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IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S SITE OF RECORDING JOAN BAEZ DEBUT ALBUM Within the confines of the former Manhattan Tower’s ballroom in 1960, a relatively unknown folk singer named Joan Baez recorded her debut album. The album was recorded in three days during which 19 songs were recorded, 13 of which were featured on the album including “House of the Rising Sun.” Baez described the recording session by saying, “We could use the room every day except Tuesday, because they played Bingo there on Tuesdays. It was just me on this filthy rug. There were two microphones, one for voice and one for guitar.” That other microphoned guitar on the session actually belonged to Fred Hellerman of the Weavers. Baez got her musical start by playing in coffee shops in Cambridge, MA near Harvard University. Her big break came when she performed at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival—the same show where Bob Dylan “plugged in” for the first time. Baez’s first album recorded within the Manhattan Tower’s ballroom did eventually go gold, however, it was not until the after the release and success of her 2nd album which was cleverly titled, Joan Baez, Vol. 2. Of course, Ms. Baez went on to have a quite successful career and also at one point dated Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for a period from the late 1970s until the early 1980s. To learn more about the Opera Apartments where the album was first recorded, you may visit here. Website: http://2166broadway.com/ Address: 2166 Broadway, New York City, NY Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S SITE OF RECORDING JOAN BAEZ DEBUT ALBUM

Within the confines of the former Manhattan Tower’s ballroom in 1960, a relatively unknown folk singer named Joan Baez recorded her debut album. The album was recorded in three days during which 19 songs were recorded, 13 of which were featured on the album including “House of the Rising Sun.”

Baez described the recording session by saying, “We could use the room every day except Tuesday, because they played Bingo there on Tuesdays. It was just me on this filthy rug. There were two microphones, one for voice and one for guitar.” That other microphoned guitar on the session actually belonged to Fred Hellerman of the Weavers.

Baez got her musical start by playing in coffee shops in Cambridge, MA near Harvard University. Her big break came when she performed at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival—the same show where Bob Dylan “plugged in” for the first time.

Baez’s first album recorded within the Manhattan Tower’s ballroom did eventually go gold, however, it was not until the after the release and success of her 2nd album which was cleverly titled, Joan Baez, Vol. 2.

Of course, Ms. Baez went on to have a quite successful career and also at one point dated Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for a period from the late 1970s until the early 1980s.

To learn more about the Opera Apartments where the album was first recorded, you may visit here.

Website: http://2166broadway.com/

Address: 2166 Broadway, New York City, NY

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S OPERA APARTMENTS (W/TALES OF FOLK MUSIC & MAFIA) The Opera Apartments at 2166 Broadway began in 1927 as the Manhattan Tower. The tower which consisted of a 600-room hotel atop the Manhattan Congregation Church was erected largely in part due to the efforts of the church’s pastor, Reverend Edward Emmet. Emmet was a controversial character who drew a storm of criticism for comments he made in 1949 when he suggested tearing down the White House and selling off its parts. The Manhattan Tower building began to fall into a bit of a decline in the 1970s and in 1974 it underwent significant alterations before being rechristened the Hotel Opera, which has since become the Opera Apartments. The Opera Apartments is the site of two infamous tales of both folk music and mafia. To learn more, you may read below: Site of Recording of Joan Baez Debut Album Site of Jimmy Coonan (“Westies”) Mafia Murder Website: http://2166broadway.com/ Address: 2166 Broadway, New York City, NY Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S OPERA APARTMENTS (W/TALES OF FOLK MUSIC & MAFIA)

The Opera Apartments at 2166 Broadway began in 1927 as the Manhattan Tower. The tower which consisted of a 600-room hotel atop the Manhattan Congregation Church was erected largely in part due to the efforts of the church’s pastor, Reverend Edward Emmet. Emmet was a controversial character who drew a storm of criticism for comments he made in 1949 when he suggested tearing down the White House and selling off its parts.

The Manhattan Tower building began to fall into a bit of a decline in the 1970s and in 1974 it underwent significant alterations before being rechristened the Hotel Opera, which has since become the Opera Apartments.

The Opera Apartments is the site of two infamous tales of both folk music and mafia. To learn more, you may read below:

Website: http://2166broadway.com/

Address: 2166 Broadway, New York City, NY

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – AMERICA SCULPTURE Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here. How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the America sculpture will be the second statue from the left (nearest the stairwell). What you’ll see at the America sculpture: Just to the right of Asia is the stoic pose of America with stalks of corn lying in her lap. This America is said to encompass both the traditions and values of both North and South America. Peering over the shoulder of America is an American Indian in headdress. On her right is an eagle, while on her left is said to be the figure of Labor rolling forward the wheel of progress. Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – AMERICA SCULPTURE

Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here.

How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the America sculpture will be the second statue from the left (nearest the stairwell).

What you’ll see at the America sculpture: Just to the right of Asia is the stoic pose of America with stalks of corn lying in her lap. This America is said to encompass both the traditions and values of both North and South America. Peering over the shoulder of America is an American Indian in headdress. On her right is an eagle, while on her left is said to be the figure of Labor rolling forward the wheel of progress.

Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp

Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S CRIMES & HAUNTS – SITE OF BOSTON STRANGER’S 4TH VICTIM This rather non-descript looking building at number 7 Grove Street is another chapter in Boston’s darker past. It was here in a fifth floor apartment on August 19, 1962, that the Boston Strangler claimed his fourth victim, 75-year-old Ida Irga.(Please note that some details below may be of a graphic nature.) Ida was a shy widow who reportedly nearly begged the alleged Albert DeSalvo to enter her apartment after initially shunning him. Once inside DeSalvo strangled and sexually assaulted Ms. Irga in her bedroom. Per DeSalvo, “I noted blood coming out of her ear—very dark.” Police found the body two days later on August 21 in a scene which they described a naked Ida Irga lying on her back with a pillowcase in a bow tied around her neck. This signature bow had become a trademark of the Boston Strangler, however, this murder marked the first time in which the victim’s body was left in a provocative manner. DeSalvo’s involvement in the Boston Strangler murders has long been in question but what is intriguing is some of the subtle crime scene facts which DeSalvo was able to articulate during his questioning with police. DeSalovo was for instance, able to provide such off the cuff facts like how a hand mirror was situated on a table in Ida’s living room and articulate how there was a cigarette floating in the toilet. Overall the Boston Strangler would claim thirteen victims while leaving the city of Boston terrified for a period during the early 1960s. Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Strangler Address: 7 Grove Street, Boston, MA Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s Crimes & Haunts Tour. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S CRIMES & HAUNTS – SITE OF BOSTON STRANGER’S 4TH VICTIM

This rather non-descript looking building at number 7 Grove Street is another chapter in Boston’s darker past. It was here in a fifth floor apartment on August 19, 1962, that the Boston Strangler claimed his fourth victim, 75-year-old Ida Irga.(Please note that some details below may be of a graphic nature.)

Ida was a shy widow who reportedly nearly begged the alleged Albert DeSalvo to enter her apartment after initially shunning him. Once inside DeSalvo strangled and sexually assaulted Ms. Irga in her bedroom. Per DeSalvo, “I noted blood coming out of her ear—very dark.”

Police found the body two days later on August 21 in a scene which they described a naked Ida Irga lying on her back with a pillowcase in a bow tied around her neck. This signature bow had become a trademark of the Boston Strangler, however, this murder marked the first time in which the victim’s body was left in a provocative manner.

DeSalvo’s involvement in the Boston Strangler murders has long been in question but what is intriguing is some of the subtle crime scene facts which DeSalvo was able to articulate during his questioning with police. DeSalovo was for instance, able to provide such off the cuff facts like how a hand mirror was situated on a table in Ida’s living room and articulate how there was a cigarette floating in the toilet.

Overall the Boston Strangler would claim thirteen victims while leaving the city of Boston terrified for a period during the early 1960s.

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Strangler

Address: 7 Grove Street, Boston, MA

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s Crimes & Haunts Tour. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – EUROPE SCULPTURE Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here. How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the Europe sculpture will be the second statue from the right (nearest the stairwell). What you’ll see at the Europe sculpture: Just to the right of the front entrance we find the formally perched Europe atop her throne. Located at the hem of Europe’s dress are royal crests in recognition of the long tradition of monarchy. To the right of Europe is the large bow of a ship in the form of a dragon which emphasizes her long thirst for discovery. Also on the right side of Europe’s throne is a frieze of the ancient Greek Parthenon. This frieze along with the book and globe resting under her left arm demonstrate Europe’s eternal quest for knowledge. Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – EUROPE SCULPTURE

Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here.

How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the Europe sculpture will be the second statue from the right (nearest the stairwell).

What you’ll see at the Europe sculpture: Just to the right of the front entrance we find the formally perched Europe atop her throne. Located at the hem of Europe’s dress are royal crests in recognition of the long tradition of monarchy. To the right of Europe is the large bow of a ship in the form of a dragon which emphasizes her long thirst for discovery. Also on the right side of Europe’s throne is a frieze of the ancient Greek Parthenon. This frieze along with the book and globe resting under her left arm demonstrate Europe’s eternal quest for knowledge.

Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp

Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S FORMER ROSE FITZGERALD HOME & GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON MANSION Along an alley-like pathway off of North Square (and only about a hundred yards from the Paul Revere House) are two famous markers on a street called Garden Court Street. Outside of number 4 Garden Court Street is a brown historical marker signifying the former birthplace of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. Rose was the mother of former President John F. Kennedy. She was born at this site in 1890, the daughter of former congressman and Boston mayor, John J. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald. This rather uninspiring building which was home to the Fitzgerald family was actually shared amongst eight families in the late 19th century. Just across the narrow street is a much larger bronze marker dated 1930. Via this bronze plaque we are informed, “Here stood the mansion of Governor Thomas Hutchinson. Built in 1687.” Thomas was the last Royal Governor of Massachusetts. On August 26, 1785, rioters who were protesting the newly established Stamp Act tax stormed his brick mansion. Hutchinson was in the midst of hosting an elegant dinner party when the rioters came in and looted his house. Six months after the Boston Tea Party, Thomas left the Colonies to return to England and in doing so ended the reign of the Royal Governors. Website: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=18072 Address: 4 Garden Court Street, Boston, MA Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s North End. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S FORMER ROSE FITZGERALD HOME & GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON MANSION

Along an alley-like pathway off of North Square (and only about a hundred yards from the Paul Revere House) are two famous markers on a street called Garden Court Street.

Outside of number 4 Garden Court Street is a brown historical marker signifying the former birthplace of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. Rose was the mother of former President John F. Kennedy. She was born at this site in 1890, the daughter of former congressman and Boston mayor, John J. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald. This rather uninspiring building which was home to the Fitzgerald family was actually shared amongst eight families in the late 19th century.

Just across the narrow street is a much larger bronze marker dated 1930. Via this bronze plaque we are informed, “Here stood the mansion of Governor Thomas Hutchinson. Built in 1687.”

Thomas was the last Royal Governor of Massachusetts. On August 26, 1785, rioters who were protesting the newly established Stamp Act tax stormed his brick mansion. Hutchinson was in the midst of hosting an elegant dinner party when the rioters came in and looted his house. Six months after the Boston Tea Party, Thomas left the Colonies to return to England and in doing so ended the reign of the Royal Governors.

Website: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=18072

Address: 4 Garden Court Street, Boston, MA

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s North End. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – AFRICA SCULPTURE Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here. How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the Africa sculpture will be the farthest one to the right. What you’ll see at the Africa sculpture: Here we see a semi-nude Africa with her hair braided and sleeping atop, not a throne, but a rock. Each of these elements (semi-nude nature of the figure, the usage of a rock instead of a throne and the sleeping pose) are all said to demonstrate the perception of Africa at the time as a sleeping nation, and almost unnoticeable continent. The quiet figure in the corner, if you will. Africa’s right arm rests upon a sphinx head while her left arm is gently supported by a lion. Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S ALEXANDER HAMILTON U.S. CUSTOM HOUSE – AFRICA SCULPTURE

Overview of Daniel Chester French sculptures: French actually spent four years of his life focused on the creation of these statues. He designed and developed them in an iterative process where he began with sketches, before promoting them to quarter-size models, then half-size and finally moving onto the final versions. The process, which was enacted heavily under the supervision of Cass Gilbert himself, began in 1903 and ended with their unveiling in March 1907—one year after their scheduled deadline. Each of the sculptures is a female figure representing one of the major continents. Embedded throughout each figure is a high degree of symbolism, some of which is a bit controversial. You may read more about the US Custom House, in which these sculptures sit in front of, here.

How to find this sculpture: While facing the National Museum of the American Indian, the Africa sculpture will be the farthest one to the right.

What you’ll see at the Africa sculpture: Here we see a semi-nude Africa with her hair braided and sleeping atop, not a throne, but a rock. Each of these elements (semi-nude nature of the figure, the usage of a rock instead of a throne and the sleeping pose) are all said to demonstrate the perception of Africa at the time as a sleeping nation, and almost unnoticeable continent. The quiet figure in the corner, if you will. Africa’s right arm rests upon a sphinx head while her left arm is gently supported by a lion.

Website: http://oldnycustomhouse.gov/history/artists_art/daniel_chester.asp

Address: 1 Bowling Green, New York City, NY

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Lower Manhattan. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S MARINER’S HOUSE Located just a few doors down from the Paul Revere House is a mysterious little building with an anchor hanging up over the front door. This building is known as The Mariners House. The Mariners House opened its doors in 1847 as a low price lodging option for sailors. Sailors are still able to take advantage of these low rates today upon showing proof of active maritime service. As of 2011 rates ranged from $65-$95 per evening. The structure is a four-story brick Federal style building. If you walk around it you’ll notice that it is actually L-shaped. Sitting atop the building are five individual dormers from which lodgers would have had the ability to check on their ship before this area was built up. The entire structure underwent a complete renovation in 1998 and re-opened in April 1999. Website: http://www.marinershouse.org/ Address: 11 North Square, Boston, MA Cost: Free. IWalked Tours To See This Site: Boston’s North End. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S MARINER’S HOUSE

Located just a few doors down from the Paul Revere House is a mysterious little building with an anchor hanging up over the front door. This building is known as The Mariners House. The Mariners House opened its doors in 1847 as a low price lodging option for sailors. Sailors are still able to take advantage of these low rates today upon showing proof of active maritime service. As of 2011 rates ranged from $65-$95 per evening.

The structure is a four-story brick Federal style building. If you walk around it you’ll notice that it is actually L-shaped. Sitting atop the building are five individual dormers from which lodgers would have had the ability to check on their ship before this area was built up. The entire structure underwent a complete renovation in 1998 and re-opened in April 1999.

Website: http://www.marinershouse.org/

Address: 11 North Square, Boston, MA

Cost: Free.

IWalked Tours To See This Site: Boston’s North End. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S WAVERLY INN One only needs to stroll through the once bohemian neighborhood of the Village to really understand how much it has really changed. This change is clearly illustrated via the uber trendy Waverly Inn located on Bank Street. On any given day you can find celebrities coming in and out of this locale to enjoy assumingly top end hamburgers priced at $20+. How do “you” get in? Well, good luck with that. One thing is for certain, you won’t be calling for a reservation any time soon as the Waverly does not claim to have a phone, or at least publish one, apparently adding to its mystique. A mystique that is further heightened by its refusal to allow for any media to take photographs of its interior. Within the Waverly its ambience is said to be a dimly lit room decorated with various knick-knacks such as old book volumes and historical photos. Along the dining room is also a mural painted by artist Edward Sorel. Depicted within the mural are 43 famous figures from the Village’s past such as Jack Kerourac, Walt Whitman, Dylan Thomas, and Bob Dylan. Edward Sorel, if you are unfamiliar, is a noted artist whose work often frequents The New Yorker magazine. The Waverly has been around in various forms since 1920 and currently resides within a building at 16 Bank Street which dates back to 1844. Through the years the site of the Waverly has been home to a variety of businesses including a tavern, bordello, and carriage house before taking on its present form. One guest who has managed access to the Waverly and has actually taken up residence is the ghost said to frequent the former smoking room in Room 16. This mischievous waistcoat-cloaked spirit has been known for its critical eye for furniture placement as it seems to have a taste for moving items within the room rather frequently. The tenant ghost does have the presence to take care of its space though as demonstrated via a fire which occurred at the Waverly a few days before Christmas in 1997. The Waverly faced substantial damage from the fire, less this one room, which appeared nearly unharmed. Website: http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/the-waverly-inn/ Address: 16 Bank Street, New York City Cost: Free to walk past and stalk celebrities. Food/drinks inside are not. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Greenwich Village. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S WAVERLY INN

One only needs to stroll through the once bohemian neighborhood of the Village to really understand how much it has really changed. This change is clearly illustrated via the uber trendy Waverly Inn located on Bank Street. On any given day you can find celebrities coming in and out of this locale to enjoy assumingly top end hamburgers priced at $20+. How do “you” get in? Well, good luck with that. One thing is for certain, you won’t be calling for a reservation any time soon as the Waverly does not claim to have a phone, or at least publish one, apparently adding to its mystique. A mystique that is further heightened by its refusal to allow for any media to take photographs of its interior. Within the Waverly its ambience is said to be a dimly lit room decorated with various knick-knacks such as old book volumes and historical photos. Along the dining room is also a mural painted by artist Edward Sorel. Depicted within the mural are 43 famous figures from the Village’s past such as Jack Kerourac, Walt Whitman, Dylan Thomas, and Bob Dylan. Edward Sorel, if you are unfamiliar, is a noted artist whose work often frequents The New Yorker magazine.

The Waverly has been around in various forms since 1920 and currently resides within a building at 16 Bank Street which dates back to 1844. Through the years the site of the Waverly has been home to a variety of businesses including a tavern, bordello, and carriage house before taking on its present form.

One guest who has managed access to the Waverly and has actually taken up residence is the ghost said to frequent the former smoking room in Room 16. This mischievous waistcoat-cloaked spirit has been known for its critical eye for furniture placement as it seems to have a taste for moving items within the room rather frequently. The tenant ghost does have the presence to take care of its space though as demonstrated via a fire which occurred at the Waverly a few days before Christmas in 1997. The Waverly faced substantial damage from the fire, less this one room, which appeared nearly unharmed.

Website: http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/the-waverly-inn/

Address: 16 Bank Street, New York City

Cost: Free to walk past and stalk celebrities. Food/drinks inside are not.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Greenwich Village. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S SAVING PRIVATE RYAN TRIBUTE Attached to a brick wall outside of 110 Charles Street is a plaque which declares this address as the former site of the home of John Albion Andrew. Who was Mr. Andrew? To local historians he is best remembered as the 25th Governor of the state of Massachusetts, a term which he served during a period of the Civil War. What is perhaps more intriguing regarding Mr. Andrew, however, is that he was actually the impetus for one of the most famous letters ever written in American History. Andrew’s letter to his cousin in 1864 about a mother that had lost five children during the war spurred a heart-felt response from its recipient. You may best recall having heard this letter in the 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan, as General George Marshall reads the letter from President Abraham Lincoln to his troops inspiring the premise for the remainder of the film. Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Albion_Andrew Address: 110 Charles Street, Boston, MA Cost: Free. IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s Beacon Hill. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)

IWALKED BOSTON’S SAVING PRIVATE RYAN TRIBUTE

Attached to a brick wall outside of 110 Charles Street is a plaque which declares this address as the former site of the home of John Albion Andrew. Who was Mr. Andrew? To local historians he is best remembered as the 25th Governor of the state of Massachusetts, a term which he served during a period of the Civil War.

What is perhaps more intriguing regarding Mr. Andrew, however, is that he was actually the impetus for one of the most famous letters ever written in American History. Andrew’s letter to his cousin in 1864 about a mother that had lost five children during the war spurred a heart-felt response from its recipient. You may best recall having heard this letter in the 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan, as General George Marshall reads the letter from President Abraham Lincoln to his troops inspiring the premise for the remainder of the film.

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Albion_Andrew

Address: 110 Charles Street, Boston, MA

Cost: Free.

IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: Boston’s Beacon Hill. Purchase the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all Boston tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREEBoston Lite application, which includes a free 1 hour tour of a portion of Downtown.)