The Lower East Side Jewish population was so large in late 19th century that had it been a separate city, it would have been the largest Jewish city in the world.

In 1888, the Iceland brothers established what is now known as Katz’s Delicatessen on Ludlow Street. In the early part of the twentieth century, the Lower East Side was home to millions of newly immigrated families. This, along with the lack of public and private transportation, forged a solid community such that Katz’s became a focal point for congregating.

Seward Park, a public park which opened in 1903, is the first ever municipally built playground in the United States. The park is named for William Henry Seward, a United States Senator from New York who served from 1849–1861 and later went on to be Secretary of State in the Lincoln administration.

The Bowery (the green curved line above) was once the main road in and out of town when impassable marshland extended across TriBeCa from Broadway to the Hudson River.

Today’s Lower East Side is full of contemporary art galleries, revered restaurants, one of a kind shops, boutique hotels, and legacy businesses that continue to stand the test of time.