The Bowery Boys: New York City History Tom Meyers, Greg Young

In this special episode, we look at the history of New York City as seen through one corner of the Lower East Side, best known for its landmark Seward Park. Created by the intersections of several streets, it's a place that has gone by many names -- in the past and even today.

In late December 1954 Marilyn Monroe came to New York City wearing a disguise. By then she was the biggest movie star in the world and she had come to the city to reinvent herself and her career. 1955 would be a year of discovery for Marilyn -- exploring the city, working on her craft and generally being the toast of the town.

The story of how two very big cities (New York and Brooklyn) and a whole bunch of small towns and villages — completely different in nature, from farmland to skyscraper — became the second largest city in the world on January 1, 1898.

Tales of mystery and the supernatural have possessed the villages and towns of the Hudson River Valley since ancient times. In this episode, Greg and Tom explore several of the region's spookiest legends.

In honor of the exciting new theater season, we're revisiting our 2011 episode on the history of Sardi's restaurant, the Theater District institution, updated to cover the trials and triumphs of the past decade.

You may have heard about the messy, chaotic and truly horrible presidential election of 1876 -- pitting Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B Hayes -- but did you know that New York City plays a huge role in this moment in American history?