Mosco St, formally Park St, but more importantly formally Cross St. (between Mott and Mulberry)
This street next to Columbus Park may look like a standard street in Chinatown, but it actually much more.
Cross St, as it was originally named, is the last remnant of the infamous Five Points area of New York City.
Five Points, made more widely known by the book and movie “Gangs of New York” was one of the worst crime ridden slums of the 19th Century, with violent gangs such as the Dead Rabbits, Plug Ugglies, and Bowery Boys - names you may recognize from popular podcasts, bars, bands, and more from around the city.
The Five Points boundaries were Bowery to the East, Lafayette to the west & Cross Street stretching across them. Northern and Southern boundaries were Canal and Park Row or Worth Street depending who you ask. The name came from the intersection of Orange Street (now Baxter), Cross St, and Anthony Street (now Worth).
If you come and take the the tour we’ll also pick up some of the best dumplings at Fried Dumpling, located in the middle of the street.
Read more about Five Points here: https://streeteasy.com/blog/five-points-nyc/ Before Five Points much of the area was occupied by Collect Pond. But that’s an entry for another time.