Tenement Museum- New York City
 

I've just listened to a radio re-airing of CSPAN's Book Notes in which Brian Lamb questioned David von Drehle, author of a new release investigating and explaining the Triangle Fire of 1911. Von Drehle refers to a Tenement Museum in the city. Anyone know anything about it? Anybody ever been to it?

It is a great place
It has wonderful tours

go and learn a lot

Melissa

I've taken one of their tours; it was fascinating. It's located on the Lower East Side.

It is very interesting as the old building has been partially left the way it was at the end of its derelict and empty period into the 1950's, and also has several apartments that have been restored to duplicate the way they were at several different times in history. They have actually tried to follow the history of a few families to create these apartments actually inhabited by those families. A most moving moment comes in one of those where the woman and her two children was deserted by her husband and she became a successful dressmaker. But then the guide shows a picture of this woman's great grandson (I think that's right) who was killed in the World Trade Center and also never came home to his wife and children.

Each tour may be different because they take you to different apartments.

The Tenanment Museum offers great tours, there are seveal so go on what interests you. You are also right next to the Williamsburg bridge- as great subway ride. As for the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, that building is still standing- now the "Brown building" at the northwest corner of Washington and Greene streets

It is at 90 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side and well worth a visit. The tours start at the gift shop, where you purchase your tickets. Tour leaders are all volunteers - ours was a delightful and knowledgable retired school teacher who was born in the area. Full info at www.tenement.org

Wre also thought it was excellent. There was a very good movie in a small theater behind the gift shop where the tours start.

Patrick:

"A most moving moment comes in one of those where the woman and her two children was deserted by her husband..." It is more likely that he was killed by muggers for the few dollars that he had in his pocket. In those days (1860's) it was a common occurrence in NYC, and the bodies were usually not found or identified.

Well, actually Jed, the more logical guess is that it was desertion, since they do know he was depressed and very upset about not being able to support his family. Desertion by immigrant husbands was a major problem, many of them leaving to go out west or elsewhere to seek their fortunes and leave the "burdensome" family behind. Of course, he could have been murdered as well, who knows.

Incidentally there is currently a musical playing at the Mazer Theatre near there with a producion called "A Stoop on Orchard Street" which takes place in that exact building now occupied by the museum and focuses on the family I have discussed. I found the production interesting, but rather amateur in production. They embellished the story from facts that are known, by having the husband leave for a year and then reappear to have his entire family kick him out as they were better off without him.

Yes, I visited the Tenement Museum last Saturday. I highly recommend it. I would recommend reserving your tour online about a week aead of time as many of the tours sell out quickly. I did the "Piecing it Together" tour which was great.