A special presentation of our live show Bowery Boys History Live, recorded at City Winery, July 2, 2025

Bowery Boys History Live is a storytelling cabaret of all-true tales and spellbinding secrets from the past, hosted by Greg Young of the Bowery Boys Podcast and brought to you by a rotating roster of the city’s greatest historians.

And for this show, Greg’s has invited a premier lineup of special guests, including author Elizabeth L. Block (Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing), author and tour guide Keith Taillon aka @keithyorkcity (Walking New York: Manhattan History on Foot), and host of the Gilded Gentleman podcast Carl Raymond.

Featuring:

-- Carl Raymond with a cheeky comparison between the ladies of high society and the four comedy queens of Palm Beach, Florida

-- Elizabeth L. Block with an exploration of the Gilded Age's great gowns, bodices and hair preparations

-- Keith Taillon with a look at the life of Mrs. Astor through the places she lived

-- Greg Young with the origins of the phrase 'the Gilded Age' and a look at five influential women of the Gilded Age that NEVER got invited to Mrs Astor's ball

NOTE: This was a live show with slide presentations, so there may be a few moments referencing an image in the room.

This show was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon

For even more Gilded Age stories, check out Tom Meyers on the Official Gilded Age Podcast.

Ready for a little summertime spookfest? This week we're thrilled to present to you a podcast appearance Greg made back in April on the Spirits Podcast. Hosted by Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini, the Spirits Podcast is a weekly conversational show about all things ghosts, mythology, folklore and urban legends. If you like fun spooky things, add the podcast to your regular rotation!

And as a sample, here is Greg's appearance on the show, talking about all sorts of New York City ghosty things.

Get your tickets for the Bowery Boys Ghost Stories of Old New York live show at Joe's Pub.

And here's the complete list of Bowery Boys ghost story podcasts

TERROR ON THE BEACH! Seaside resorts from Cape May, New Jersey, to Montauk, Long Island, were paralyzed in fear during the summer of 1916.

Not because of the threat of lurking German U-boats and saboteurs. But because of sharks.On July 1, 1916, Charles Epting Vansant was killed by a shark while swimming at a resort in Beach Haven, a popular destination on the Jersey Shore.

At first, this terrible tragedy received only limited attention. After all, millions were flocking to the beaches along the Jersey Shore and throughout the New York region -- Coney Island, the Rockaways and Staten Island's South Beach.

Shark attacks were the stuff of pirate legends and dramatic works of art. Most experts were skeptical that sharks were dangerous at all; the Maryland mogul Hermann Oelrichs offered $500 to any person with proof that sharks were dangerous to humans. Nobody claimed the reward.

But during that July, sharks did threaten the lives of humans -- not only on sandy beaches, but even in tranquil watering holes, several miles inland. What was in the water in July of 1916?

This show contains descriptions of violence related to shark attacks. You've been warned.

This episode was edited and produced by Kieran Gannon.

Visit the website for more episodes of the Bowery Boys Podcast.