When John Lennon said he wished he had been born in Greenwich Village, he wasn't dreaming of its picturesque present, but of its romantic, rebellious past.
For generations, the Village has been a magnet for artists, writers, musicians and free spirits, drawn by its reputation for nonconformity, intellectual freedom, sexual liberation and artistic excess.
This quest follows in the footsteps of some of its most colorful characters — from disgraced philosopher Thomas Paine and sultry actress Mae West to poet e. e. cummings and counterculture musician Lou Reed — bringing their extraordinary stories to life and discovering the places where they lived, loved, created and broke the rules.
Ages: 17 to 102
Duration: 2.5 hrs or longer if you linger
Best time: store hours
Starting point: outside the Christopher Street subway station on the corner of Christopher Street and 7th Avenue.
Greenwich Village has always been a magnet for artists, innovators, and eccentrics
Greenwich Village has always been a magnet for artists, innovators, and eccentrics