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Deliciously different from other streets in Manhattan , Mulberry Street is literally a street that never sleeps. On Saturday night, people roam around admiring Chinese cuisines and Italian eateries. People from different suburbs and boroughs come to Mulberry Street for an ensured night of fun. However, Mulberry Street was not always the ideal place to spend most of your time. Mulberry Street, at one time, was known for its high crime rate, gangs lurking in dark, deserted alleys, and thieves wandering in search of potential trouble. Mulberry Street has a disgraceful past, a joyful present, and a hopeful future.

From the 1860s to the late 1800s, Italians were forced to leave their homeland because of poverty and unemployment. Roughly 68,500 Italian merchants moved to New York with hopes of a better future. Quickly, they found themselves crammed into airless, dark tenements. By the 1920s, roughly 391,000 Italians lived in the city. The overpopulation on Mulberry Street caused the thoroughfare to become one of New York's most dishonorable slums. Gangs were formed, criminals lurked in dark corners, and street urchins wandered the streets already crowded with dirty tenements.

The fraudulent street was rumored to be the birth place of the Mafia: a secret crime organization that dealt with illegal activities. Mulberry Street grew to be the favorite hangout place of Mafia members. This hangout became known as the Five Points neighborhood.

Even though the neighborhood was ravaged with crime and scandals, the people tried to make the best of it. Bakeries, restaurants, cafes and pizzerias opened everywhere in an attempt to soften the sharp pain of nostalgia. The Italians also settled into specific neighborhoods that housed the people with the same ethnic and cultural values.

Slowly, President Roosevelt fought against the destitution that raged on Mulberry Street with the police force. They tore down the crowded tenements and slowly New York 's most shabby slum evolved into what it is today. The cost of the renovation sky-rocketed to millions of dollars. In 1897, the city created Mulberry Bend Park, also known as Five Points Park, in an endeavor to help destroy the Five Points neighborhood. In 1911 the park was renamed after Christopher Columbus to honor the Italian population that had settled there. Today the park is acknowledged as Columbus Park.

As time wore on, the Italian population and neighborhoods began to reduce due to the increasing amount of Asian immigrants in what would later be known as “ Chinatown.” Mulberry's intersection with Chinatown is lined with green grocers, butcher stores and fish mongers. Chinese funeral homes are established on the east side of the street. In addition, many Asian American banks are also located on the thoroughfare.

The Italian population that once resided on Mulberry Street began to shrink slowly, as the increasing number of Chinese immigrants began to occupy Mulberry Street. Today the Italians populate only a small section known as NoLIta; short for North of Little Italy. Mulberry Street is now well known for its rich Italian and Chinese culture.

Mulberry Street has had its share of fame. Famous scenes from “The Godfather” were filmed there. Additionally, the renowned Billy Joel featured the street in his song “Big Man on Mulberry Street".

Mulberry Street has transformed into a thriving, night-life environment from a village of poverty, crime and depression. The merchants on Mulberry Street were motivated to change their lifestyle from one of fear to a life of joy. The Italian and Chinese eateries helped transform Mulberry Street into what it is today. Mulberry Street has endured poverty, experienced crime, and changed fear into hope for the years to come.