Sunday, May 19, 2019
11:00 a.m.
Not a heavy metal band. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the neighborhood now known as NoMad (“North of Madison Square”) was a world-famous red light district filled with saloons, dance halls, gambling dens, and houses of ill-repute. The area has been expurgated by the passage of time and a succession of reformers, but there are still remnants of its licentious past, if you know where to look, including:
- The “alley” where American popular music was born.
- The hotels where Diamond Jim Brady, Lillian Russell, Samuel Clemens, Oscar Wilde, and Nikola Tesla hung out.
- A gay bathhouse with a tragic history.
- A police station disguised as a medieval castle.
- A music hall with a scandalous VIP backroom.
- And the flower district where you could purchase more than just orchids.
Adults only. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Some of the areas we will be visiting are very noisy and congested due to construction.
We will meet on the northeast corner of 27th Street and 5th Ave., in front of the Museum of Sex.
About the Guide
Robert Brenner is a licensed New York City tour guide, a certified member of the Guides Association of New York City, and a docent for the Municipal Art Society of New York. He has led walking tours for MAS, the Van Alen Institute, Untapped Cities, the Lower East Side History Project, the Museum of Sex, and many other organizations. He specializes in the offbeat and the unusual in history, culture, and food. He lives in Chelsea with his wife and teaches at CUNY in Downtown Brooklyn.
https://app.anyguide.com/robertb
https://www.facebook.com/PigFeetWalkingTours/
(917) 439-0549
FREE Registration is recommended
