The Outlaws Who Built Manhattan

Step into the scandalous history of New York City on Purefinder New York’s ultimate tour of felons, grifters, and opportunists! The Outlaws Who Built Manhattan takes you on a thrilling journey through the shady dealings, audacious schemes, and larger-than-life characters who shaped the city’s evolution—and its skyline.

Main Features

  • From Raucous to Riches: Learn how Manhattan’s most notorious noisy neighbors helped launch the city’s “old money” dynasties.

  • Pills, Potions, and Power: Discover how Manhattan-made concoctions reshaped the city’s demographics and created lasting ripples.

  • Pirates and Landmarks: Uncover the surprising connections between infamous outlaws like Captain Kidd and iconic New York sites.

  • Law and Disorder: Dive into the murky origins of the NYPD and FBI and their dubious rise to power.

Get ready for an unforgettable experience blending intrigue, corruption, and the rebellious spirit that built Manhattan.

Meeting point: Millennium Downtown New York, 55 Church Street, New York, NY 10007 (OUTSIDE the main entrance)

Tour length: 1.¾ hours

Distance covered: 1.3 miles

Meeting point for The Outlaws Who Built Manhattan.png

Meeting Point: Millennium Downtown New York (OUTSIDE the main entrance)

Guide held forth on a fast-paced, entertaining yet informative take on a slice of New York history. I learned much from this tour that I would not have otherwise on my own. It's well-researched and thoughtfully structured. I'm usually averse to tours but after this, I plan on signing up for another one with this group.

April 22, 2024

Supatra k (TripAdvisor) 5*

“The Outlaws Who Built Manhattan is superb as all the others have been. Beautifully structured, thoroughly researched, delivered with clarity and enthusiasm, and enlightening from start to finish. And fun, even. If you compared the Purefinder tours to other New York walking tours, you would say they are by far the best. But you can't compare them. They are literally incomparable. Well-chosen slices of the always interesting New York story, and fascinating looks at the often-unknown people that make the story, vividly brought to life.”

March, 2024

notpracticing (TripAdvisor) 5*