Leather District

The Leather District is a nine-block area just east of Chinatown, an area once cut off from the rest of the city by the Central Artery. The neighborhood’s nickname stems from its history as hub for shoe and leather manufacturing. Located just on the fringe of Downtown Crossing, the Leather District’s 19^th century brick warehouses held impressive window displays that attracted downtown shoppers. Many of the storefronts today still have period details such as sturdy cast iron columns, though the majority of industry has since relocated elsewhere.