Entry No. 29 — the New York City file — filed under: roadside-oddity

Jim Power's East Village Mosaic Trail

Vietnam veteran Jim Power, dubbed 'the Mosaic Man' by the Village Voice in 1988, has spent nearly four decades encrusting lampposts, stoops, planters, and walls with tiny tiles, mirror shards, broken pottery, coins, and small sculptures. Each pole is dedicated to a piece of neighborhood history, from McSorley's to the Fillmore East. Giuliani's anti-graffiti task force destroyed many over the years, and Power, now in a wheelchair, has rebuilt them. He was honored with a ribbon-cutting by City Lore and the Village Alliance in 2022.

The move: Follow the trail of glittering lampposts down St. Marks Place, reading each one's hidden dedication, and end at McSorley's for a beer.

📍 Before you go Self-guided and free; only a fraction of the original ~70 poles survive, scattered across several blocks. Power himself is sometimes seen working with his dog.

• 📍 East Village, Manhattan
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: St. Marks Place between Avenue A and Broadway (and surrounding blocks), New York, NY

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23