McSorley's Old Ale House
The Weird History of a Storied Watering Hole
Hi History Lovers!
Last week, I wrote about the Irish origins of Halloween aka Samhain and shared a special scene from IRISH EYES. If you missed that post, you can catch up here.
This week I visited McSorley’s Old Ale House, opened 1854 by Irish immigrant, John McSorley. Located in the original brick building at 15 East 7th Street in The Bowery, McSorley’s is New York City’s oldest continuously operating bar. The no-frills vibe (sawdust-covered floorboards, pints served in pairs) remains deliciously Irish. Enjoy this short video and continue reading for more details on the fascinating (and possibly haunted) history of this living NYC landmark.
The story goes that when the U.S. entered The Great War (WW1) in 1917, McSorley’s offered a free ale and turkey dinner to any departing doughboy. Before shipping out, it became the custom for soldiers to hang their wishbones above the bar, to be taken down when they returned. Several turkey wishbones from the soldiers who never made it back still hang from an old gas lamp above the bar. Over the years, bar patrons and staff have reported seeing young men in WW1 army uniforms hovering in the corners.1 The slain doughboys come back to the site of their last hurrah on home soil?
A 1954 newspaper article covering the bar’s centenary puts the provenance of the wishbones earlier, in 1865, from a victory dinner celebrating the end of the Civil War.2
In its storied 169 years (and counting!), McSorley’s barkeeps have pulled pints for U.S. presidents including Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt and paupers, working men and worldwide celebrities. Notable among the latter is the great illusionist and escape artist, Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz, 1874 - 1926), who performed in clubs and theaters in and around The Bowery and liked to drop in for a post performance libation.3
Houdini died in 1926 but some believe he still stops in at his old watering hole from time to time. Legend holds that if you see a cat in McSorley’s window it’s Houdini visiting in the body of the cat. As of 2011, resident mouser Minnie McSorley is barred from the premises due to Health Department regulations.4 Perhaps Houdini’s ghost has gone underground as well.
Among the dusty clutter of McSorley’s memorabilia is a pair of handcuffs attached to the bottom bar rail. Some sources mistakenly cite these as Houdini’s; they are, in fact, a type manufactured after his death. It’s the older handcuffs hanging higher in the bar that are Houdini’s, a gift to the bar from the Great Houdini.
Some say Houdini’s ghost returns to jangle his chains amid the din of drinking. For sure, you can find someone sitting by those bar rail handcuffs who’ll be more than happy to propagate the legend.
Happy Halloween!
Spirited Samhain!
IRISH EYES, the launch of my American Songbook series, releases December 7. Preorder the novel on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and wherever books are sold.
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Batholomew, Rafe. Two and Two. McSorley’s, My Dad, and Me. New York: Little Brown, 2018. Print.
Quigg, M.D., “Famed Old Ale House Hits Century Mark.” The Troy Record 18 Feb. 1954, 25. Web.
https://www.villagepreservation.org/2015/10/30/a-history-of-magic-in-the-village-and-on-the-bowery/
Bartholomew, R.
I've been to this bar. In college, if you took an art class, there was usually a trip to NYC in December. I went with my friend, took my first NY subway ride (I'd been on the Metro in DC) to get there, we walked around, ate at the bar getting our mandatory two pints, rode the subway back, walked around and were possibly in an early Nora Ephron movie in the background, shopped at an art gallery, and had a great time.
Thanks for telling more about the history. I don't remember seeing any ghosts that day.