Take a time-traveling tour along Riverside Drive with Ephemeral New York!

I’m excited to let everyone know that Ephemeral New York has scheduled the first Riverside Drive Mansions and Monuments walking tour of the year! The date is Sunday, April 30, from 1-3 p.m.

The tour starts on Riverside Drive at 83rd Street and goes to 108th Street. In between, we’ll stroll the gentle curves of the Drive and delve into the history of this beautiful avenue—from its 18th century roots in the rural Manhattan enclave known as Bloomingdale to its Gilded Age heyday, when Riverside Drive rivaled Fifth Avenue as the city’s millionaire colony.

On what promises to be a warm spring Sunday, we’ll look at the incredible mansions that remain on Riverside Drive, the spectacular houses lost to history, the families and characters who once resided here, and the stories told by the glorious monuments on the Drive.

For the past two years, I’ve led this Riverside Drive tour, in conjunction with the New York Adventure Club. The tour is relaxing, information-packed, and lots of fun—a perfect way to experience a piece of New York City and enjoy lovely spring weather.

I hope to schedule more tour dates through the spring and summer. Join us for the inaugural tour of the season by signing up here!

[Postcard images: NYPL Digital Collections]