2. Famous artists painted murals on the walls of 27 Barrow Street
As mentioned, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney was one of the founding board members of Greenwich House. It was through her generosity that an Arts School was able to open in the House’s headquarters at 27 Barrow Street. The new location, designed by the illustrious architecture firm of Delano & Aldrich, opened in 1917, again on Thanksgiving Day.
In addition to giving funds for the school, Whitney also gave access to her big-name connections. The walls of the Arts School were decorated with murals by Whitney’s famous artist friends of the time including Daniel Chester French, John Sloan, and James Fraser. Whitney, who was an artist in her own right, would go on to found her own museum, The Whitney Museum of Art.
