Copy of Allen Street

Bowery is a unique neighborhood in Manhattan that's tough for most people to define. The street itself is the oldest in the city, and is the eastern border of the neighborhood, the western border being Allen Street. Stretching from Hester Street up to about 4th, this neighborhood is eclectic, artistic, and thriving.

Before the Dutch colonized the land for themselves, the Bowery was already in use by the Lenape people who lived in the area. When the Dutch arrived, the street was widened and farmland was placed around it, making the area very popular for trading purposes. The Dutch christened the street, "bouwerij."

The British conquered the settlement in 1664 and kept Bowery as the main route in and out of the city. The area was home to a variety of farms and manors up until around the American Revolution. The population of the city was expanding fast, and the estates and farms that made up the area were sold off to the city for things like…

Bowery Apartments