19th Century NoHo: Glamour, Greed, Money, and Murder

Explore the origins of the Gilded Age in New York on this two-hour walking tour. The tour focuses on the Bond Street and NoHo neighborhood, once home to famous families including the Astors, Vanderbilts, Delanos, and Schermerhorns. Visitors will walk along 19th century cobblestone streets and learn about the lives of wealthy and famous residents, as well as the fringes of New York’s underworld. The tour highlights how the neighborhood evolved from the Bowery to Washington Square, showing the contrast between elegance and grit in 19th-century New York. Participants will hear stories about prominent figures including John Jacob Astor, Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Mrs. Astor, and Edith Wharton.

As you walk through the historic area, you will pass landmarks such as Colonnade Row, the Public Theater, Cooper Union, and Grace Church. The tour also covers the site of the 1847 Opera House riot, one of America’s bloodiest, and the infamous 1857 Bond Street murder of Harvey Burdell. You will discover the literary, political, and libertine history of the neighborhood, from St. Marks-in-the-Bowery to AT Stewart’s Iron Palace, America’s first grand department store. This tour blends architecture, history, and storytelling, providing a glimpse into the drama, wealth, and intrigue of New York’s Gilded Age. Tours run rain or shine and continue as the sun sets, so dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.