![]() ![]() Here is an enthusiastic blog post from a Houdini aficionado ( Wild About Houdini) about what it felt like to see Houdini’s house on W. While all that is gone, the home is marked with a Cultural Medallion plaque from the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center of NYC. Historic pictures show Houdini also had a library filled with books about magic tricks, as well as props and accouterments for his grand illusions: straitjackets, handcuffs, locks and chains. He had a huge bathtub installed to practice underwater escape techniques. ![]() It was also a practice studio for his magic and escape-artist stunts. By the time he bought the Harlem house in 1904 for $25,000, he was a wildly famous illusionist who wanted the home to serve as a place to relax with his wife, Bess, and his mother. ![]() Houdini was born Erich Weiss in Budapest, arrived in New York in 1886. Many believe Houdini’s spirit is still in the W. Also adding to eternal fascination with Houdini is the fact that he was said to have uttered secret codes to his wife, Bess, and a few others, saying that when he died, he would contact them from beyond the grave. He was one of the biggest stars to ever emerge in New York, which is saying something given the litany of musical, theatrical and literary royalty that was born and bred here. Still, the house where Houdini lived is an indisputable chunk of handsome Upper Manhattan real estate that remains a permanent testimony to Houdini’s place in history, specifically in NYC history. There is also the 5-acre Houdini Estate in Los Angeles, which has been restored and still serves as a rental property for large events. There are also many Houdini enthusiasts and experts who have meticulously collected news clippings and artifacts from Houdini’s thrilling life and career, including many linked here at a site called Houdini Museum. 113th in undated photo from around the time he owned it. ![]()
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