Heard It Through The Grapevine?

[Photo: Ephemeral New York]

Ever wondered where the phrase originated? According to Ephemeral New York, at a tavern called The Old Grapevine—holding down the corner of Sixth Avenue and West 11th Street for much of the 19th century.

The Old Grapevine attracted artists, businessmen, Union officers, Southern spies, and politicians, who dropped by after visiting Jefferson Market Courthouse two blocks south. It was such a gathering spot that the phrase "I heard it through the grapevine" originated there. (Yep, a grapevine used to cover the 11th Street side of the tavern.)

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