Tenement History and Immigrant Life in the Lower East Side

From the Five Points and Mulberry Bend, through the Italian and Jewish immigrant waves, and finally what is today's Chinatown, this tour explores the development of a rustic landscape of lakes and farms into what became the mostly densely overcrowded neighborhood on earth barely 100 years ago.  The incremental step-by-step process of putting the need for adequate housing over the drive for profit to house the immigrant poor, from disease-ridden cellar dwelling in tumble down shanties. to pre-, old- and new-law tenements, this tour uses pictures to show what is no longer there, and finds what continues to stand in the street walls today to tell the immensely rich, tragic and redemptive story of New York's Lower East Side.

1. 1

   Foley Square

   15 min

   We begin at the former sites of The Five Points neighborhood and Mulberry Bend, one-time notorious slums in New York City's history. The focus is on the "tenement," the early purpose-built housing for the working class, mostly immigrant poor whose history begins not far from this spot.

2. 2

   Columbus Park

   5 min

   Jacob Riis and his seminal work, How the Other Half Lives, helps bring to life the past communities that once occupied the site of today's Columbus Park, between Chinatown and the Court District.

3. 3

   Lower East Side

   Pass by

   The heart of the tour is along the blocks of the Lower East Side and the non-stop tenement buildings that proliferated in the Lower East Side from the mid-19th to the early-20th Centuries. Not all tenements were associated with slum communities, though living conditions could be hard. We'll identify different tenements types from different eras, and witness the decades-long process of tenement evolution following advancing laws.

4. 4

   Manhattan Bridge

   Pass by

   We will have a stunning view of the Municipal Building and the Woolworth Building East Broadway, one of Chinatowns most vibrant street scenes with hidden-in-plain-sight historic gems.

5. 5

   Museum At Eldridge Street

   Pass by

   One of the most beautiful edifices in the city, The Eldridge Street Synagogue begins discussion of the Jewish experience in the Lower East Side, who, like the massive immigrant waves before them, have their own unique story to tell.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   Pass by

   One of the first parks in the neighborhood. It was so crowded on opening day it was standing room only. Here, an array of photos from Jacob Riis' How the Other Half Lives brings the past to life.

7. 7

   Stop 7

   Pass by

   A newspaper that was an institution for the Jewish community.

8. 8

   Tenement Museum

   Pass by

   We pass the back of the museum where they replicate tenement life. Outhouses and clothes line help transport one back in time.

9. 9

   Williamsburg Bridge

   Pass by

   DeLancey Street was the clothing discount outlet center of the past.

10. 10

    Stop 10

    Pass by

    The Allen Street bath house functioned as such from 1905 until 1975, along with about a dozen in the area. This one lasted the longest and was converted to a church.

11. 11

    Stop 11

    10 min

    We end the tour on the rooftop of Hotel Indigo. Here we'll be be able to see a bird's eye view of the different tenement types, along with a spectacular view of Midtown, a perfect way to end the tour.

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Wear comfortable walking shoes
• Snacks and water are recommended to revitalize
• This walking tour is not associated with Tenement Museum

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.