The Plug Uglies were an early New York street gang who occupied the Five Points between the 1820s to the 1900s. Noted for their strange appearance as most members wore plug hats , stuffed with leather and wool scraps, pulled down over their ears. Many of the members were said to be over 6 ft. tall which led later writers to speculate was a height requirement. Known for having a brick in one hand and a club in the other with a pistol in their belts the Plug Uglies dominated the Five Points for decades however they began to decline after the New York Draft Riots of 1863 eventually being absorbed by the Whyos and Five Points Gang by the end of the century.
See also
References
- Herbert Asbury, The Gangs of New York, New York, 1928
