From The Villager, 3/1/12
By Eric Ferrara
In February of 1891, a 35-year old German man named Christian C.W. Grassman arrived in New York City and quickly established himself in the real estate field.
By the turn of the century he had co-founded the Grassman and Hirtz real estate company, located on the first floor of 94 St. Mark’s Place. The eccentric immigrant became a regular fixture in the neighborhood, especially popular among local children who thought of the rotund, white-haired German as a “Summer Santa Claus.”
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Walk this history: the streets in this article are on the route of our 1,000 Years of New York City History Walking Tour, a private walking tour led by historians and lifelong locals. Private tours run daily on request — $150 for one hour / $300 for two hours per group. To book, visit leshp.org or call (347) 465-7767.
Eric is a 4th generation Lower East Sider, professional NYC history author, movie & TV consultant, and founder of Lower East Side History Project.
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