Weird New York: Greenwich Village
Duration: 2 hours
A self-guided walking tour of Greenwich Village can be found on the GreenwichVillageNYC website. The guide lists sites critical to understanding this area's rich history, including many nineteenth-century townhouses and twentieth-century arts institutions. Many buildings on tour are still used for the original purpose, such as Washington Mews, the oldest stable block in New York City.
A historic neighborhood of northeast Lower Manhattan, Greenwich Village occupies a narrow, flat stretch between the Lower East Side and Union Square to the north and the Hudson River to the south. Greenwich Village is attributed to the mansions that once sat on its hills, with great names such as Strawberry Hill, Chatham Square, and Huguenot Street. On the other hand, regular folk living in Greenwich Village called it the Village. In addition to its central location on Manhattan Island — at one point known as the city's second downtown" — Greenwich was originally a wealthy area with numerous fine houses and buildings. Over time, however, its wealth declined somewhat.
Greenwich Village has been the birthplace of many artistic movements — including the Beat movement and Modern dance — since the early twentieth century. The Village also houses many famous arts and music institutions, including Juilliard School and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. In 1968, there was a riot in Greenwich Village because of police brutality at Stonewall Inn, a gay bar with origins in Prohibition-era New York City.
As of late, the area has seen gentrification efforts here; however, it remains significantly more diverse than other parts of Manhattan. It is known for its historic architecture that sets it apart from much of New York City and its liberal community reputation with standing organizations such as Community Board 2.
