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Villagers
know that Dylan Thomas had his final drink and many more before
it at the White Horse Tavern. In the 1950s, the White Horse
was also known for its bartender, Old Ernie, a big shaggy “John
Bull” sort of guy who rang a cow bell for attention and
admonished customers to talk less and drink more. They obeyed! |
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In
1922 Reader’s Digest was born at 1 Minetta Lane in a speakeasy
basement. DeWitt & Lila Wallace published it in their apartment
and sold it only by subscription for 25 cents each. Included
in the first issue were “The Future of Poison Gas,” “Wanted:
Motives for Motherhood” and “Advice from a President’s
Physician.” The first issue sold 5,000 copies. |
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Peter
Warren wasn’t the first white man who “owned” Greenwich
Village. Wouter Van Twiller, the 2nd Dutch Governor of the colony,
slyly transferred title of Bossen Bouerie to himself. He grew
tobacco in its meadows in 1633, but the fine quality of the tobacco
became his undoing. It called attention to the interesting way
in which Van Twiller got his land. He was recalled in disgrace |
Sir
Peter Warren |
According
to local lore the bottom of the Hudson River was once paved
with oysters and teeming with uncountable fish, shrimp and
lobsters.
Village fishermen claimed to catch lobsters 4-6 feet in length;
they preferred the small ones that ranged from 2-3 feet as
they were more tender. The Greenwich Village woods contained
deer,
elk and wild turkeys that weighed close to 30 pounds...the
original “Big
Bird.” Its meadows were strewn with wildflowers and berries — rasp,
cran, black, and straw. People claimed they could lie on the
ground and gorge themselves by extending their arms and plucking
fruit from nearby branches |
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The
new Maritime Hotel on 10th Avenue is located in what once was
the Martime Union. This site was formerly occupied by Jay Gould’s
Opera House. Fred Astaire learned to dance there. |
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