New York City has its fair share of famous 'urban legends' -- persistent rumors, too good to be true, often macabre and dark.No, we're not talking about just about ghost stories. (Those arrive next episode.) We mean far fetched, reality defying fantasies sometimes rooted in science fiction and horror – with just enough bearing to the real world that many people believe them to be true.Tom and Greg go deep into their favorite New York urban legends. breaking down their origins and revealing the hidden truths that live beneath the legends. This episode answers the questions:-- Are there alligators in the sewer? Believe it or not, there are. Or at least, there were. Kinda. New York's most famous urban legend has a fun and twisted origin.-- Does the Cropsey Maniac stalk the corridors of a New York ruin? Campfire tales collide with genuine institutional breakdowns and real-life horrors in this somber story set in Staten Island.-- Did somebody really sell the Brooklyn Bridge? The truth is even more surprising!-- Have UFO's landed in New York City? Sounds preposterous, but one incident in 1989 ignited a decade of conspiracies, entangling both the New York Post and the United Nations. You'll never look at Pier 17 the same way again.... 

Ida Wood had a secret. Born Ida Mayfield in New Orleans, Ida moved to New York in the 1850s and through her marriage to Benjamin Wood, publisher of the New York Daily News, she entered society. By the 1870s, Ida’s name was regularly found in the social columns of the city’s newspapers. So why, in 1907, did Ida Wood cash in – withdrawing her fortune from the bank and then, along with her sister and daughter, retreat into a suite at the Herald Square Hotel… for decades?This is the story of a Gilded Age Belle turned recluse, who chose to withdraw from society while still living in the heart of it. It’s also the story of the fortune hunters who circled around her in her final years. And most incredibly – it’s the story of what happened next. Check out the Bowery Boys website for photos of Ida, Ben, the Herald Square Hotel, plus the "alternate ending" proposed by Joseph Cox, author of The Recluse of Herald Square.After listening to this episode, dive into these past shows with similar themes and locations-- Herald Square-- Fernando Wood-- When Longacre Square Became Times SquareThis episode is part of the Bowery Boys Season of Mysteries, running through September and October:-- The Ghosty Men: Inside the Collyer Mansion This episode was edited by Kieran Gannon

Greg, a host dedicated to unraveling the tales of the Collyer Brothers, delves into the haunting lives of Homer and Langley, who retreated into a deteriorating Harlem mansion after their mother's death. They became infamous for their extreme seclusion, surrounded by chaos and clutter. Greg shares compelling insights from new research about their blue-blooded origins and the societal changes around them. Furthermore, he highlights the tragic discovery of their bodies, posing questions about isolation, privacy, and the curious nature of human intrigue.

Discover the surprising history of Times Square, originally a tranquil area with colonial estates and horse stables. Uncover its transformation through the late 19th century as it evolved from a horse-and-carriage hub to a bustling entertainment district. Learn about the pivotal moments leading up to the very first New Year’s Eve celebration in 1904. Key figures like the Vanderbilts and the Pabsts shaped the landscape, while cultural milestones like the operetta 'Flora Dora' revolutionized theater, marking Times Square as the vibrant heart of New York.

Discover the enchanting origins of ticker-tape parades, starting with the Statue of Liberty dedication in 1886. Uncover how these celebrations morphed from spontaneous acts of joy into grand organized events honoring heroes, athletes, and dignitaries. Learn about the 'Canyon of Heroes' and the intersection of festive spirit and New York’s rich history. Explore the transformation of these parades during wartime and their evolution into a unifying force for the city, connecting community pride with cultural milestones!

Join legendary punk rock icons Joey, Johnny, Tommy, and Dee Dee Ramone as they dive into the vibrant genesis of The Ramones at CBGB, the birthplace of punk. They reminisce about their groundbreaking performances that forever altered NYC's music scene. Discover how they fused glam rock influences and their nostalgic love for The Beatles into their raw sound. The discussion explores the electric atmosphere of 1970s NYC, their creative process, and the lasting impact of their music on future generations, making it a heartfelt tribute to punk's revolutionary spirit.

Join historian Keith Taillon and Carl Raymond as they unravel the hidden world of Gramercy Park, a secluded oasis in NYC with rich history. Discover exclusive spaces, notable residents, unique architecture, and the park's private ownership. Explore the cultural influences, historical significance, and the charming allure of this historical enclave.

Follow along with Greg and Tom in this stand-alone travelogue episode as they visit several historic cities and towns in the Netherlands -- Utrecht, De Bilt, Breukelen and Haarlem -- wandering through cafe-filled streets and old cobblestone alleyways, the air ringing with church bells and street music.But of course, their mission remains the same as the past three episodes. For there are traces of Dutch culture and history all over New York City -- through the names of boroughs, neighborhoods, streets and parks.From Spuyten Duyvil Creek flowing into the Harlem River along the Bronx shoreline to New Utrecht, Gravesend and Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn. All of those place names can be traced to the Dutch presence of New Amsterdam and New Netherland.In the final Bowery Boys episode recorded in the Netherlands, Tom and Greg head to several places that have unique links to the New York City area, mostly through Dutch colonial connections made in the 17th century.Utrecht -- The medieval city with its unique canal wharves and monastery courtyards that may be the bicycle capital of the world. What are its connections to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn?Breukelen -- How did this charming, quiet old town on the Vecht River become the namesake of the borough of Brooklyn? Both places have "Brooklyn Bridges." But there are a couple of other surprising parallels.De Bilt -- The ancestral home of the Vanderbilt family, can Tom find one of their 17th-century ancestors among the stones of an old cemetery?Haarlem -- Manhattan's Harlem remains one of America's cultural centers, and the rustic Dutch city that inspired its name also has cultural riches aplenty -- from its museums to its historic windmill Molen de Adriaan.WITH -- Mysterious pharmaceuticals, pedal boat misadventures, ghostly apparitions and Aperol Spritzes!PLUS: The s pecial link between Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter and New York City's Lower East Side -- through pickles Visit the website for images of their journeyFollow Instagram to see reels from their trip

The name Stuyvesant can be found everywhere in New York City -- in the names of neighborhoods, apartments, parks and high schools. Peter Stuyvesant, the last director-general of New Amsterdam, is a hero to some, a villain to others -- and probably a caricature to all. What do we really know about Peter Stuyvesant?In their last days in Amsterdam (before heading to other parts of the Netherlands), Tom and Greg spend their time getting to know  Stuyvesant, thanks to their special guest Jaap Jacobs, the author of a forthcoming biography on the elusive and controversial figure.And outside the mayor's residence in Amsterdam's exclusive Gouden Bocht (Golden Bend), they meet up with Jennifer Tosch of Black Heritage Tours (with tours in New York and Amsterdam) to investigate the story of New Amsterdam and the Dutch slave trade.PLUS They stroll around New Amsterdam on a dark, stormy evening. No really! Well, it's the village of Marken where one can find the closest approximation of what New Amsterdam looked like.AND A few more myths are dispelled. What actual date should New York City mark as its anniversary -- 1624, 1625, or 1626? Did a letter describing the so-called 'purchase of Manhattan' from the Lenape actually come from New Amsterdam? And was New Amsterdam, in fact, even its real name?Visit the website for images and other information pertaining to this show

Our adventure in the Netherlands continues with a quest to find the Walloons, the French-speaking religious refugees who became the first settlers of New Netherland in 1624. Their descendants would last well beyond the existence of New Amsterdam and were among the first people to become New Yorkers.But you can't tell the Walloon story without that other group of American religious settlers -- the Pilgrims who settled in Massachusetts four years earlier.All roads lead to Leiden, the university city with a history older than Amsterdam. Greg and Tom join last episode's guest Jaap Jacobs, the author of The Colony of New Netherland, to explore the birthplace of Rembrandt, the historic botanical garden and a site associated with Adriaen van der Donck (whose "patroonship," or manor, gives the city of Yonkers, New York, its name).Then they visit with Koen Kleijn, art historian and editor-in-chief of history magazine Ons Amsterdam, who takes them on a journey through Amsterdam's history -- from the innovative story of its canals to the disaster known as Tulipmania, the 1630 speculative mania that set the stage for generations of stock-market shenanigans.PLUS: A detour to Amsterdam Noord and a look at a miniature model of New Amsterdam, courtesy of the design and production team at Artitec. And while visiting Ian Kenny from the John Adams Institute, Tom and Greg come upon an old friend holding court in a fountain.PLUS: Tom sustains an injury --- from a bitterballen!