Public and neighborhood spaces have always been part of New Yorkers daily lives, offering community beyond the walls of home. On this walking tour, we’ll look at how Lower East Siders shaped and were shaped by their neighborhood over the 19th and early 20th Centuries. From stores to parks, movie theaters to schools, discover how these spaces became important centers for navigating identity, advocacy, and cultural exchange.
This tour discusses the people and stories behind public spaces and landmarks on the Lower East Side. Among others, stops on this tour include:
- The Daily Forward Building, where Jewish socialists championed for workers’ rights in the early 1900s
- Seward Park, the first municipal playground in the United States
- Jarmulowsky Bank Building, where many immigrants entrusted their savings
