Niblo's Garden

Niblo’s Garden, originally opened as Columbia Garden in 1823, was a popular theater and pleasure ground in SoHo. The admission to the garden in August 1829 was fifty cents, sufficient to keep out the riff-raff.

It became known as Niblo’s under William Niblo, a coffeehouse proprietor.  The site was once a part of the Bayard farm. It was sold in lots and purchased by Jeremiah Van Rensselaer. Prior to Niblo's acquisition of the land, a circus called the Stadium occupied the ground. 

The venue evolved over time, enduring two fires and reconstructions. It gained lasting fame on September 12, 1866, when it premiered The Black Crook, widely regarded as the first modern musical theater production, blending story, music, and dance into a unified work. Want to explore its influence on Broadway history?

Seats were sold at $2 each.

Destroyed by fire a second time.

It was rebuilt by the department-store magnate A. T. Stewart.

The final performance at Niblo's Garden was given on March 23, 1895. A few weeks later the building was demolished to make way for a large office structure erected by sugar-refining titan Henry O. Havemeyer. Only a bit earlier he had purchased the Metropolitan Hotel and the theater.