An 1895 photo shows one of the last “squatter shacks” on Riverside Drive

Wen Riverside Drive opened in 1880, the expectation was that this winding avenue opposite the new Riverside Park would attract well-off folks looking for a choice spot to build a stand-alone mansion or Beaux-Arts row house with riverfront views.

But as upper-class families began moving to what was then known as Riverside Avenue, poor New Yorkers and their flimsy shanties were right down the block.

These New Yorkers came to the area around the Drive before an avenue officially opened—when the smoke from the Hudson River railroad, lack of public transportation, and sparse population of the area kept well-to-do New Yorkers away and attracted some who lived on the margins.

The photo, from 1895, shows one of these shacks on Riverside Drive and 80th Street. Looking north, fine houses and are in view—a stark contrast to this hard-luck shelter.

The caption notes that the photo is “showing the transitional aspects” of the Drive, calling the shack in the foreground “one of the last” on the street. Maybe the caption is referring to 80th Street, because it’s likely not the last squatter shack on Riverside.

Others still existed at about the same time above 96th Street, like these in this previous post. In the early years of the 20th century, with new apartment houses joining the mansions and row houses on the drive, the shacks vanished. Where the occupants went is a mystery.

Curious about the backstory of Riverside Drive? Join Ephemeral New York on a fun and insightful walking tour of the Drive. A handful of tickets remain for tour dates on Sunday, March 24 and Sunday, April 14—sign up here!

[Photo: NYPL Digital Collections]