The Lower East Side is known for its tenements, long history of immigration, and rapidly changing demographics. The area south of Delancey Street has undergone various cultural transformations and shifts in demographics, resulting in a highly unique and culturally diverse community. On this tour, we will explore the neighborhood’s rich history.
Throughout the 18th century, the area between present-day Division Street and Houston Street served as New York Governor and chief justice James De Lancey’s 399-acre farm. Remnants of his farm can still be seen today, from Orchard Street–where De Lancey’s famous cherry orchard was located–to Delancey Street, named after the Governor himself. During the American Revolution of 1775, De Lancey’s land was confiscated and he and his family were exiled from the city for supporting the English monarchy. The state then subdivided the land for purchase.
The Lower East Side’s population began steadily growing, with the help of a wave of Irish, German, and English immigrants. Between 1820 and 1840, the city’s population grew from 123,00 to over 310,000. 1848 saw the rise of Little Germany, which had a population of over 50,000. While the area was almost entirely German during the mid and late 19th century, Chinese, Italian, and Russian and Polish Jews also began calling the area home.
1904 marked the end of Little Germany, when the General Slocum passenger ship carrying New York’s most elite German families caught fire and killed 1,021 people. After the disaster, Little Germany almost completely disappeared. With most of the neighborhood’s prominent settlers dead, the remaining members of the community moved uptown. As the Germans moved out, the Lower East Side’s Jewish community began to thrive. German churches were converted into synagogues, and Jewish businesses began opening. Throughout the onsets of World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, the neighborhood remained predominantly Jewish.
After World War II, blacks and Puerto Ricans began replacing Jewish residents, and by the 1950s, the Lower East Side became known for its street gangs and crime. By the 1960s, the Lower East Side was considered one of the most undesirable neighborhoods in the city. The old, run-down tenements were soon rented out by musicians and artists who used them as home and studio spaces. Students were also attracted by the area’s cheap grit and began moving into the area in the ‘70s.
As the city began focusing on the professional service sector and on building improvements in the 1980s and 90s, the price of housing in the Lower East Side began to rise, eradicating low-income housing. Today, the area’s popularity continues to grow and is now home to upscale boutiques, art galleries, and condos.
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