The rich artifactual data that was recovered on a block in Manhattan, which was once part of the notorious Five Points district, suggests aspects of everyday life among New York’s emerging working class that were previously unavailable. By weaving the artifacts into narrative vignettes that connect the artifacts to their owners, and drawing on secondary sources for historical context, the neighborhood emerges as something quite different than contemporary and even recent sources have portrayed. This paper contrasts previously published “tales” about Five Points with the more homely stories constructed from the artifactual and historical data. The use of narrative is considered here as a way of “knowing” the past as well as presenting it.