Alice Austen House episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 24, 2026 · 18 MIN

Alice Austen House

from The Atlas Obscura Podcast · host SiriusXM Podcasts & Atlas Obscura

In the 1950s, a journalist doing archival research at the Staten Island Historical Society came across a collection of images that stopped him in his tracks. These photos featured women from the 1890s smoking cigarettes, dressed in men’s clothing, showing their petticoats or legs or hair. These photos were taken by a woman named Alice Austen, and Jensen decided to track her down…a trail which led him to the Staten Island poor house.  Today we learn Alice’s story, by visiting the house on Staten Island where she lived for most of her life –  before she lost nearly everything – which is today a museum dedicated to her life and work.  Check out the Alice Austen House online: https://aliceausten.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1950s, a journalist doing archival research at the Staten Island Historical Society came across a collection of images that stopped him in his tracks. These photos featured women from the 1890s smoking cigarettes, dressed in men’s clothing, showing their petticoats or legs or hair. These photos were taken by a woman named Alice Austen, and Jensen decided to track her down…a trail which led him to the Staten Island poor house. Today we learn Alice’s story, by visiting the house on Staten Island where she lived for most of her life – before she lost nearly everything – which is today a museum dedicated to her life and work. Check out the Alice Austen House online: https://aliceausten.org/

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Alice Austen House

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This episode was published on March 24, 2026.

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In the 1950s, a journalist doing archival research at the Staten Island Historical Society came across a collection of images that stopped him in his tracks. These photos featured women from the 1890s smoking cigarettes, dressed in men’s clothing,...

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