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Ladies' Mile Historic District

Description

The Ladies' Mile Historic District was a prime shopping district in Manhattan, New York City at the end of the 19th century, serving the well-to-do "carriage trade" of the city. Before becoming a shopping district, this area was residential and included rows of identical brownstone townhouses. Between the Civil War and World War I, the district was the location of some of New York's most famous department stores and upscale retailers, including B. Altman, Best & Co., Arnold Constable, Bergdorf Goodman, Gorham Silver, W. & J. Sloane, Lord & Taylor, and Tiffany & Co. The area also boasted upscale restaurants, booksellers and publishers, and offices and showrooms for piano manufacturers, such as in the Sohmer Piano Building.

Opened, 1860

The area first came to prominence in 1860, when the Prince of Wales stayed at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, located on 23rd Street, signalling to New York's high society that the neighborhood was acceptable to royalty. Arnold Constable & Co. opened its cast-iron store in 1868.

Modified, 1878

The construction of the elevated train known as the El on Sixth Avenue in 1878 made the Ladies' Mile more accessible to lower class consumers. Extravagant shoppers would continue to arrive in carriages.

Renovation, 1980

By the end of World War I, most of the buildings had been converted into warehouses, and lofts for manufacturers, as well as some residences. The majority of the buildings were not torn down, however, and by 1980 they had started to be renovated and re-converted into large retail stores at and above street level.

Designations

New York City Landmark in May, 1989

Related People & Organizations

4 total, Show more

Alexander Tunney Stewart

Charles Lewis Tiffany

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current Images

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An overhead view of 23rd Street, the most important shopping district in Manhattan c. 1907

The prime shopping district in Manhattan at the end of the 19th century served the well-to-do "carriage trade" of the city

R.H. Macy's & Co. located at the bustling corner of 14th St and 6th Ave

New York City procession passing the Marble Palace of A.T. Stewart, 1851

The first store to make the move to this district was Arnold Constable & Co., seen in this picture, which at one point was the oldest department store in America, operating for over 150 years from 1825 to 1975

Though the iconic Flatiron Building was not a departmental store, it became a point of attraction for the shoppers, anchoring the northern end of Ladies' Mile

The opening of Siegel-Cooper department store created one of the great mob scenes of the Gilded Age, 1896

The intersection of 20th St and 6th Ave, 1901

The attractions brought the rich and famous to the area, especially since the safety of the district allowed women to shop without male companions to accompany them

The decorated storefronts and upscale restaurants became the highlights of the shopping district

The sewing room at A.T. Stewart's between 9th and 10th Streets, Broadway and 4th Ave

The ostentatious entrance of the Siegel-Cooper Dry Goods Store, 1898

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