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Satan's Circus (New York City, New York)

USA / New Jersey / West New York / New York City, New York
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Formerly one of the most depraved, vice-ridden areas in Manhattan during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Reformers nicknamed it Satan's Circus, but it received its other nickname when Captain Alexander S. Williams told a friend, "Well, I've been transferred. I've had nothing but chuck steak for a long time, and now I'm going to get a little tenderloin."

Before the Civil War, the dives and brothels of Manhattan were largely confined to the Five Points, the Bowery, Water Street, Cherry Street, and other streets along the East River in the Fourth Ward. After the war, brothels began appearing all over the city. Some of the most famous of these was Sisters' Row in West 25th near 7th Avenue. Seven adjoining houses opened in the 1860s by seven sisters who came to New York from New England. They were the most expensive and stylish brothels in the city at one time. On certain days of the month, no gentleman was admitted unless he was in evening wear and brought a bouquet of flowers.

By 1885, over half of the buildings were devoted to vice: casinos, strip clubs, brothels, all-night dance halls, and saloons. The most famous dive was the Haymarket, on 6th Avenue just south of 30th Street, and remained open until 1913. It originally opened as a variety theatre after the Civil War and was named after a similar theatre in London. Unable to compete with places such as the Tivoli and Tony Pastor's, it closed in December 1878 for a few weeks and was remodeled into a dance hall. Here, women danced the cancan while lush workers and pickpockets plied their trade among the drunken revelers. Other well-known dance halls and dives included French Madame's, Idlewile, the Strand, the Cremorne, Egyptian Hall, Sailors' Hall, Buckingham Palace, Tom Gould's, and the Star & Garter.

Many dives and brothels remained in Satan's Circus up into the 1920s and '30s.
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Coordinates:   40°44'54"N   73°59'18"W
This article was last modified 12 years ago