People's Baths
9 Centre Market Place (just north of Grand Street between Centre and Mulberry)
Opened: 1891
Cost: 27,025
The People's Baths was a prototype public bath built with private contributions by the AICP on land owned by the City Mission and Tract Society. It had 23 showers and three bathtubs, with each bathing compartment consisting of a 3.5' x 4' dressing room and a similarly size shower. A bath cost 5 cents, which included a towel and soap. Patronage grew from 10,504 baths in 1891 to 115,685 in 1898 and the facility received extensive public and press attention. With the opening of city-funded facilities beginning in 1901, the The People's Bath had accomplished its purpose and closed in 1909. The address is now a parking lot on a quiet street just to the East of the old Police Headquarters.
The Old Police Headquarters is a large and attractive building on at 240 Centre Street that opened in 1910 just after the People's Baths closed just to the East. The police department moved to a hideous "brutalist" style building near the Municipal Building on Park Row in 1973 and the Old Police Headquarters was converted to luxury apartments in 1987.
People's Baths
People's Baths
People's Baths
People's Baths
People's Baths
People's Baths