Bleecker Street (Manhattan)

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For the song "Bleecker Street" by Simon and Garfunkel, see Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.

Bleecker Street looking west from The Bowery. Photo: Shankbone

Bleecker Street is a famous street in New York City's Manhattan borough. It is perhaps most famous today as a Greenwich Village night strip. The street is a spine that connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but was once a major center for American bohemia.

The street begins at Abingdon Square, at a confusing intersection where Hudson Street intersects with 8th Avenue and becomes Bleecker Street. It ends at its intersection with Bowery.

Nearby sites include Washington Square Park and music venue Cafe Wha?, where Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Kool & the Gang, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, and many others began their careers. The legendary club CBGB, which closed in 2006, was located at the east end of Bleecker Street, at the corner Bowery.

1 Public Transportation
2 History
3 Landmarks
4 Notable residents
5 Cultural references
6 External links

[edit] Public Transportation

Bleecker Street is served by the 6 Train at Bleecker Street Street station. Southbound (downtown) passengers are able to transfer from the to the Broadway-Lafayette Street Station for service on the B, D, V, and F trains.

[edit] History

Bleecker Street is named for Anthony Bleecker, (1770-1827). a lawyer, poet and friend of Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant because the street ran through Anthony Bleecker's farm.

[edit] Landmarks

Bayard-Condict Building

[edit] Notable residents

James Agee lived at 172 Bleecker Street, above Cafe Espanol (1941 - 1951)
Robert Frank

[edit] Cultural references

Long-running television series Friends featured Bleecker Street signposts in several cut-scenes.
Humorous web comic Alien Loves Predator features Bleecker Street in some episodes and also on an "AlP" T-Shirt
Bleecker Street is mentioned in the Steely Dan song "Almost Gothic" from the album Two Against Nature.
The Marcy Playground song The Vampires of New York mentions "All the whores on Bleecker Street."
Simon and Garfunkel have a song titled Bleecker Street on their album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.