Explore The Ruins Of A Forgotten City In The Middle Of Manhattan

An enlightening couple of hours learning the evolution of Manhattan over the last 100 years and how the type of building and their use has changed over time

A great very detailed historical tour with Rob of the Gilded Age, which started in the 1850s, of the area in Manhattan around 5th Ave and 23rd Street. We learned a lot about how the city changed and the rich kept moving uptown. I recommend this tour.

Wonderful in depth understanding of the evolution of Manhattan.

Robert was an extraordinarily knowledgeable and informative guide. The tour focused on Gilded Age life and architecture in the Flatiron District. Highly recommend.

This was a great tour! We learned how and why NYC developed as it did moving from the southern tip to Central Park. This included the role of different immigrant groups and social classes, the role of transportation from horses to the subway, and the architectural development from brownstones to cast iron to steel frame buildings.

Rob is a legend - so passionate, the knowledge of a history+geography professor combined. So friendly, so flexible.

Rob is an amazing tour guide who can adjust the tour based on what you are looking to learn. You will not find somebody who knows more about the history of the city. 10/10.

Fabulous tour! We covered so much history, and Robert was a fount of detailed knowledge about every aspect - events, people, architecture, geography and more! We liked this tour so much, we are sure to take another, weather and schedules permitting. Robert is the best!

Our guide, Rob, was a wealth of knowledge. A true professional who could have filled a weekslong tour with his appreciation and understanding of nearly every facet of NYC's history. Highly recommend this tour for locals and visitors alike.

The tour guide was excellent. We learned so much about the history and architecture of New York. It was interesting and fun. our guide brought it all to life while providing context and amusing anecdotes. I highly recommend

Rob is an excellent tour guide! We took his Gilded Age tour today. He is knowledgeable and thoughtfully answered our questions throughout the 3 hours we were together. He was very intune with our surroundings, blending us in with the ebb and flow of pedestrian traffic. He drew on his experience living in and observing the history of the city and combined it with thorough research into the development and changes of New York City through the c. 1840s-1900s. He shared a lot of salient photos, drawings, maps, and even directory listing to showcase the businesses and homes. We would recommend his tours!!

I've traveled to Manhattan and taken many tours, but truly appreciated the information and research behind it as I learned about a different city hiding in plain sight!

The tour was fantastic! We learned so much about the history of NYC. Our guide Robert was very informed and so good at what he does. We highly recommend this tour.

We walked around mid town and got a very intense lesson on the history of New York City, how it relocated and moved uptown over time and left behind these gorgeous architectural gems along the way - and also tore down and rebuilt much of itself.

So informative! This tour was so much better than I expected it to be. Our guide had so much knowledge about the city and was very friendly and kind.

This tour was absolutely fascinating. Through Rob's eyes ( and historic maps and photos), you could imagine how the wealthy around 5th Ave and 20th street lived and shopped and worked and played. He set all this in the historical context of a developing city, moving northwards. Many of the historic buildings are mixed in amongst newer ones or used now for something else. You will never look at that area of the city the same way again. Very enriching.

Fascinating history of the city was shared as we walked throughout the area around the Flatiron Building. Great photos that depicted the evolution of the neighborhood provided additional perspective. Highly recommend.

Rob Amell is extraordinary. He’s a real student of Manhattan’s history, architecture, culture and quirkiness. I’d recommend this tour for those who already have a grounding in NYC history but crave more—all hiding in plain sight. Rob’s research is unique and thorough and could/should be his next book. We’ve already recommended him to friends who will appreciate and value his intellectual curiosity and fun approach to NY

Rob was exceptional. His knowledge of the area and its history was amazing. Learned so much. He is personable, friendly and has a total command of the facts regarding this area. We will definitely do more walking tours in the future. A great way to spend a morning in NYC

Another great tour by Rob!! We enjoyed his in depth knowledge the first time we toured, we had to come back for another. A wealth of knowledge and very well prepared! Truly a pleasant morning, learning about the Gilded Age and NYC. Fascinating to learn so much history by viewing building. Highly recommend!

I've lived in NYC for 10 years and learned so much on this tour! If you are into history and/or just want to learn interesting information about NYC this is a great tour!

Rob was an exceptional tour guide with extensive knowledge of Gilded Age history in NYC. We enjoyed hearing about the city’s evolution during this time. Rob provided great visuals, including pictures of the past and maps, to really paint a picture of what it was like back then.

Rob gave a great tour and provided an awesome amount of details and history about a part of the city that is much less touristy. I’ve visited the city a dozen times and hadn’t been to this area before.

This tour was completely enjoyable. Rob is so knowledgeable and friendly and clearly loves his subject. He is also a good listener and was attentive to our questions. We learned more than we had imagined and hope to do another tour next time we're in New York.

My brother and I were the only ones on the tour as the corona virus was just taking hold in NYC. We are both native New Yorkers. However, Rob showed us midtown in another light. His knowledge of the transitioning of neighborhoods and the architecture left behind was fascinating. Truly an interesting tour to develop an appreciation of Manhattan architecture and open your eyes to the details of buildings that tell the history of the neighborhoods.

Tour leader is a walking historical reference. His breadth of knowledge was amazing. Great tour! Will never look at NYC the same.

Robert was great, we had a big group of 14 and managed to include us all! He also accommodated us to stop for a coffee half way through. Thank you Robert for opening our eyes to the city!

Rob pulled back the layers of time to show us the world that was there before in midtown Manhattan. He's a real researcher who is writing a book on his findings, and it's exciting to get the information directly. Housing, houses of worship, factories and warehouses moved north again and again, with a parade of huge department stores on 6th Avenue, under an old elevated train -- Macy's was hardly the first!

Supremely thoughtful and engaging. More than just an architectural tour; Rob excels at weaving in ALL the aspects of environment, culture, and human nature that drive the architectural landscape.

I can't say enough about how interesting this tour was. There is so much to the history and architecture of New York to discover. Rob shares his knowledge in an accessible way, pointing out things you would probably not notice or understand yourself. The development of Manhattan is truly interesting and we will now always know the Empire State Building is really in the wrong place!

Robert very graciously led the tour, even though I was the only participant. His knowledge of New York history is as boundless as his enthusiasm. This is my second tour with him and I would definitely recommend it for those interested in a very well researched walking tour!

We had a wonderful time on this tour. Rob gives just enough historical background to enhance the viewing of the approximately 10 block area that you explore. He adjusts his pace to our interests, and with the wink of an eye was able to take us behind the scenes in a historic building. We will definitely look him up for one of his other tours next time we are in the city!

<p>This tour was absolutely exhilarating from beginning to end. The brilliant and friendly guide, I think his name was Rob - gave us a fabulous overview first, and then proceeded to weave the details into the tapestry. Fascinating and well-paced. The guide's passion for the subject was most evident and contagious.</p>

<p>our guide was well informed and we really enjoyed the information even though it was super cold.</p>

<p>This was a brilliant tour! Rob, our guide, has clearly spent a great deal of time researching the city and its history, and he's incredibly knowledgeable. Rob doesn't just focus on buildings that remain standing. He also provides a file for you to look through as you walk around so you can see old pictures of how the streets and buildings looked in the past, which adds many other layers on to the history of the city. We learnt so much, and it really helped us to understand how Manhattan has developed over time. You will look at the city in a very different way afterwards. This a great for anyone interested in the development of the city, architecture, and stories of local characters. Thank you Rob!</p>

<p>The tour was awesome! Our tour guide, Rob, was extremely knowledgeable and also made the tour fun! We learned so much about the city that we never would have known.</p>

<p>Our guide was very knowledgeable and very generous with his time. Learned a lot of behind the scene info and history. Loved it!</p>

<p>Our tour was great! Our tour guide, Rob, was very knowledgeable and was able to help give us a feel for the history of the city. I would recommend it highly!!</p>