Jimmy Walker House

Greenwich Village

& why it made the Carpe City list

6 St. Luke’s Place was home to Mayor Jimmy Walker, one of New York’s most beloved yet completely corrupt mayors, who served from 1926-1932.
His legislation legalized Sunday entertainment such as movie screenings, boxing matches, and baseball games.
- This made him particularly popular with the working class, as legalizing fun on Sundays was a welcomed break from their 6-day work weeks.
- Walker also fought to keep the Subway fare at 5¢ (today it’s $2.75!), which pleased workers who had no other way to get around.
You can distinguish Mayor Walker’s home from others by the two lanterns out front.
- It was a Dutch custom to have lanterns outside a mayor’s house, not only to mark it as a residence of a distinguished gentleman but also to help guide the mayor home after a long workday.

Mayor Walker, or “Beau James” as he was known, was a staunch anti-prohibitionist and spent his nights at clubs, speakeasies, and casinos with showgirls and would arrive for his mayoral duties at noon the next day.
- Once, he came home drunk and wasn’t let inside because the policemen on duty at his house didn’t recognize him!
The corrupt Tammany Hall establishment backed him.
His charm, good looks, and ability to line pockets with tax dollars kept him extremely popular with all walks of life.
However, after the start of the depression, FDR, then the Governor of New York, launched an investigation into City Hall’s finances.
- Mayor Walker resigned, divorced his vaudeville performer wife, and ran off with the showgirl Betty Compton to Europe.
After Walker’s death, a biopic called Beau James, starring Bob Hope, was released.
In 1947, Hudson Park, adjacent to St. Luke’s Place, was named Jimmy Walker Park.