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11 Crazy Facts About the Upper East Side

The Upper East Side in New York City is a famously posh neighborhood that’s home to museums and millionaires. Whether you live in NYC or you’re just dreaming about visiting, check out these 11 crazy facts about the Upper East Side.

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  1. 82nd Street and Lexington once hosted a spite house.
    In 1882, a man built a narrow house that blocked the windows of the apartments next door. He did this just to spite the apartment developers.
     

  2. The George Glazer Gallery on E. 94th Street has unique, one-of-a-kind antique globes and maps.
    Owning physical globes and maps is a rarity. The George Glazer Gallery might change your mind about analog geography tools.
     

  3. The townhouse from Breakfast at Tiffany's is on the Upper East Side.
    The building that served as the protagonist's home in Breakfast at Tiffany's can still be found on E. 71st Street.
     

  4. Until the mid-1800s, the Upper East Side was just farmland with few residents.
    It might feel like the Upper East Side has always housed the wealthy, but for much of its history, it was no man's land. The neighborhood received its name only in 1896.
     

  5. One whole mile of the Upper East Side is devoted to museums.
    The Upper East Side offers some of the world's best museums. Especially popular with tourists is a stretch of 5th Avenue known as Museum Mile, which features top-ranked museums.
     

  6. The Upper East Side's beauty makes it popular among filmmakers.
    People all over the world can recognize the Upper East Side from Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, I Love Lucy, The Devil Wears Prada, and more.
     

  7. The Explorers Club lets you see exciting artifacts from historic adventures.
    On 70th between Park and Madison, The Explorers Club fosters the exploration of the Earth and universe. It has tons of public events and artifacts from past adventures.
     

  8. The Upper East Side ZIP Codes are among the most expensive in the country.
    With a median home price of over $7 million, the Upper East Side's 10075 ZIP Code is America's second-most expensive. ZIP Code 10028 is in sixth place, at $6.3 million.
     

  9. One part of 5th Avenue used to be known as Millionaires' Row.
    The name came from a stretch of mansions constructed by eccentric millionaires during the Gilded Age, spanning 1870 to 1910. The mansions have found new uses as museums and other cultural buildings.
     

  10. Gracie Mansion's ballroom fireplace was where Alexander Hamilton died.
    In 1804, Alexander Hamilton, suffering from a gunshot, died in front of a fireplace in the Bayard House on Jane Street. That fireplace is now in the ballroom of Gracie Mansion.
     

  11. Park Avenue Armory hosts America's longest-running after-school activity.
    In 1881, a paramilitary program was founded to help teach discipline to boys aged six to sixteen. Now, the program holds weekly meetings to teach patience and leadership.

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