Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site

More than 15,000 people from over 20 nations called 97 Orchard Street in New York home. This tenement operated from 1863 to 1935 when a flood of immigrants entered New York. Their reasons for coming varied. Some people came to escape the horrors of war. Others sought better living conditions.

97 Orchard Street is both a testament to the hardiness of immigrants and a symbol of the long odds they faced. The building was one of the first tenements in the city. A German-born tailor constructed it in 1863 because he saw a need and attempted to fill it.

Walking tours, and art exhibits put you in the shoes of immigrants. See cramped rooms that offered little in the way of creature comforts. You might bathe and cook in the same room. You could save time by bathing, cooking and eating at the same time.

Despite these small apartments, people made the best of their situations. This place was home, even if it was infested with roaches and mice.

The Lower East Side tenement Museum stands as a monument to the tenacity and courage of the immigrants who helped build America.