Greenwich Village, One of New York City's Most Famous Neighborhoods

West village

Many, when they think of New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, are reminded of what life was like there in 1950's and 1960s. It was then that the neighborhood was a haven for the artists and writers that would shun tradition in favor of nonconformity.

Writers such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady helped give rise to what became known as the Beat Generation. It was the "beatniks'' who led the way for the hippie movement of the 1960s.

Today, Greenwich Village, a mostly residential neighborhood that is located between Broadway and the Hudson River and from 14th Street to Houston Street, is vastly different that it was during that time .

While some landmarks from the Beat Generation, such as the coffee shops that were frequented by the writers, still exist, the people are different. The rising cost of real estate in The Village has ushered in more well-heeled residents that those that would have frequented the area 40 years ago.

Today, the average household income of the residents who live in the row houses and condos that line the streets of Greenwich is over $69,000 compared to a New York average of just under $48,000 .

While the neighborhood is part of Manhattan, visitors will notice a difference in the layouts of the streets in The Village as compared to the rest of Manhattan. The reason is that when the streets were designed, the neighborhood was not yet part of New York City and, therefore, was not subject to the regulations that forced the rest of the city to be laid out in a grid pattern. While most of the streets in the rest of Manhattan are numbers or letters, many Greenwich Village streets are named.

The writers of the Beat Generation were not the only artistic influence that could be found in The Village. Musicians such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix and artists such as Andy Warhol also lived in or worked in the area. Writers found inspiration in The Village well before the 1950's. Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman both lived there.

The neighborhood is also home to a park featuring an arch (which has been seen in many movies) that was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the inauguration of President George Washington.

While largely a residential community, the streets are lined with shops and restaurants and the area is a favorite stop for many tourists who want to visit the place where some of their favorite writing, music and art was created.