Titanic Graves at Green-Wood Cemetery April 8, 2014 There are several Titanic-related grave sites at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. (There are lots at Woodlawn, too.) One of the saddest is the grave of little Douglas Spedden, best known as the little boy in this photo: When Douglas saw the icebergs after boarding a lifeboat, he reportedly exclaimed “Oh, look at the beautiful North Pole […]
Washington Irving Sites in New York City April 3, 2014 Happy birthday to Washington Irving, born April 3, 1783! Irving is, of course, a great literary hero of mine, not only for his classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but also for his imaginative (if somewhat fictive) approach to celebrating Christmas! There are two great Irving-related sites right here in New York City, where he […]
Lost Amusement Parks of New York City March 24, 2014 Lost Amusement Parks of New York City: Beyond Coney Island is a must-read for any fan of obsolete amusements, NYC history, and bygone attractions. The book, available now from History Press, is a breezy read, peppered with anecdotes and delightfully nostalgic details. I chatted with authors Wes and Barbara Gottlock after a recent talk at […]
Scribes and Sailors of Woodlawn Cemetery March 22, 2014 Yesterday I headed up to Woodlawn Cemetery for a little visit with my hero Herman Melville. Anyone who knows me knows about my Melville/Moby-Dick obsession (I have one), which is why it’s a little strange that I’ve been living in New York City for ten years and hadn’t visited his grave in Woodlawn. In my […]
FREE Ghost Tour on March 13th! March 7, 2014 As part of International Tourist Guide Day, I am offering a FREE ghost tour on March 13th at 7:30pm. You must RSVP to secure a slot on the tour; space is limited and it is first come first serve! Updates: due to unseasonably cold weather on the 13th, this tour has been rescheduled for March […]
March is Butchery Month! February 28, 2014 Take both tours and get $10 off your second ticket! William “Bill the Butcher” Poole died on March 8th, 1855. This Saturday March 8th, learn more about this notorious gangster and visit his stomping grounds of the Bowery and the old Five Points on our tour of Murder, Scandal, Crime & Vice: Crime & Corruption […]
Haunted and Murderous New York: References and Resources February 25, 2014 Possibly the number one question I get on my tours is, “Where do you get all these stories from?” This question is tied for number one with “How did you get interested in all this dark stuff anyway?” You can find the answer to that one here. As for where I get my stories from, […]
We’re Scandalous! January 12, 2014 According to New York.com, Boroughs of the Dead is one of New York City’s most shocking tours! “If you’re looking for the dark side of New York, and we mean really dark, this is the tour for you.”
Ghosts of Christmas Past Walking Tour Featured in the New York Times! November 29, 2013 This weekend’s Ghosts of Christmas Past Walking Tour is featured in the New York Times Spare Times column! Starting tonight, November 29th, at 7:30pm, the tour focuses on the old British tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas in the vein of Charles Dickens, but with a decidedly New York City twist! From the old […]