Street of the Midnight Sun (Broadway)
"Street of the Midnight Sun" is one of the many nicknames of Broadway and refers to its bright lights. "Diamond Jim" Brady (1856-1917) addressed a gathering of the New York…
Streetery (eatery on a street)
A "streatery" or "streetery" (street + eatery) is a term similar to "parklet." A street parking space is taken over for dining, or the entire street could be closed to…
Strivers’ Row (West 138th-West 139th Streets)
"Strivers' Row" (sometimes spelled "Striver's Row") is located on West 138th and West 139th Streets between Adama Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and…
Stroller Alley (John Street in Lower Manhattan)
John Street, located in the Financial District of lower Manhattan, was dubbed "Stroller Alley" in the 2000s. The name comes from condos and a preschool located on the street, resulting in…
Swedish Broadway (Atlantic Avenue)
Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn) used to be called "Swedish Broadway" in the 1890s and soon thereafter, but it has entirely lost its Swedish influence. Middle Eastern stores can be seen there…
Swing Street (52nd Street)
"Swing Street" is the name for 52nd Street. At one time, many swing clubs were located here. The name dates from the swing era of the 1930s. 21 November 1937, New York Times, pg.…
The Block Beautiful (East 19th Street, Gramercy Park)
"The Block Beautiful" is the name for East 19th Street, between Third Avenue and Irving Place. A few old homes were saved from demolition and refurbished, and the nickname "The Block…
The Deuce (42nd Street)
"Forty Deuce," or "Deuce" for short, is (or was) West 42nd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue. The term dates from the seedy 1960s and 1970s, when the block…
The Rialto (14th Street)
"The Rialto" was the 14th Street theatre district. The theatre district has long since moved uptown, and "the Rialto" is no longer used. The term was extremely popular in the…
The Stroll (Seventh Ave. between 131-132 Streets)
"The Stroll" is a term for the center street (the social center) in an area of New York City with a large black population. The Stroll was originally between 26th and 63rd Streets on the…
Theater Row
West 42nd Steet became "Theater Row" in the 1970s. In recent years, "Theater Row" has been redeveloped to accommodate new housing and newer theaters. The shows are small,…
Thieves’ Alley (5 Norfolk Street)
"Thieves' Alley" was a criminal area located at 5 Norfolk Street. It was destroyed in the 1890s to create Mulberry Bend Park, now known as Columbus Park. "Thieves'…
Thoity Thoid and Thoid (33rd Street and Third Avenue)
"Thoity Thoid and Thoid" (33rd Street and Third Avenue) is a quintessential example of "New Yorkese," but the phrase has not been historically recorded. This is from page 70 of…
THRU Streets
'THRU Streets" is a Department of Transportation program to improve the traffic flow in Manhattan. The program has been declared a success and might be expanded to other streets. The…
Tin Pan Alley (West 28th Street)
"Tin Pan Alley" was the name of the music publishing area of Manhattan on 28th Street, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue. Music publishers came to the area in the 1880s and began to leave…
Tin Pan Alleyite
A "Tin Pan Alleyite" is someone who worked on the historical Tin Pan Alley on West 28th Street, or who works with a Tin Pan Alley-type of music publisher, or is a fan of Tin Pan…
Tin Pan Handle Alley (West 50th Street and Eighth Avenue)
Syndicated newspaper columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) wrote in a column in March 1949: "Sights You Never See on the New York Map: (...) 'Tin Pan Handle Alley' (50th Street near…
Tungsten Territory (Broadway)
Broadway's bright lights gave it the nickname "Tungsten Territory." Broadway columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) used "Tungsten Territory" in 1927 and "Tungsten…
Twenty-Three Skidoo (23rd Street myth)
One of the popular New York City myths is that the slang term "twenty-three skidoo" comes from the Flatiron Building at Twenty-Third Street and Broadway/Fifth Avenue. Tourist buses pass…
Ulcer County (Madison Avenue advertising agencies)
Syndicated newspaper columnist Walter Winchell (1897-1972) wrote in a column in March 1949: "Sights You Never See on the New York Map: (...) 'Ulcer County,' the sector along Madison…