The Gum Wall

The Gum Wall is a brick alleyway surface coated in layers of masticated bubblegum, forming a kaleidoscopic, textured relief that stretches along Post Alley. This practice began in the nineteen nineties when patrons waiting in line for the Market Theater stuck their used gum to the bricks while holding their place. Theater staff scraped the wall clean twice, but the sheer volume of gum eventually overwhelmed their efforts. By nineteen ninety-nine, officials declared it an official tourist attraction.