NYC walking tours
east village walking tour
East Village Walking Tour

The East Village of New York City earned its reputation as a countercultural haven in the years following WWII, however the neighborhood's distinct progressive character dates back to the mid-seventeenth century as host to one of America's earliest "mixed" neighborhoods, Bouwerij Village.

Join the Lower East Side History Project and explore the 400 years of radical history which makes this district so unique to the rest of city.

From farmland to modern-day gentrification, LESHP utilizes a decade of active research, rare maps, photos, documents, articles and oral histories not found elsewhere to provide a one-of-a-kind tour experience.


Topics include:
- Dutch & English development
- Post-Revolution Aristocracy
- 19th century Immigration
- Labor, politics, civil rights, anarchism
- Post World War II gentrification
- Puerto Rican immigration
- Experimental theater, jazz, Beatniks, punk rock
- Radical activism
- 21st century gentrification
- Much more

Visit on tour:
- Astor Place
- Cooper Union
- St. Marks Place
- The Yiddish Rialto (2nd Avenue)
- St. Marks Church
- Electric Circus, Filmore East
- Former union halls and social clubs
- Old restaurants, shops and theaters
- Landmarks and sites of interest
- Much more



Your Guide (depends on the day!):

Eric Ferrara is founder and director of the Lower East Side History Project, published author and fourth-generation, native  New Yorker whose family immigrated to Little Italy in the 1880s. He is a consultant on several movie, tv, and media projects world wide, including HBO's Boardwalk Empire and Warner Brothers' new Great Gatsby. MORE ABOUT ERIC HERE.

-OR-

Andrea Coyle, Director of Outreach and Membership for Lower East Side History Project, is a native New Yorker, a licensed NYC tour guide, a member of The Guides Association of NYC, and a graphic artist. She is a community activist and is passionate about preserving the fabric of NYC neighborhoods. Andrea was an early education preschool teacher, and she also volunteers for Big Apple Greeter. In addition, she was recently on the annual awards committee for The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, and is currently working with groups such as the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, and Save Coney Island.






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Available as a private tour only

Private walking tours (2 hours) start at only:
$100 - One to four people
+$20 per person above that (6 people=$140, 12 people=$280, etc.)

Large groups:
Discounts available for groups of 25 or more, otherwise rates above apply.

More Information: 347-465-7767 | contact form

© 2003-2013 Lower East Side History Project/Bowery Arts & Science, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit