• The Public Theater - The journey begins at the remnants of Colonnade Row, an elite residence from the early 1830s. Here, the historical foundation and influential forces that shaped this landmark are explored. The elevated setting, once a pleasure garden when “the city” was further downtown, is particularly noteworthy.
• Noho - As the tour proceeds down Broadway, the streetscape is decoded to understand history through the architecture, observing the styles, sizes, and adaptations of the buildings. Historical images illustrate the transformation of the SoHo section of Broadway. What existed before the trendy shops and artist galleries? Who were the individuals that once strolled these sidewalks?
• Bayard–Condict Building - A stop is made to admire Louis Sullivan’s sole building in the city, learning about its significance in the development of skyscraper architecture.
• SoHo - At the intersection of Houston Street and Broadway, the ancient geography is evident in the asphalt, explaining why the grid began here. This was once the site of St. Thomas Episcopal Church and an upscale residential area.

The tour continues through SoHo, a name that only emerged in the 1950s, prompting the question of how this area was referred to in different historical periods.

The journey down Broadway includes explanations, descriptions, and images that deconstruct the streetscape, unveiling the brick-and-mortar history of New York City.

• Canal Street - The walk to Canal Street presents a timeline of social and retail history, featuring stories and characters from a bygone era.
• Foley Square - What is now the Civic Center was once a lake, with its shores serving as the African Burial Ground during much of the British colonial period. The lake was filled in, and along its former shoreline developed The Five Points, the most infamous slum in New York City’s history.
• Columbus Park - The tour concludes at the site of The Five Points, now 500 Pearl Street. From the high social standing at the tour’s start, it ends where the most enduring desperate and deplorable living conditions once existed. From the Irish (and The Five Points) through the tenements of Mulberry Bend, the area now borders the Court District and Chinatown.

• Professional guide

• Gratuities

This guided walk of 2.5 hours initiates at the Public Theater situated in Astor Place, positioned across from Colonnade Row and what was once the most prestigious residential hub of the country during the 1830s, housing the Astors, Delanos, and Roosevelts. Our journey concludes at the Civic Center, and the former Five Points neighborhood infamous for the ‘Gangs of New York’.

The transition from the high-end residential area of current Astor Place to the gang-ridden ghetto of Five Points was a common inclination among tourists during the 1830s and 40s. This stroll along Broadway led them through a part of the city which, by the 1850s, emerged as the new chic city center, presently known as SoHo. This segment of Broadway once served as a link between these social polarities. Repeating this stroll, we unpack and interpret the façades of NoHo and SoHo to uncover the dynamics behind New York City’s architectural evolution.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.