February House

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The February House was an artists' commune from 1940 to 1941 in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, New York City. [1]

Contents

History

George Davis, an editor for Harper's Bazaar, rented a brownstone at 7 Middagh St. from late 1940 to 1941. Davis invited friends to move in, looking to foster a creative environment for artists. The main residents of February House were W.H. Auden, Carson McCullers, Benjamin Britten, Paul Bowles, and Gypsy Rose Lee. [2] The house itself was a mock-Tudor brownstone in disrepair, with faulty plumbing and a lack of locks. [2] [1] Guests of the February House included Salvador and Gala Dalí, Anaïs Nin, Klaus Mann, Jane Bowles, Richard Wright, and Pavel Pchelitchew. [2] [1] It was Nin who named the it February House, for the number of residents with February birthdays. [3]

A number of works were created at the February House: McCullers began writing The Ballad of the Sad Cafe , meeting the inspiration for the characters at a bar in the neighborhood. [4] Lee published The G-String Murders . Auden published The Double Man . Jane Bowles began writing Two Serious Ladies . [1]

By the end of 1941, the main residents of February house, save Davis, had moved out. Auden was broke and took a position at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. McCullers moved in with her mother in Georgia. Lee moved to Chicago for better opportunities. [2] Britten returned to England and produced Peter Grimes . [4] In 1945, Davis left the house too. Soon after Davis left, the house was demolished to construct the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. [2]

In media

In 2012, a musical February House by Gabriel Kahane and Seth Bockley premiered at the Public Theater. It ran for two weeks. [2]

In 2005, a biography February House was written by Sherill Tippins. [4]

In 2025, BBC Radio 3 broadcast a program The February House. One of the contributors was Sherill Tippins. [5]

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pohlig, Molly (2015-05-16). "February House, the Middagh Street home of literary giants". Brownstoner. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Geselowitz, Gabriela (25 September 2014). "The House on Middagh Street". www.bklynr.com. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  3. ↑ Lahr, John (2012-05-28). "The Gang's All Here". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  4. 1 2 3 Vaill, Amanda (2005-02-06). "'February House': Brooklyn Bohemians". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  5. ↑ Woods, Gregory (22 June 2025). "The February House". BBC Radio 3. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
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