Moving Day in New York City used to occur on May 1st every year. On this day, nearly every lease in the City expired, forcing those who didn't renew to move to new locations. Each year, there were on about a million families who moved house on Moving Day, releasing a day of chaos onto the City.
Though many cities had moving days, New York’s is probably the best example just for sheer scale. Up until World War II, almost all leases in the city would expire simultaneously on 1 May. That sounds just such a bad idea that you think it can’t possibly have happened, but sure enough, total mayhem would ensue every year as everyone moved at the same time.
Check out the full article for a fascinating read on the history of this bizarre holiday.
via City Metric
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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