History
As the oldest running hotel in the most storied metropolis in the world, The Sohotel has an undoubtedly rich and varied history.
First known as The Westchester, The Occidental, The Pioneer, and now as the "Sohotel", this landmark building has long been a fixture in the Bowery, operating as a stop for travelers as far back as there are written accounts. "The Bowery" refers to the neighborhood surrounding the boulevard in the scenic downtown area, but the road itself is actually the oldest thoroughfare in Manhattan, stretching roughly the entire distance of the island from North to South since Pre-Colonial times. It is here that the earliest Dutch explorers settled, christening the township "New Amsterdam", before it was ceded to the English and renamed "New York" following various upheavals during the Anglo-Dutch Wars. The Bowery also famously played host to General George Washington, as he arrived in New York to watch the final remaining British troops flee back to England in November of 1783 at the end of the Revolutionary War.
Since the founding of our country, the Bowery's reputation has ran the gamut, serving as a home to opulent amphitheatres and lavish mansions in times of prosperity, and brothels and flophouses during periods of economic stagnation. When social reform was present, the Bowery housed a multitude of music halls and was the site of the first YMCA, which opened in 1873. However, its periods of notoriety have been known to attract even more attention from the historically minded. The infamous Bowery Boys, one of New York's earliest street gangs and one of the subjects of the film Gangs of New York, called the neighborhood home as social unrest grew during the Civil War period. When operating as the Occidental, the hotel served as the headquarters for the famed rogue politician, Big Tim Sullivan, where despite his dubious affiliations, was known to throw lavish banquets here while dining in the company of star athletes and powerful political figures. Other famous politicians that were known to frequent the hotel include John L. Sullivan, Gentleman Jim Corbet, Pat Forley, and William Waldorf Astor (the man for whom the "Waldorf Astoria" is named).
The cultural history of the Bowery deserves special mention, as it has been a launching point and social locus for many of our most celebrated performers and musicians. Weber & Field, George M. Cohen, and Eddie Cantor are but a few of the many actors and songsters who succeeded in the Bowery theaters: places like the Crystal Palace Emporium. The Bowery was also the site of the oft-referenced punk rock venue CBGB, a club that birthed some of rock music's most exciting and edgy bands in the late 70's and early 80's, acts such as the Talking Heads, Blondie, and The Ramones.
Since the 90's The Bowery has undergone another remarkable revival, and now serves as a bustling center of commerce, with a variety of new buildings and attractions woven into the landscape of old New York. So whether you're embarking on a tour of yesteryear or a luxurious shopping spree, rest assured: a stay at the Sohotel will always leave you minutes away from the finest experiences the Bowery has to offer.