Bowery in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Liz Christie Garden

First New York City Community Garden

— Houston at Bowery —

Liz Christie Garden Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 12, 2016

1. Liz Christie Garden Marker

Inscription. In 1973, artist Liz Christie and her band of volunteers transformed a vacant lot at this site to create the Bowery-Houston Community Farm and Garden. Her Green Guerillas cleared garbage, built soil from police-stable manure, and planted trees, flowers, and vegetables.

More than 600 community gardens now grace New York City neighborhoods.

Generations of volunteer gardeners have enhanced the design, recruited members, and opened this garden to the public weekends and some evenings.

In 2004, the garden faced an existential threat from the development of surrounding lots by AvalonBay. Thanks to action from garden members, the community, city officials and the Parks Department, the garden not only survived but was expanded to Second Avenue.

The Liz Christie Garden is famous worldwide for its beauty as well as its unlikely formation. With its dedicated, all-volunteer membership, it continues to prosper even as the neighborhood changes.

Erected 2016 by Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1973.

Location. 40° 43.458′ N, 73° 59.543′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County

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. It is in the Bowery. Marker is at the intersection of Bowery and East Houston Street, on the right when traveling north on Bowery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New York NY 10003, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. From Baseball to Houdini (within shouting distance of this marker); McGurk’s Suicide Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); NYC’s Oldest Thoroughfare (within shouting distance of this marker); 21st Century Fashion In A 21st Century House (within shouting distance of this marker); Sammy's Bowery Follies (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hats, Hardware & Horses (about 300 feet away); Cigar Factory (about 300 feet away); CBGB (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.

Regarding Liz Christie Garden. One of more than sixty entries in the “Windows on the Bowery” series.

Also see . . . Liz Christie Community Garden. Garden homepage. (Submitted on April 11, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Liz Christie Garden image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 22, 2019

2. Liz Christie Garden

The marker is at the Bowery entrance.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 12, 2016

3. Inset

Garden volunteers at the beginning, 1974

Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 12, 2016

4. Inset

In 2005, demolition of the Church of All Nations came within inches of the garden.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 12, 2016

5. Inset

Liz Christie in the garden’s early days.

Garden memorial mosaic image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, 1999

6. Garden memorial mosaic

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 171 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 22, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.