Happy Birthday, Virginia Poe

Virginia Poe was only twenty-four years old when she died, and there is not a lot about her life that is well-documented, except for that which affected her husband’s life — her tuberculosis, the dates of their marriage — so we don’t know a lot about her personality or what she was like on a day to day basis.

NYC Cemetery Project

Periodically, we like to run profiles to showcase the hard work of New Yorkers who are dedicated to the history and archaeology of this city. Mary French runs the NYC Cemetery Project, an incredible blog that actually has real writing, and information, and images — not just clickbait “content.” In this world, it’s a rarity.

Round Manhattan’s Rim

In 1933, journalist Helen Worden of the World-Telegram decided to take a jaunt. With her friend Ruth Steinway in tow, she circumnavigated the waterfront of Manhattan island, and wrote it all up in a pithy little number called Round Manhattan’s Rim. This Depression-era travelogue is a wonderful curio that opens up a vintage Pandora’s-hatbox of questions, from “What is a B.E.F.?” to “Where on earth was Spanish-town,” and “When did the Seaport stop being painted in bright colors of blue and white?”

The General Slocum Disaster

Today is the 111th anniversary of one of New York’s biggest disasters in terms of loss of life. In fact, before September 11th, it was the biggest disaster for New York City but it seems few people have heard of it.

Haunted Brooklyn Heights

This summer, we’re bringing back our signature “Haunted Brooklyn Heights” walking tour! Stroll through the quiet side streets of Brooklyn Heights, and enjoy the cool breezes on the promenade as you discover the haunting and ghostly histories of Brooklyn’s oldest neighborhood… but don’t let its sedate charms fool you.

Haunting Histories and Legends of Astoria

Boroughs of the Dead brings our signature dark walking tours to Queens with “Haunting Histories and Legends of Astoria.” This 2-hour stroll visits some lesser-known historical sites, including the glorious Victorian mansions of Old Astoria Village, and reveals unsettling tales of the neighborhood’s grim and ghostly past.

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