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Aug 9, 2026, 1:26 PM

How Five Points Became The Most Infamous Slum In The History Of New York City

By Ella Spitz

Located in Lower Manhattan, Five Points was a poor, overcrowded neighborhood where disease spread rapidly, rival gangs battled for control, and violent riots frequently broke out in the streets.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/five-points-new-york

#history #USHistory

The illustration is titled "New York City--Among the poor - A Summer evening scene at the Five Points." It appeared on the cover of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper on August 26, 1873. In the center, the father wears a hat, dark coat, and trousers. He holds a pipe to his mouth and leans against a wooden building. To the left, the mother and infant sit on a pile of bedding or bundled belongings. She looks down at the baby. Next to her, a man or older boy sits slumped with his head on his arms. A small toddler sits on the ground in the lower-left corner. On the right, a young boy stands with his hands on a small table, looking up at an older woman.