The Bowery Boys were an anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic gang based North of the Five Points district of New York City. The most famous of the Bowery Boys was William Poole aka Bill the Butcher. Bowery Boys were mostly single males who frequented the saloons and brothels of The Bowery and dressed in black stovepipe hats, red shirts, black flared trousers, high heeled calf skin boots and black vests with oil slicked hair.

The Bowery Boys often fought Irish gangs such as the Dead Rabbits or the Plug Uglies and were affiliated with the "Know-Nothing", or "American", political party which lasted from 1849-1856.

During the New York Draft Riots of 1863 the Bowery Boys took part in much of the looting while fighting with rival gangs. By the end of the decade, however, the gang had split into various factions as the Bowery Boys gradually disappeared.

The book and the movie titled Gangs of New York record the flavor of the group.