"A Dump with Dignity", The Ear Inn
In the 1970s, the area was almost a ghost town when a group of struggling
artists stumbled on the building and transformed its bar, then a seedy
waterfront dive, into the Ear Inn, once described by the NY Times as 'a
dump with dignity."
Now West Soho has been rediscovered by developers and
high-tech firms, and the neighborhood is changing beyond recognition. As
long as the James Brown House still stands, however, its history will not
be forgotten.
Architecture,
Artifacts and Virtual Tour
The keystone lintels of the James Brown House have now been
restored to the original sandstone
The old kitchen above the bar and the second floor roof deck.
Kitchen fireplace with draft horse shoe found in the chimney.
Stairs to the third floor guest quarters of the House.
The second floor parlor above the Ear Inn bar. The spruce
plank floors and fireplace are originals from 1817.
Bar sign from the Thomas Cloke era surrounded by more recent
additions.
Above the Ear bar stands a line of ancient bottles excavated
from the back cellar.
Art of the Ear
