"Ladies Mile" New York City Off The Beaten Path Tip by seagoingJLW

After the Civil War, many stores opened in very lavish buildings in this area. The buildings had cast iron fronts with European window dressing. The stores were for the elite clintele who lived in the brownstones nearby at the time.

The mile began at 9th Street and Broadway where A.T.Stewart opened a store. this was quickly followed by B. Altman, Arnold Constable, Lord and Taylor, Tiffany, Brooks Brothers and Gorham Silver. All of the stores were along Broadway and Sixth Avenue stretching up to 23rd Street.

The district also included the first Metropolitan Museum of Art, Steinway Hall and the Academy of Music.

Eventually, the wealthy residents of the brownstones (and the store) moved further uptown and the glamour and glitter was gone. The district, however, remains a New York City Historic District.