For this year's annual Bowery Boys Ghost Stories podcast, Greg and Tom take a road trip to Long Island to explore the region's most famous haunted tales from legend and folklore, 'real' reported stories of otherworldly encounters that have shaped this historic area of New York state.When you think of Long Island and scary stories, your mind might immediately go to the Amityville Horror houseor perhaps even the Montauk Monster. But let us introduce you to a series of far older stories which incorporate Long Island's extraordinary history:-- The Sag Harbor Goblin: A restless soldier from the Revolutionary War period harasses the residents of this charming Hamptons retreat.-- The Wraiths of Raynham Hall: In Oyster Bay, a beloved landmark is sometimes called 'the Grand Central Station for ghosts' thanks to its population of historic spirits -- including that of a famed Revolutionary War traitor!-- The Bolt From Beyond: Winfield Hall is better known as the Woolworths Estate, best known for its eccentric owner Frank Winfield Woolworth. But the house is also known for a series of unfortunate events -- and the secrets which its marble hallways may still hold.-- Dancing In The Ghost Light: The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport celebrates 75 years of regional theater this year -- and a few ghosts have returned to join the party.-- The Hermitage of the Red Owl: A spooky tale of folklore in Brentwood, featuring a utopian community, a talking bird and the ancient, unburied bones of a warrior.This episode was produced and edited by Kieran GannonGet tickets to our LIVE Halloween show at Joe's Pub here (Oct 29-31, 2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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#470 The Grand Tale of the Erie Canal
On October 26, 1825, the fate of New York City – and the entire United States – changed with the opening of the Erie Canal, a manmade waterway that connected the Hudson River to Lake Erie.It was the most significant engineering project of its time, linking the ocean to the nation’s interior -- a 363-mile route from Albany to Lake Erie. Without even knowing where the Erie Canal is on a map of New York state, you could probably guess its course because of a row of cities which developed and prospered, almost in a westward line – including Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.In some cases, these were modest-sized places like Schenectady or Rome that benefited financially from canal construction; in others, such as Syracuse (which was founded in the year 1820), the canal was chiefly responsible for its existence.However, it was also one of the most critical events in New York City's history, even though the entrance to the canal is approximately 150 miles north of New York Harbor. It essentially became the canal’s gateway for freight traveling to any place inside the country or out to the world. As a result, New Yorkers quickly took advantage of the opportunities the canal offered.Today, we're celebrating the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal by going straight to the source – in a conversation with Derrick Pratt, the Director of Education and Public Programs at the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York.Visit our website for more images and other tales from New York City history. This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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#469 Dominican New York: A History In The Heights
Dominicans comprise the largest immigration group in modern New York City, and Dominican culture has become embedded in the city's rich fabric of immigrant history. And in one place in particular -- Washington Heights.This historic neighborhood of Upper Manhattan is named for George Washington, who led the Continental Army in an early, pivotal battle here during the Revolutionary War. Today, it's also known to some as Little Dominican Republic, home to the largest Dominican neighborhood in the United States (although more Dominicans live in the Bronx overall).Starting in the 1960s, thousands of Dominicans immigrated to the United States -- and most to New York City. Special guest Dr. Ramona Hernandez, the director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, joins the Bowery Boys to discuss the extraordinary circumstances that led to this population influx and details the many reasons why Dominican culture still thrives in the Big Apple.The Bowery Boys Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Founded By NYC, celebrating New York City’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.Discover the exciting events and world-class institutions that commemorate the five boroughs' legacy of groundbreaking achievements, and find ways to celebrate the city that’s always making history at Founded by NYC.This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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19th Century NoHo: Glamour, Greed, Money, and Murder
Today's New York neighborhood called NoHo, wedged between Greenwich Village and the East Village, holds the stories of many people and places that then went on to become deeply associated with the great Gilded Age.The Astor family began their dynasty here in both investment and real estate as did the well-known Dutch-American merchant family the Schermerhorns.Caroline Schermerhorn, who became the famed Mrs. Astor, grew up right here on Bond Street along with many members of her family. NoHo today still contains many remnants of its early 19th-century glamorous past and sites where the tensions between the wealthy residents of the Lafayette Place neighborhood clashed with the growing immigrant population just one street away on the Bowery. Bowery Boys Walks tour guide Aaron Schielke joins Carl Raymond of the Gilded Gentleman podcast for a look at this fascinating neighborhood, which includes stories of the rich and famous, as well as the macabre details of a grisly 19th-century murder that took place on Bond Street that remains unsolved to this day. Take a Bowery Boys Walks tour with Aaron! Find dates to his NoHo tours here and other walking tours here.This episode was originally released in the Gilded Gentleman feed in March 2025. The show was edited and produced by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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The Boy Mayor of New York
As New York City enters the final stages of a rather strange mayoral election in 2025, let’s look back on a decidedly more unusual contest over 110 years ago, pitting Tammany Hall and their estranged ally (Mayor William Jay Gaynor) up against a baby-faced newcomer, the (second) youngest man ever to become the mayor of New York City.John Purroy Mitchel, the Bronx-born grandson of an Irish revolutionary, was a rising star in New York City, aggressively sweeping away incompetence and snipping away at government excess. Under his watch, two of New York’s borough presidents were fired, just for being ineffectual! Mitchel made an ideal candidate for mayor in an era where Tammany Hall cronyism still dominated the nature of New York City.Nobody could predict the strange events that befell the city during the election of 1913, unfortunate and even bizarre incidents that catapulted this young man to City Hall and gave him the nickname "The Boy Mayor of New York."But things did not turn out as planned. He won his election with the greatest victory margin in New York City history. He left office four years later with an equally large margin of defeat. Tune in to our tale of this oft-ignored figure in New York City history, an example of good intentions gone wrong and — due to his tragic end — the only mayor honored with a memorial in Central Park.Visit the website for images from this podcast. Get your tickets to the Bowery Boys Ghost Stories of New York City live show at Joe's Pub here.This show is a reissue of a show that originally ran in September 2012; however, we think you’ll find more than a few similarities in this tale to the current 2025 mayoral election landscape. This show was refreshed and remastered by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The tides of American history lead through the streets of New York City — from the huddled masses on Ellis Island to the sleazy theaters of 1970s Times Square. The elevated railroad to the Underground Railroad. Hamilton to Hammerstein! Greg and Tom explore more than 400 years of action-packed stories, featuring both classic and forgotten figures who have shaped the world.
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