Knowledge (XXG)

James Brown House (Manhattan)

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Brown sold the building to two apothecaries in the mid-19th century, Records show that a tavern occupied the shop from at least 1835; it was likely a bar even earlier than that, making it one of the oldest taverns in New York City. The house was purchased in 1890 by an Irish immigrant named Thomas
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After Prohibition, the bar re-opened, but now existed as a business without a name. It was simply called "The Green Door", and catered to a clientele of waterfront workers, almost all of whom were hard-drinking regulars. The area declined sharply during the mid-20th century, as
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and Rip Hayman purchased the lease, and in 1977, they re-opened the bar. To avoid having to request LPC approval for a new sign, the new proprietor Rip Hayman painted out part of the letter B in the "Bar" sign, turning it into the word "Ear", after
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on the ground floor of the house. At the time of the building's construction, the house was only several feet from the shoreline of the
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was formally incorporated into New York City. The building was originally the home of James Brown, an African-American
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developers have paid for thousands of dollars in repairs and improvements to the building, including a
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Today, the James Brown House remains largely unchanged from its past appearance, even as
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Ear*Inn*Virons: History of the Landmark James Brown House and the West Soho Neighborhood
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has transformed the area around it. Indeed, as part of the permitting process,
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National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan below 14th Street
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List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan below 14th Street
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has since filled in land that has increased the distance to the shore.
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turned the once-bustling area into a nearly abandoned district.
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Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan
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The first record in New York City of the two-and-a-half-story
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Cloke sold the business in 1919 in anticipation of the
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Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
865: 751: 674: 557:"Ear Inn has colorful history and uncertain future" 188: 180: 175: 164: 151: 141: 133: 96: 80: 1479:New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan 343:In the mid-1970s, a group of artists including 330:New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission 839: 654: 332:(LPC) designated the building as a landmark. 305:, while the upstairs floors were variously a 230:in New York. Its ground level is the site of 8: 479:Schneider, Walker Schulte (March 20, 2024). 226:. It is one of the few existing examples of 1438:National Register of Historic Places Portal 339:The building, with distinctive sign visible 1423: 846: 832: 824: 661: 647: 639: 551: 549: 547: 545: 537:New York Landmarks Preservation Commission 445:; Willensky, Elliot; Leadon, Fran (2010). 65: 855:U.S. National Register of Historic Places 577: 575: 282:and sold beer and spirits to sailors and 40:U.S. National Register of Historic Places 410: 534:"James Brown House Designation Report" 508:Nadelson, Reggie (November 13, 2018). 481:"Five hidden secrets of NYC's Ear Inn" 419:"National Register Information System" 23: 1464:Federal architecture in New York City 598: 596: 262:veteran, who was the proprietor of a 16:Historic house in Manhattan, New York 7: 1459:Drinking establishments in Manhattan 424:National Register of Historic Places 220:National Register of Historic Places 254:and dormers was in 1817, the year 14: 224:New York City designated landmark 1432: 1422: 1413: 1412: 913: 906: 628:. New York:Odyssey Books, 2002. 569:(August 27 – September 2, 2003) 293:, which prohibited the sale of 166: 153: 52: 1: 234:, one of the oldest existing 1389:National Historic Landmarks 669:New York City historic sites 21:United States historic place 736:National Historic Landmarks 562:September 18, 2008, at the 1495: 448:AIA Guide to New York City 301:, the restaurant became a 1408: 904: 152:NRHP reference  76: 64: 60: 46: 37: 30: 26: 1142:Richmond (Staten Island) 142:Architectural style 250:house which features a 878:Keeper of the Register 583:"Blasts from the Past" 340: 270:, although subsequent 49:New York City Landmark 1398:Outside New York City 893:National Park Service 873:Contributing property 429:National Park Service 338: 309:, a headquarters for 118:40.72583°N 74.00972°W 1082:New York (Manhattan) 228:Federal architecture 189:Designated NYCL 1385:Bridges and tunnels 539:(November 19, 1969) 123:40.72583; -74.00972 114: /  611:(November 6, 2006) 514:The New York Times 341: 238:in New York City. 1446: 1445: 883:Historic district 821: 820: 676:National Register 555:Amateau, Albert. 485:Time Out New York 458:978-0-19538-386-7 431:. March 13, 2009. 278:Cloke, who ran a 272:urban development 260:Revolutionary War 256:Greenwich Village 204:historic building 200:James Brown House 196: 195: 192:November 19, 1969 176:Significant dates 32:James Brown House 1486: 1436: 1426: 1425: 1416: 1415: 1047:Kings (Brooklyn) 917: 910: 909: 848: 841: 834: 825: 813:Scenic landmarks 663: 656: 649: 640: 612: 602:Lombino, David. 600: 591: 579: 570: 553: 540: 531: 525: 524: 522: 520: 505: 496: 495: 493: 491: 476: 463: 462: 439: 433: 432: 415: 210:neighborhood of 168: 155: 129: 128: 126: 125: 124: 119: 115: 112: 111: 110: 107: 69: 54: 24: 1494: 1493: 1489: 1488: 1487: 1485: 1484: 1483: 1449: 1448: 1447: 1442: 1404: 1373: 1325:Above 110th St. 1259: 1253: 924: 918: 912: 911: 907: 902: 861: 852: 822: 817: 786:Smaller islands 747: 709:Smaller islands 670: 667: 616: 615: 601: 594: 580: 573: 564:Wayback Machine 554: 543: 532: 528: 518: 516: 507: 506: 499: 489: 487: 478: 477: 466: 459: 441: 440: 436: 417: 416: 412: 402: 385: 379:from its past. 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435: 430: 426: 425: 420: 414: 411: 407: 406: 399: 395: 392: 390: 387: 386: 382: 380: 378: 374: 371: 367: 363: 362:urban renewal 355: 353: 351: 346: 337: 333: 331: 328:In 1969, the 326: 324: 318: 316: 312: 308: 304: 300: 296: 292: 287: 285: 281: 275: 273: 269: 265: 264:tobacco store 261: 257: 253: 249: 248:Flemish brick 241: 239: 237: 233: 229: 225: 221: 217: 216:New York City 213: 209: 208:Hudson Square 205: 201: 191: 187: 183: 181:Added to NRHP 179: 174: 170: 163: 160: 157: 150: 147: 144: 140: 136: 132: 127: 99: 95: 91: 87: 86:Spring Street 83: 79: 75: 68: 63: 59: 50: 45: 41: 36: 29: 25: 19: 1349:Poughkeepsie 1277:New Rochelle 1177:St. Lawrence 625: 618: 617: 608:New York Sun 606: 585: 567:The Villager 566: 529: 517:. Retrieved 513: 488:. Retrieved 484: 446: 437: 422: 413: 404: 403: 359: 349: 342: 327: 319: 288: 284:longshoremen 276: 268:Hudson River 252:gambrel roof 245: 231: 199: 197: 18: 1378:Other lists 1227:Westchester 1157:Schenectady 952:Cattaraugus 377:memorabilia 373:fire escape 366:real-estate 345:Sari Dienes 323:urban decay 299:Prohibition 232:The Ear Inn 121: / 97:Coordinates 1453:Categories 1217:Washington 1137:Rensselaer 1072:Montgomery 1057:Livingston 962:Chautauqua 634:9622177182 400:References 165:NYCL  109:74°00′35″W 106:40°43′33″N 55: 0568 1359:Rochester 1354:Rhinebeck 1344:Peekskill 1305:Manhattan 1162:Schoharie 1042:Jefferson 925:by county 761:Manhattan 684:Manhattan 519:March 25, 490:March 25, 311:smugglers 303:speakeasy 297:. During 222:and is a 212:Manhattan 90:Manhattan 1418:Category 1364:Syracuse 1290:Brooklyn 1237:Southern 1232:Northern 1202:Tompkins 1192:Sullivan 1167:Schuyler 1152:Saratoga 1147:Rockland 1097:Onondaga 1037:Herkimer 1032:Hamilton 1012:Franklin 997:Dutchess 992:Delaware 987:Cortland 982:Columbia 972:Chenango 937:Allegany 859:New York 793:Brooklyn 716:Brooklyn 587:New York 560:Archived 383:See also 370:backyard 313:, and a 159:83001717 81:Location 1369:Yonkers 1272:Buffalo 1260:by city 1244:Wyoming 1187:Suffolk 1182:Steuben 1112:Orleans 1102:Ontario 1087:Niagara 1062:Madison 1022:Genesee 977:Clinton 967:Chemung 350:The Ear 315:brothel 295:alcohol 242:History 236:taverns 206:in the 146:Federal 1295:Queens 1267:Albany 1212:Warren 1207:Ulster 1172:Seneca 1132:Queens 1127:Putnam 1122:Otsego 1117:Oswego 1107:Orange 1092:Oneida 1077:Nassau 1067:Monroe 1027:Greene 1017:Fulton 957:Cayuga 947:Broome 932:Albany 866:Topics 798:Queens 721:Queens 632:  455:  280:tavern 71:(2009) 51:  1285:Bronx 1258:Lists 1249:Yates 1222:Wayne 1197:Tioga 1052:Lewis 1007:Essex 942:Bronx 923:Lists 808:Bronx 731:Bronx 405:Notes 356:Today 202:is a 134:Built 1428:List 1002:Erie 630:ISBN 521:2024 492:2024 453:ISBN 198:The 171:0568 137:1817 84:326 857:in 214:in 167:No. 154:No. 53:No. 1455:: 595:^ 574:^ 544:^ 512:. 500:^ 483:. 467:^ 427:. 421:. 317:. 88:, 847:e 840:t 833:v 662:e 655:t 648:v 523:. 494:. 461:.

Index

U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark

Spring Street
Manhattan
40°43′33″N 74°00′35″W / 40.72583°N 74.00972°W / 40.72583; -74.00972
Federal
83001717
historic building
Hudson Square
Manhattan
New York City
National Register of Historic Places
New York City designated landmark
Federal architecture
taverns
Flemish brick
gambrel roof
Greenwich Village
Revolutionary War
tobacco store
Hudson River
urban development
tavern
longshoremen
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
alcohol
Prohibition
speakeasy
boarding house

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