Location: Avenues A and B, between 7th and 10th Streets, Manhattan

Tompkins Square Park is named after Daniel Tompkins, a New York Governor and Vice President of the United States under James Monroe, who owned the land before donating it to the city. It was designated as public space in 1811 and is the oldest park on the East Side of Manhattan. The park has been the site of many social protests, starting with the Astor Place Riot of 1849. Violent protests occurred again in 1857 and 1875 over the issue of employment for impoverished residents, and in 1988 attempts by police to remove homeless occupants from the park led to the Tompkins Square Riots. Despite its bloody history, the park remains a pleasant expanse of green that captures the gritty, eclectic vibe of the East Village.