell’s… Read More
One hundred years ago today, Americans went to the polls to vote for the President of the United States — between the Democrat and incumbent President Woodrow Wilson and the Republican Charles Evans Hughes. The election was held on November 7, 1916, and it’s interesting to peruse the details of the day itself and the… Read More
The stunning colors of autumn are upon us, and  you can appreciate the full glory of fall within the limits of New York City, accessible by public transportation. In past years, I’ve focused on the spectacular leafy vistas at Woodlawn Cemetery, Wave Hill and the New York Botanical Garden, as well as Sailors Snug Harbor in Staten… Read More
This is a special preview for the new Bowery Boys spin-off podcast series The First: Stories of Inventions and their Consequences, brought to you by Bowery Boys host Greg Young. 01: The first Ferris Wheel was invented to become America’s Eiffel Tower, making its grand debut at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. The wheel’s… Read More
New York has a great many naturally spooky historical places, so it’s great to see a few of them get into the Halloween holiday spirit. Here are five places to visit this week if eating candy in a wig just isn’t enough for you. NOTE: These sorts of events sell out quickly so inquire with… Read More
Arriving at the end of the month — a brand new podcast series from Greg Young of the Bowery Boys: New York City History podcast. ‘The First: Stories of Inventions and their Consequences’ explores the people and circumstances around the creations of every day objects and ideas of the modern world. Even the most ordinary… Read More
Nikola Tesla was an artist who worked within the medium of the physical world, not only finding ways to develop electricity but demonstrating his experiments in ways that left people speechless. This is one of the intriguing theories behind “Tesla,” the latest episode of American Experience, debuting on PBS on Tuesday, October 17. Tesla has… Read More
This weekend is the 14th Annual Open House New York, the city’s annual celebration of history, architecture and design.  Hundreds of places throughout the five boroughs will throw open their doors to visitors. So that weird old church you’ve always wanted to visit? It’s probably open.  Ever wanted to explore a neighborhood you’ve never been to but… Read More
We are very pleased to announce the very first Bowery Boys podcast spin-off series — a new show called The First: Stories of Inventions and their Consequences. As the name implies, this will be a series about the history of inventions, but not those flash-bang EUREKA! Thomas Edison-with-a-lightbulb moments. The firsts in human history are… Read More
Skyscrapers feel like constructs of the modern age because their appearances are constantly evolving — from Frank Gehry’s 76-floor twisty, silvery rocket at 8 Spruce Street to the elegant glass monolith of One World Trade Center. But buildings with ten or more floors are an invention of the Gilded Age. Skyscrapers are older than subways, recorded music, and… Read More