Tenement and Slum Tenement and Slum Life of New York CityLife of New York City

Lindsey Caggiano

Dr. Dixon

GEOG 250

The Lower East Side was the dominant

location of slums and tenements in New York

City.

Where were the slums of New York City

at the turn of the 20th century?

What is a slum?What is a slum?►A thickly populated, rundown, squaliA thickly populated, rundown, squali

d part of a d part of a city, inhabited by poor people.city, inhabited by poor people.

►What do you think a slum looks like?What do you think a slum looks like?

What is a tenement?What is a tenement?

►A rundown and often overcrowded A rundown and often overcrowded apartment house. It is usually rented apartment house. It is usually rented out to families, and found in poor out to families, and found in poor sections of neighborhoods.sections of neighborhoods.

How would you feel living in these

conditions?

Who lived in slums and Who lived in slums and tenements at the turn of the tenements at the turn of the

2020thth century? century?►Immigrant populationsImmigrant populations

ItalianItalian GermanGerman IrishIrish JewishJewish ChineseChinese

►Disadvantaged familiesDisadvantaged families

Immigration to NYC in Immigration to NYC in

Castle Gardens (before Ellis Island).Castle Gardens (before Ellis Island).

18831883 18841884 18851885 18861886 18871887 18881888 18891889

ItalyItaly 24,48524,485 14,07614,076 16,03316,033 29,31229,312 44,27444,274 43,92743,927 28,81028,810

Russia Russia and and PolandPoland

7,5777,577 12,43212,432 16,57816,578 23,98723,987 33,20333,203 33,05233,052 31,32931,329

HungaryHungary 13,16013,160 15,79715,797 11,12911,129 18,13518,135 17,71917,719 12,90512,905 15,67815,678

BohemiaBohemia 4,8774,877 7,0937,093 6,6976,697 4,2224,222 6,4496,449 3,9823,982 5,4125,412

TotalTotal 50,09950,099 49,39849,398 50,43750,437 75,65675,656 101,644101,644 93,86693,866 81,22981,229

Why were immigrants stuck in Why were immigrants stuck in tenements?tenements?

► Americans viewed Americans viewed immigrants as inferior. immigrants as inferior. They felt they were They felt they were taking jobs away and taking jobs away and corrupting American corrupting American Life. Life.

► People with this People with this attitude were referred attitude were referred to as to as nativists. nativists.

The Three Main Styles of The Three Main Styles of Tenement FlooringTenement Flooring

How does this compare with your bedroom,

house and neighborhood?

http://tenement.org/education_lessonplans.html

Click on Josephine Baldizzi

What was happening to the What was happening to the Lower East Side?Lower East Side?

Tenements in New YorkTenements in New York

► Number of tenements in New York, December Number of tenements in New York, December 1888: 32, 3901888: 32, 390

► Number built from June 1888 to August 1890: Number built from June 1888 to August 1890: 3,7333,733

► Rear tenements in existence, August 1890: 2,630Rear tenements in existence, August 1890: 2,630► Total number of tenements, August 1890: 37, 316Total number of tenements, August 1890: 37, 316► Estimated population of tenements, August 1890: Estimated population of tenements, August 1890:

1,250,0001,250,000► Estimated number of children under 5 years of Estimated number of children under 5 years of

age in tenements, 1890: 163,712age in tenements, 1890: 163,712

Gangs of New YorkGangs of New York

Part IV:Part IV:

http://www.youtube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EUncom/watch?v=8EUnn7_s22A&feature=rn7_s22A&feature=relatedelated

Follow video Follow video questionnaire. questionnaire.

Tenement EvolutionTenement Evolution

Due to living poor Due to living poor living conditions, living conditions, several laws came several laws came

into place.into place.

Robert MosesRobert Moses

► The World That The World That Moses Built Part Moses Built Part 4: 4: http://www.youtuhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be.com/watch?v=QiEd5KnGE6wQiEd5KnGE6w

► The World That The World That Moses Built Part Moses Built Part 5: 5: http://www.youtuhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be.com/watch?v=22JdtAhX4oU22JdtAhX4oU

Housing ProjectsHousing Projects

►Who lives in the housing projects?Who lives in the housing projects?

►How are they different from How are they different from tenements?tenements?

►What are the pros and cons of housing What are the pros and cons of housing projects?projects?

What are these housing projects What are these housing projects like?like?

► Gowanus Houses, Brooklyn:Gowanus Houses, Brooklyn: Gowanus Houses in Brooklyn consists of 14 buildings, 4, Gowanus Houses in Brooklyn consists of 14 buildings, 4,

6, 9, 13 and 14-stories high. It has 1,134 apartments 6, 9, 13 and 14-stories high. It has 1,134 apartments housing an estimated 2,836 residents. The 12.57-acre housing an estimated 2,836 residents. The 12.57-acre complex was completed June 24, 1949 and is between complex was completed June 24, 1949 and is between Wyckoff, Douglass, Bond and Hoyt Streets. Wyckoff, Douglass, Bond and Hoyt Streets. 

► Alfred E. Smith Houses, Manhattan:Alfred E. Smith Houses, Manhattan: Governor Alfred E. Smith Houses in Manhattan has 12 Governor Alfred E. Smith Houses in Manhattan has 12

buildings, 15, 16 and 17-stories tall with 1,931 buildings, 15, 16 and 17-stories tall with 1,931 apartments housing some 4,316 people. The 21.75-acre apartments housing some 4,316 people. The 21.75-acre complex was completed April 1, 1953 and is bordered by complex was completed April 1, 1953 and is bordered by St. James Place, Madison, Catherine and South Streets.  St. James Place, Madison, Catherine and South Streets. 

► How is this different from the tenements of the Lower East How is this different from the tenements of the Lower East Side at the turn of the 20Side at the turn of the 20thth century? century?

Where did the housing projects Where did the housing projects move to in New York City?move to in New York City?

Interactive map of all Interactive map of all New York City New York City

Public Housing: Public Housing:

http://http://gis.nyc.gov/nycha/igis.nyc.gov/nycha/im/wmp.dom/wmp.do

??

Public Housing is

all throughout New York city, but with the

creation of housing

projects, it has moved

to the boroughs.

Old v. New TenementsOld v. New Tenements