The Bowery: The Strange History of New York's Oldest Street

by Stephen Paul DeVillo

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510751682
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	11/12/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	667,247
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Stephen Paul DeVillo has spent a lifetime exploring the history and lore of his native New York City. An experienced historical tour guide, he is the author of The Bronx River in History and Folklore. DeVillo lives in the Bronx, NY.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Chapter 1 The Great Bouwerie 1

Chapter 2 Taverns and Tea Water 13

Chapter 3 Bowery Bunker Hill 26

Chapter 4 Pleasure Gardens 36

Chapter 5 Humbug 54

Chapter 6 The Mighty Mose 66

Chapter 7 Dead Rabbits and Plug Uglies 78

Chapter 8 Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts 96

Chapter 9 Women in Tights 108

Chapter 10 Suicide Hall 120

Chapter 11 Living Curiosities 140

Chapter 12 The Mayor of the Bowery 153

Chapter 13 Nickel Kickers 162

Chapter 14 I'll Never Go There Anymore 173

Chapter 15 Boulevard of the Forgotten 199

Chapter 16 Sneaky Pete 212

Chapter 17 Operation Bowery 221

Chapter 18 A New Bowery? 228

Acknowledgments 238

Source Notes 240

Bibliography 245

Index 251

Editorial Reviews

11/27/2017
DeVillo (The Bronx River in History and Folklore) presents a cheerful, accessible history of Manhattan seen through the lens of its oldest street, the Bowery. The name is derived from the Dutch word bouwerie (farm) and dates back to the 17th century, when Dutch settlers established six farms on a trail north of New Amsterdam that became known as Bouwerie Lane. DeVillo tracks the central role this strip of land played in the transformation of New Amsterdam into the contemporary city of New York. The Bowery, he argues, was significant in the Big Apple’s cultural evolution: its theaters hosted prominent 19th-century talent such as Junius Booth, P.T. Barnum began his career at the Bowery Menagerie, and the city’s first movie theaters were built there. It was also a living laboratory for mass transit, from the 1832 debut of the world’s first horse-drawn passenger railway through the rise and fall of the Third Avenue El. DeVillo’s narrative continues through the street’s devolution into a synonym for skid row. Written in a witty, conversational tone (“Like many a later New Yorker, insisted on giving the out-of-towner a grand tour”), this is a breezy, fact-filled trip through NYC history. B&w photos. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"DeVillo summons up an eclectic cast, including Buffalo Bill, Big Tim Sulivan, and Eddie Cantor to recall a fabled thoroughfare."
—New York Times
“After four centuries as one of the most famous and infamous thoroughfares in the world, the Bowery couldn’t have gotten a more able, knowledgeable, or companionable chronicler than Stephen Paul DeVillo.”
—John Strausbaugh, author of The Village and City of Sedition
"A cheerful, accessible history of Manhattan seen through the lens of its oldest street, the Bowery. Written in a witty, conversational tone . . . this is a breezy, fact-filled trip through NYC history."
—Publishers Weekly
“The Bowery captures four hundred years of social history through the tale of one of New York City’s most storied streets. Even when recounting lurid events and tawdry deeds, from greedy land-grabbers to brothel-running barkeeps, DeVillo manages to charm his readers. It is an informative and entertaining look at life in urban America.”
—Chris McNickle, author of Bloomberg: A Billionaire’s Ambition
"Stephen Paul De Villo proves that streets and sections of towns can have personalities just like people can. In The Bowery, he recounts tales of hangings, monsters in ponds, ladies of the evening, Jumping Jesus and Mighty Mose, nickel-kickers, and sing sing girls to bring a notorious section of New York City to life. San Franciso has its Tenderloin and New Orleans its French Quarter, but none can match New York’s Bowery.”
—Mike Farris, author of A Death in the Islands: The Unwritten Law and the Last Trial of Clarence Darrow
“As a kid in the suburbs of Northern California, I used to watch my favorite show The Bowery Boys on TV and dream of going to New York City someday to see the Bowery in person. The Bowery was fascinating then and now, and the history of the street as captured in Stephen Paul DeVillo’s book will grab you and hold you whether you’ve ever walked it or not. Get it, read it, and take a tour for yourself!”
—Gregg Stebben, author of White House Confidential
“There is a certain morbid curiosity that comes with tales of Old New York, and the Bowery was the epicenter of the morbid, strange and perilous for much of the city’s early times. Of course, it was not all haunted buildings moral depravity—the Bowery gave birth to some of New York's (and, indeed, the nation’s) great cultural icons through the decades. Stephen Paul DeVillo’s book will not only fascinate readers with its seldom-told stories, it shines light on the places and institutions you thought you already knew.”
—Sean Deveney, author of Fun City: John Lindsay, Joe Namath, and How Sports Saved New York in the 1960s
“Deftly written and based on solid research, Stephen Paul DeVillo’s The Bowery is a delight. It fills a gap in our historical understanding of Old New York. From the economic contributions made from the old Dutch Bouweries to the flop-houses of skid-row Bowery in the 1960s, and then to the punk-rock of the Ramones at CBGB, the Bowery was at the throbbing heart of the Big Apple.”
—Eric Homberger, author of The Historical Atlas of New York City
"DeVillo has written a thorough and entertaining account of one of the most notorious streets in Manhattan. Well researched and entertainingly written, he has captured all the pathos and drama of the Bowery as only an aficionado could have. A must-read for fans of New York City history!"
—Elizabeth Stack, Associate Director of Irish Studies, Fordham University
"I have been fortunate to enjoy the many stories by Stephen DeVillo during his many walking tours along the Bronx River and welcomed his book, The Bronx River in History & Folklore, that complimented all his walks. Mr. DeVillo’s new book, The Bowery: The Strange History of New York’s Oldest Street is a story book, history book, and street guide all in one. If you find yourself shopping or grabbing a beer in Manhattan, after reading The Bowery, this street will become your first destination. The beauty of Mr. DeVillo’s book is that it reads like he is standing right next to you. Each page is filled with facts and fun stories starting in the 1600’s and today, documented with a generous listing of source materials and bibliography. If you cannot read The Bowery at the Bowery, not to worry because with Mr. DeVillo’s book, you will be even able to taste the beer at McSorley's Old Ale House from home. —Thomas X. Casey, President of the Huntington Free Library and Secretary of the East Bronx History Forum

"DeVillo summons up an eclectic cast, including Buffalo Bill, Big Tim Sulivan, and Eddie Cantor to recall a fabled thoroughfare."
—New York Times
“After four centuries as one of the most famous and infamous thoroughfares in the world, the Bowery couldn’t have gotten a more able, knowledgeable, or companionable chronicler than Stephen Paul DeVillo.”
—John Strausbaugh, author of The Village and City of Sedition
"A cheerful, accessible history of Manhattan seen through the lens of its oldest street, the Bowery. Written in a witty, conversational tone . . . this is a breezy, fact-filled trip through NYC history."
—Publishers Weekly
“The Bowery captures four hundred years of social history through the tale of one of New York City’s most storied streets. Even when recounting lurid events and tawdry deeds, from greedy land-grabbers to brothel-running barkeeps, DeVillo manages to charm his readers. It is an informative and entertaining look at life in urban America.”
—Chris McNickle, author of Bloomberg: A Billionaire’s Ambition
"Stephen Paul De Villo proves that streets and sections of towns can have personalities just like people can. In The Bowery, he recounts tales of hangings, monsters in ponds, ladies of the evening, Jumping Jesus and Mighty Mose, nickel-kickers, and sing sing girls to bring a notorious section of New York City to life. San Franciso has its Tenderloin and New Orleans its French Quarter, but none can match New York’s Bowery.”
—Mike Farris, author of A Death in the Islands: The Unwritten Law and the Last Trial of Clarence Darrow
“As a kid in the suburbs of Northern California, I used to watch my favorite show The Bowery Boys on TV and dream of going to New York City someday to see the Bowery in person. The Bowery was fascinating then and now, and the history of the street as captured in Stephen Paul DeVillo’s book will grab you and hold you whether you’ve ever walked it or not. Get it, read it, and take a tour for yourself!”
—Gregg Stebben, author of White House Confidential
“There is a certain morbid curiosity that comes with tales of Old New York, and the Bowery was the epicenter of the morbid, strange and perilous for much of the city’s early times. Of course, it was not all haunted buildings moral depravity—the Bowery gave birth to some of New York's (and, indeed, the nation’s) great cultural icons through the decades. Stephen Paul DeVillo’s book will not only fascinate readers with its seldom-told stories, it shines light on the places and institutions you thought you already knew.”
—Sean Deveney, author of Fun City: John Lindsay, Joe Namath, and How Sports Saved New York in the 1960s
“Deftly written and based on solid research, Stephen Paul DeVillo’s The Bowery is a delight. It fills a gap in our historical understanding of Old New York. From the economic contributions made from the old Dutch Bouweries to the flop-houses of skid-row Bowery in the 1960s, and then to the punk-rock of the Ramones at CBGB, the Bowery was at the throbbing heart of the Big Apple.”
—Eric Homberger, author of The Historical Atlas of New York City
"DeVillo has written a thorough and entertaining account of one of the most notorious streets in Manhattan. Well researched and entertainingly written, he has captured all the pathos and drama of the Bowery as only an aficionado could have. A must-read for fans of New York City history!"
—Elizabeth Stack, Associate Director of Irish Studies, Fordham University
"I have been fortunate to enjoy the many stories by Stephen DeVillo during his many walking tours along the Bronx River and welcomed his book, The Bronx River in History & Folklore, that complimented all his walks. Mr. DeVillo’s new book, The Bowery: The Strange History of New York’s Oldest Street is a story book, history book, and street guide all in one. If you find yourself shopping or grabbing a beer in Manhattan, after reading The Bowery, this street will become your first destination. The beauty of Mr. DeVillo’s book is that it reads like he is standing right next to you. Each page is filled with facts and fun stories starting in the 1600’s and today, documented with a generous listing of source materials and bibliography. If you cannot read The Bowery at the Bowery, not to worry because with Mr. DeVillo’s book, you will be even able to taste the beer at McSorley's Old Ale House from home. —Thomas X. Casey, President of the Huntington Free Library and Secretary of the East Bronx History Forum

From the Publisher