Immigrant New York

Lower Eastside, The Bowery, Little Italy & Chinatown.....


I am sad today knowing that this is our last class of the NY Experience...


Our first stop today is the historic Essex Street Market... filled with vendors selling different ethnic foods. Built in 1940 to house pushcart peddlers whom Mayor Fiorello La Guardia legislated off the streets (BG,p.123)


The Bowery was associated with loneliness, poverty and alcoholism. Originally an Indian trail the Bowery got its name from the Dutch word farm "bouwerie" when the area was farmlands. In the mid 19th century the street traversed into a residential area, factories, slaughterhouses, theaters and slums eventually encroached on either side and slowly the Bowery became a place for poverty , distilleries and cheap lodgings (BG,p.153). 

Then we walk down to the Tenement Museum. The tenements were built to exploit all available space & maximize the return for the landlord, were one of the horrors of immigrant life. It was used to preserve the heritage of the nation's immigrants and honoring the millions who lived on the Lower East Side and in other immigrant ghettos (BG,p.122).


After the museum we were treated for a nice, authentic Chinese lunch...it was just what I needed to refuel for our next tour.


 The Big Onion Tour  guide was a wealth a knowledge on immigration in New York City she is writing her Thesis on it....perfect! 


One stop that I found interesting was the Forward Building, built for the Jewish Daily Forward, the country's most influential Yiddish daily newspaper (BG,p.124).
The paper's most famous feature was the Bintel Brief " Bundle of Letters" where wives and loved ones would write letters looking for information on there husbands to make sure they were okay.








On our way to the train to make one more stop before our experience is over we walk through Little Italy. The narrow streets are filled with cafes, restaurants, bars, shopping all bustling with people .... especially on thursday because Italy had just won the soccer game to make it into the finals against Spain.  People were screaming in the streets, honking their horns, waving the italian flag...
with a quick turn on Canal street the shopping mecca for knock off bags and designer goods we make our way to our final stop as a group .....Our last journey together was Williamsburg, Brooklyn....of course I first stop was the Beacon Closet, shopping at a thrift store for anything nostalgic you are looking for. Eventually making our way down to the water where again you can find a breath taking view of the city.....

Thank Gotham City for unveiling your many treasures!!!!!