Moving Day was a tradition in New York City dating back to colonial times and lasting until after World War II. On February 1, sometimes known as “Rent Day”, landlords would give notice to their tenants what the new rent would be after the end of the quarter, the tenants would spend good-weather days in the early spring searching for new houses and the best deals and on the first of May all leases in the city expired simultaneously at 9:00 am, causing thousands of people to change their residences, all at the same time.
May Day: A History of “Moving Day”
New York Times (
April 30, 1873) ..
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9505E7D7163DE43BBC4850DFB2668388669FDE
Moving Day (New York City)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Day_(New_York_City)
60 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About New York City
Basically, you’re always walking over thousands of dead bodies.
by Matt Stopera
BuzzFeed
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/60-facts-that-will-make-nyc-feel-like-a-whole-new-place
7. Up until World War II, everyone in the entire city who was moving apartments had to move on May 1.