Edward Mooney House

The Edward Mooney House is a brick townhouse at 18 Bowery with three stories, an attic, and a basement that features Georgian architectural details. The structure was enlarged in 1807 through a rear addition that doubled its original footprint.

The house was built between 1785 and 1789 on land that had been confiscated from British Loyalist James De Lancey. Successful butcher Edward Mooney, the namesake of the building, established it as both his home and business location.

The house shows the early Georgian and Federal styles that were favored by Manhattan's prosperous merchants of that era. You can see how such homes served both as residences and places of business at the same time.

The building sits at the corner of Bowery and Pell Street in the Chinatown neighborhood and is easily reached on foot. Its location on a busy street makes the house particularly visible and accessible for visitors passing through.

After Edward Mooney's death around 1800, the building served many different purposes, including as a hotel, brothel, and saloon through the 1820s. This varied past reflects how quickly the neighborhood and its residents changed during that period.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1780s

Architectural style: Georgian architecture, Federal architecture

Address: 18 Bowery

GPS coordinates: 40.71444,-73.99806

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:47