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The Historian · Eleanor · New York

The Ear Inn (James Brown House)

Hudson Square · Historic tavern · $$

The building (the James Brown House) went up around 1770, when the Hudson lapped five feet from its door — everything west of here is landfill. It's been a bar since 1817. The story that Brown was an African aide to Washington, possibly in the Leutze crossing painting, is repeated everywhere, but preservationists flag it as legend, not documented fact. The 'Ear' name came in the 1970s from blacking out the 'B' in the 'BAR' sign to dodge landmark sign review.

A bar since 1817 in the c.1770 James Brown House — once five feet from the Hudson.

— Eleanor, The Historian
The move — Eleanor's insider tip for The Ear Inn (James Brown House) — is in the app.
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