Lower East Side Tenement National Historic Site

Lower East Side Tenement National Historic Site preserves a six-story brick tenement building that was home to an estimated 7,000 people, from over 20 nations, between 1863 and 1935. Located at 97 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan in New York, New York, the structure was opened by Lukas Glockner and was modified several times to conform with the city's developing housing laws. In 1935, rather than continue to modify the building, the residents were evicted and the building was boarded up and sealed, leaving only the storefronts open for business. The building is able to convey a vivid sense of the deplorable living conditions experienced by its tenants, especially the top two floors which contain rooms, wallpaper, plumbing and paper preserved as they were found in 1988.

The tenement building is the heart of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum which promotes tolerance and historical perspective at this gateway to America. The museum and tenement are open for public tours.

The museum's exhibits include restored apartments that depict the lives of newly arrived immigrants during various time periods in American history. The museum also has an extensive collection of historical archives, and provides a variety of educational programs.

Administrative history

The tenement was designated a National Historic Landmark on April 19, 1994. The National Historic Site was authorized on November 12, 1998. The site received a Save America's Treasures matching grant for $250,000 in 2000 for preservation work. It is an affiliated area of the National Park Service. The tenement is owned and administered by the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.

Reference

• The National Parks: Index 2001-2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

See also

• List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
• Bialystoker Synagogue

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