Carl Schurz Park
Carl Schurz Park is located at 1562 1st Ave with a designation of number 331
You can call ahead for special event planning (212) 459-4455. A typical park among the many that dot Manhattan, this is about 14 acres devoted to a play area, manicured lawns, a dog run and other well maintained areas. Dedicated in 1910 in honor of German immigrant and Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz, this is located at the very edge of Yorkville. At the time Yorkville was a predominantly German neighborhood and a fitting tribute to the Secretary.
The park has views of Wards Island and the East River, as well as the estate of Gracie Mansion. The deck built over the FDR Drive serves as the promenade facing the water. In addition to the beautiful gardens there are also two basketball courts and large lawns perfect for children or a spontaneous picnic. Siebert Classen was an early owner of the property. He named the cliff over which the land looks upon the East River "Hoorn's Hook". One of the very first structures that sat upon this site was a command post for Jacob Walton, which pre-dates the Revolutionary War. It was completely demolished after the fire fight between American and British forces during the Battle for Long Island. Just South of 86th Street (Once known as "East River Park" circa 1876), is the site of John Jacob Astor’s former villa. This area was used as a picnic ground when the City of New York bought the northern section in the early 1890s.
Robert Moses had to re-configure parts of the park to accommodate the new FDR Drive in the 1930s, later the park was in disrepair and a neighborhood came together to form a not-for-profit group. Originally the Carl Schurz Park Association came together to implement order in the children's play area. Today the association offers many public events, especially throughout the summer months. Weekly summer concerts and movies are often shown in the hockey arena during the off-season. Also be sure to come during the Gracie Square Art Show and the annual Halloween Hall, a costume contest for pets. Don't pass by the statue of Peter Pan, installed in 1928. The park as also served as a backdrop for an action scene in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, with actors Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Gracie Mansion
Since the 1940s this has been the residence of the Mayor of New York, though current Mayor Bloomberg loves elsewhere, this has been the home to the likes of Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani. Built in 1799 for Archibald Gracie in the Federal style, this structure is debated as the work of either Ezra Weeks or John McComb Jr. A new west wing was added during the Wagner administration. Named for Mayor Wagner’s wife; the Susan B. Wagner Wing was the design of architect Mott B. Schmidt. A lot of restoration work has been done during the life of the Mansion, but all updates have been carefully done, in the 1980s and again in 2002.
A former structure was occupied by George Washington on this site during the Revolutionary War, since it was positioned in such a way to have a vantage point over Hells Gate, a tidal strait in the East River. Belview Mansion was the home of a merchant, which was destroyed during the British invasion. The new home was completed in 1799 and by 1801 the New York Federalists met here to raise $10,000 for a newspaper start-up called the New York Evening Post, which later became the New York Post.
From 1924 to 1936 this was occupied by the Museum of the City of New York. Later in 1942 Robert Moses suggested that Mayor LaGuardia make this his permanent residence. Ever since it has been used as a private home for every other incoming mayor, although Mayor Giuliani did have to relocate and Mayor Bloomberg has never officially moved in. The first floor is open to the public and it has been used as offices for official city business. In 1975 it was classified as a land-marked site. Films like the original 1970s movie The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and a scene in the popular Ghostbusters II have cemented this site as an iconic symbol of Manhattan.
John Finley Walk
On the top floor of the deck above the FDR Drive, with views along the East River, the John Finley Walk stretches from 81st Street to Gracie Mansion. At the edge of Charles Schurz, it thins and continues to East Harlem, with views of Roosevelt Island. Named for the City College president and Harper’s Weekly Magazine editor John Finley, he was known for walking to work. Often favoring the long way with meandering paths and picturesque scenes. Every so often, along the promenade you will see iron plaques depicting the silhouette of Finley walking. The views of the Triborough Bridge, Hell’s Gate and the Queensboro Bridge are breathtaking on a clear day.
Originally from Illinois and the grandson of a Reverend, he and his siblings had careers as educators; his brother Samuel was president of Princeton College. Named associate editor to the New York Times in 1921, he was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1937. He also served as the president of the American Geographical Society between 1925 until 1934.
Roosevelt Island Tram
First opened in 1909 as a trolley line, this was the first tram in the United States predating the Mississippi Aerial River Transit (1984) and the Portland Aerial Tram (2006). Though the MTA has no standing over this method of transit, you can still use your Metro-Card here. The actual tram conveyance began in the 1970s, over the life of the tram it has taken over 26 million people over the East River. From six am to two thirty am the tram comes every 15 minutes. Renovations took place in 2010 and is now fully up to speed. In 1971 Lev Zetlin Associates were commissioned to design and build this structure. The aerial tramway was initially a temporary fix until a subway line was built. Since the plan fell through the tram became a permanent solution.
As part of a $25 million project, in 2010 the tram was updated. Because of an emergency issue previously, the present cars are able to move independently. Before; cars could only operate at the same time, making maintenance a big problem. The entrance is at Tram Plaza, 60th Street and 2nd Avenue with nearby subway lines at Lexington Avenue / 59th Street. This has been the setting for many well known scenes in film; in the 2002 Spiderman film, and in 1994’s Léon: The Professional as well as 1981’s Nighthawks.
Roosevelt Island
A narrow strip of land on the East River, Roosevelt Island lies between Manhattan to the west and Queens to the east. The island runs between Manhattan's East 46th to East 85th Streets, a length of about two miles. At its widest point 800 feet and an area of 147 acres. Officially a part of the Borough of Manhattan, along with Mill Rock, Roosevelt Island makes up Manhattan's Census Tract 238; a population of 9,520 was reported by the US Census in 2000. Called “Minnehanonck” by the Lenape Indians and then Varkens Eylandt or Hog Island by the New Netherlanders. Also called Blackwell's Island during colonial era settlement, and later known as Welfare Island from the late 1920s until 1973.
Owned by the city, the Urban Development Corporation leased the island for 99 years up to 1969. Residential buildings are all rentals here. There are two co-op condos at Rivercross and Riverwalk, plus Eastwood. Many historical events have taken place here, so many to pick from in the history of the island: In 1666 when the English took over the Dutch, a captain overtook the island, naming it Manning’s Island. Later John Manning’s son-in-law re-named the island and built the Blackwell House; the oldest landmark on Roosevelt Island. It is Manhattan’s sixth oldest private home and a rare example of 18th Century architectural form. In 1828 the city purchased the island. The island was used for a prison facility and the The New York City Lunatic Asylum, which opened in 1839. The Octagon Tower is still standing. The Asylum was designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis. Famous for overcrowding, at one point it held 1,700 inmates, twice its capacity. In 1856 The Smallpox Hospital was opened, the design of James Renwick Jr. Later, the asylum was renamed Metropolitan Hospital after some administrative re-organization.
In 1889 The Chapel of the Good Shepherd, the design of Frederick Clarke Withers, opened to the public. Set among modern buildings, the church is a humble brick structure with simple stone arches and a slate roof. By 1935 the prison at Riker’s Island was complete and the last convict was transferred from (then named) Welfare Island. In 1971 the island was re-named for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the tram was built shortly after. In 1998 and 2006 The Blackwell Island Lighthouse and the Octagon Tower were both restored respectively. Most recently, in 2011 a park was designated as the Southpoint Park, far south of the memorial hospital Goldwater. Also, finally, in 2012 after 38 years of planning the FDR Four Freedoms Park opened as a state park.
Lighthouse Park
One of the best spots for a picnic or a barbecue, a leisurely place to see a spectacular sunrise after a night on the town or an early morning run, Lighthouse Park is a 25 cent bus ride from the tram. Great views of the Upper East Side, but keep in mind that the Lighthouse is closed as of March 2013 for additional renovation. The bathroom is still open to the public for park goers. The park has been prone to flooding from the East River in 2011, softening the ground and toppling many old trees in the area, but today it is open and in order.
The centerpiece of the park is of course the Lighthouse; built by prisoners from locally sourced stone in 1872. The channel of the East River has many large rocks, making it a priority to construct a lighthouse here. There are looping paths and beautiful wild flowers along the way. Many tourists come because of rumors of ghosts since the asylum and prison closed long ago, but take it from a local there are no hauntings here. Better luck up at Execution Rock in Mamaroneck.
Harlem, abbreviated summary
Harlem has a storied past, and a bright future. Mostly comprised of African Americans, it is the center of culture and business as well as private life in the black community of New York. Named by the Dutch, it was originally modeled after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Organized in 1658, this area has had cyclical growth and deterioration, with big population booms after each wave of economic growth. In 1905 black Americans came to this area is droves. Later in the 1920s and 1930s, the area was well known for the Harlem Renaissance; a huge movement for expanding the arts, literature and music and theatrical groups featuring mostly black entertainers.
When industry moved after World War II the area experienced a great increase in unemployment and crime, but today the area is being revitalized by small business and what is commonly called ‘gentrification’; many young professionals are moving to the area for the low rents for both residential and business purposes, but in that act they have driven up property values. Making this a trendy borough. Generally referred to as Uptown to residents, Harlem is defined between the East River to the Hudson, from 155th Street which borders Washington Heights. There are many different parts of Harlem: Central Harlem is bordered by Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Morningside Park, St. Nicholas and Edgecombe Avenues, and Jackie Robinson Park upon a tall rising bank which forms the west boundary. West Harlem is defined by the borders of Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights and Cathedral Parkway, 110th Street, 155th Street, St. Nicholas Avenue and the Hudson River. East Harlem is bound by East 59th Street, East 142nd Street, Fifth Avenue and on the east by the Harlem River.
Mostly Central and West Harlem were the setting for the Harlem Renaissance. Most notable were the works of Langston Hughes and the various efforts for theaters like the New Heritage Repertory Theater, the National Black Theater, the Lafayette Players and the Harlem Suitcase Theater. The Savoy Ballroom on Lenox Avenue is no more, but a plaque marks the building. In 1936 legend Orson Wells produced a performance of Macbeth with an all black cast. Later many theaters were reused as churches, either renovated or completely torn down and rebuilt. At this time there were also whites only establishments like the Cotton Club (closed 1940) and Connie’s Inn.
During the 1950s it is widely accepted that the Italian crime ring orchestrated a ‘numbers game’ in Spanish Harlem. These Mafia bosses later gained control of banks and other financial institutions, most notably Madam Stephanie St. Clair. During the 1960s, the Harlem Boys Choir formed, with the Girls Choir much later in the 1980s, who now perform all over the world. The annual African American Day Parade began in 1969, also the formation of the Dance Theater of Harlem with former ballet dancer Arthur Mitchell at the helm.
Many famous names have called Harlem home: From John James Audubon, vice president Aaron Burr, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Norman Rockwell lived here at 789 St. Nicholas Ave. Comedian Milton Berle claimed residency here, and inventor Oscar Hammerstein the first lived here at 333 Edgecombe Avenue. Later, Oscar Hammerstein the second lived at the corner of East 166th Street and 112th Street. Harry Houdini spent 22 years at 278 West 113th Street. Count Basie and Lena Horne both resided at 555 Edgecombe Avenue, though not at the same time. WEB Du Bois also lived on Edgecombe Avenue, at number 409. Langston Hughes, writer during the Harlem Renaissance, lived here as well as former Mayor David Dinkins at Riverton Houses. Sammy Davis Jr. was born at Harlem Hospital, and author J.D. Salinger spent his childhood at 3681 Broadway. Harlem has also produced many artists and rappers, like Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs, Alicia Keys, Doug E. Fresh and Kelis. Recent transplants include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Maya Angelou, who have both bought property in the Mount Morris Park district.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the streetcars at 125th Street
125th Street is generally known as Harlem’s Main Street, with local businesses up against large chain retailers. Today it has been re-named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., who had a great impact not just on the city of New York but the world over. Part of the city wide gentrification process, many chain drugstores and big theater chains have moved in. Landmarks like the Apollo Theater and the former West End Theatre remain. The West End Theatre now serves as the home of the La Gree Baptist Church. Part of the street is positioned diagonally, and connects Manhattanville with Morningside Heights. It also connects with the Hudson River Parkway at 130th Street, and in Central Harlem at the FDR Drive it turns into the Triborough Bridge. Part of the street that has not been altered lies between Amsterdam and Claremont Avenues.
The deep valley at the 125th Street fault line was so massive the IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue line had to be constructed as a trestle bridge. Once this street was known as Hollow Way during the 18th century. Original parts of the street had to be broken up to make room for large ‘super blocks’ which now accommodate low income housing complexes. The old streetcar line closed in 1947, replaced by the M100 Bus. This line once covered East Harlem through the Marble Hill area, from 125th Street to Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway. This was known as the Kingsbridge Line, once the city ran streetcar lines all over the island of Manhattan but since the 1940s has phased them out in favor of subway and bus transit.
Notably, back in 1967 Lou Reed mentioned the area in a Velvet Underground song called I’m Waiting for the Man; citing 125th Street and Lexington Avenue. Most recently in 2011 former president Bill Clinton established offices here for his not-for-profit group at number 55; a large glass commercial office tower. Nearby on Amsterdam Avenue, a high school is also named for the famous civil rights leader, as well as a park in Mott Haven at Austin Place and East 149th Street.
The Cotton Club
The original at 644 Lenox Avenue is no more, but a storied past still echoes in Harlem: First opened by Jack Johnson who had previously been a heavyweight champ. The name was Club Deluxe, then Owney Madden bought the place in 1923 and re-named it the Cotton Club. Known as a bootlegger, Madden bought the club while serving time in Sing-Sing Prison. He used the club as his platform to sell his “#1 Beer to the Prohibition Crowd”. Herman Stark began as a stage manager at the downtown club at Broadway and 48th Street, in the center of the Theater District the club had pressure to produce high quality entertainment. Employing Bill “Bojangles” Robinson at $3500 a week, making him the highest paid black entertainer on Broadway at the time.
The Cotton Club perpetuated racial stereotypes of the day in their performances; depicting African Americans as savages and pushed “jungle music”. Entertainers, who were mostly black, were banned from fraternizing with patrons, who were all white. A “color bar” was put upon the chorus line, women were to be light skinned while male acts were less restricted. After hours, many of the performers usually went to the basement of the super at 646 Lenox Avenue. Duke Ellington was pushed into performing ‘jungle music’ but made amazing compositions that played with these beats. Garnering a review in the New York Times in 1937: “So long may the empirical Duke and his music making roosters reign---and long may the Cotton Club remember that it came down from Harlem”. This was the center of the Jazz Age despite being segregated.
The first band to play this venue was Fletcher Anderson's outfit in 1923, though Duke Ellington defined his career here between 1927 until 1934. Often Duke featured singer Adelaide Hall, who performed in the “Cotton Club Parade”; the club’s largest grossing show. This arena gave Duke the freedom to experiment, during this time he recorded over 100 compositions. Cab Calloway’s Orchestra performed here in 1930, and four years later Jimmie Lunceford performed here. The same year; Lena Horne, the Dandridge Sisters and the Will Mastin Trio (with Sammy Davis Jr.) debuted here. In 1936 the area experienced a race riot, closing the club. It did re-open at the Broadway and 48th Street location, but it closed for good in 1940. In 1989 the place was torn down to make way for a hotel. In film and television; the Cotton Club was the featured subject in the Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name, also it was a topic in the documentary “Jazz” by Ken Burns in 2001.
A new venue at 656 West 125th Street is now open, reviving the dance club atmosphere. It is a popular venue; with swing music and impersonators depicting greats of the time like Billie Holiday and others. Tim Williams and Al Pazant once played with Count Basie, and often grace the stage at this location.
The Apollo
The Apollo Theater is considered a must stop for all performers passing through New York City. On the National Register of Historic Places, this venue has become world famous for the widely broadcasted Showtime at the Apollo. Open everyday, this theater was once exclusive to black performers, today a variety of genres and nationalities have headlined here; recently Trent Reznor’s new project How to Destroy Angels has been booked here. Located at 253 West 125th Street, the first incarnation was Apollo Hall with founder; Civil War General Edward Ferrero in the mid 1850s. When his lease expired in 1872 the place was converted to a theater. The new building was erected and called Hurtig & Seamon’s New Burlesque Theater with a strict whites only policy. By the 1930s the theater was run down, in 1933 Frank Schulman bought the property. After much renovation they re-opened in 1934 with Clarence Robinson as their in-house producer featuring black entertainers exclusively.
The first headliner at the “new” Apollo Theater was Adelaide Hall beginning on Valentine’s Day. They also put on a benefit show for the Harlem Children’s Fresh Air Fund, seating the theater at capacity with 1506 seats. It was here that Ella Fitzgerald debuted at the age of 17 on November 21, 1934. Ella competed in one of the very first Amateur Nights, with original host Ralph Cooper. The prime years of the theater were during the Harlem Renaissance and before World War II. Old time Vaudeville performers took the stage here, like Tim Moore and Stepin Fetchit as well as Moms Mabley. Others like Billie Holiday, James Brown, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Jackson Five, Marvin Gaye and so many more have performed here. In 1964 Jimi Hendrix won the Amateur Night prize. Well known is the Executioner, a person dressed as a clown or a cowboy with a broom or a cane to push lame acts off the stage. Since 1934 entertainers have rubbed the plank or stump of wood, at the far right of the stage before performances, for luck. It was a great elm tree that stood on Seventh Avenue, at 131st and 132nd Streets, called Harlem’s Tree of Hope.
Some of the earliest white performers began to be featured in the early 1950s; Anita O’Day first headlined here the week of September 21st in 1950, in 1957 Buddy Holly played here, Jo-Ann Campbell and Charlie Barnet also performed here. Rockabilly musician Dale Hawkins claim-to-fame is that he was the very first white performer to play here.
In the 1960s and 1970s the theater was mismanaged and in disrepair, again; in the early 1980s InnerCity Broadcasting bought the building, Later the State of New York purchased the structure, it re-opened in 1985 with a series of events, including the 50th anniversary reunion of the Little Rascals. Rock acts like Korn have performed here in the late 1990s. In 2005 a large scale restoration has been ongoing, at a cost of $65 million. With a new facade and an LED sign, the re-launch was attended to by former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Mike Bloomberg. As recently as 2010 Paul McCartney performed here, and in 2012 President Obama appeared here. Later in the same year in March, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed here as well. The Apollo Theater Legends Hall of Fame includes greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstine, Gladys Knight, the Pips, as well as Michael Jackson and James Brown. Upon news of Michael Jacksons death, a mass assembled in front of the theater to sing his hits, lay flowers and pay their respects to the performer.
Theresa Towers or The Hotel Theresa
At the intersection of Adam CLayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and W. 125th Street is the Hotel Theresa. Opened in 1913, built by Gustavus Sidenberg, at the time it was the tallest building in Harlem until an office building went up in 1973. Named for the builder’s wife, it has a stark white terracotta facade. Called the “Waldorf Astoria of Harlem” this hotel began as a ‘whites only’ establishment. Later in 1940 this policy ended and business flourished with the business of black patrons who were turned away from other hotels.
Since many hotels refused black patrons, a mix of athletes, performers, politicians and artists all have stayed here. Louis Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Duke Ellington, Muhammad Ali, Lena Horne, Dinah Washington, Josephine Baker, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix and many more have stayed here in passing and as permanent residents. Best remembered is Fidel Castro’s stay during the 1960 United Nations opening session; having been booted out of the Hotel Shelburne, the Hotel Theresa took him and his guests. Castro spent $800 a night on 80 rooms for his extensive group.
Other prominent figures have have fraternized here, like Malcolm X and the then named Cassius Clay. Malcolm X held meeting here for his Organization of Afro-American Unity. One time Commerce Secretary under the Clinton Administration; Ron Brown grew up in these halls. US Congressman representing Harlem, Charles Rangel once worked the desk here. In 1960 John F. Kennedy campaigned here. In the 1950s and 1960s the structure was poorly maintained and it closed in 1967. Reopened in 1971 as office space, it was renamed Theresa Towers, though the old name remains on a painted sign out front. In 1993 the City of New York designated his a landmark. This building has been the backdrop for scenes in films like Precious and Hitchcock’s Topaz.
Studio Museum in Harlem
At 144 West 125th Street, or MLK Boulevard, this is the premier museum featuring the work of African Americans exclusively. Founded in 1968 this space exhibits works from 19th and 20th century artists. The Studio Museum in Harlem is known for their Artist in Residence program, supporting top talents like most recently Mequitta Ahuja, Lauren Kelley and Valerie Piraino. A large catalog of archival works from photographer James VanDerZee spans three decades. Over 1600 works are housed in the museum collection, from such artists as Hector Hyppolite, Serge Jolimeau, Lois Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Norman Lewis, Wardell Milan and Philome Obin.
First conceived in 1968, the museum had humble beginnings in a loft space at Fifth Avenue and 125th Street. The Junior Council of the Museum of Modern Art is largely responsible for pushing the idea of a museum into Harlem as an everyday experience like the library or post office. American painter William T. WIlliams spearheaded the concept of the artist residency program, making it a priority to support and fund emerging talent. Housed in a classical building, the lower level is encased in green glass (at the street level facade). More like a gallery space than a museum, the collected works of artists in residence are featured here along with permanent works in the collection.
Sylvia’s Restaurant
At 326 Lenox Avenue (or Malcolm X Boulevard), Sylvia’s Restaurant is the place for old fashioned fare from the recipes of Sylvia herself; now a successful line of food products, the original can be found in the heart of Harlem. Often referred to as Sylvia’s Soul Food or simply Sylvia’s, since the expansion into commercial production the restaurant has suffered: despite posting that they deliver with a $20 minimum they don’t deliver and if you order to pick up you can expect them to forget something. There is no waiting for a table but it can take up to 20 minutes just to get a plate of eggs, which you can anticipate as cold and rubbery. When the one and only Sylvia Woods was here this was the place for real soul food, today staffers are slow and inconsiderate. Though prices are high and portions are generous, the fare is hit or miss; the chicken and biscuits are a staple but sometimes soggy or overcooked.
There is no air conditioning, and special diet requests will be ignored. This is not the time to count calories. In 1962 Sylvia opened up as a luncheonette with money from her mother. A huge success right away, this place has attracted Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Caroline Kennedy and Bill Clinton among others. Nelson Mandela has also dined here. An infamous incident with Bill O’Riley took place here in 2007, where he made off-center comments.
National Jazz Museum of Harlem
Devoted to the appreciation and preservation of Jazz musicians and the history of the genre, the revitalization of the museum is largely credited to pianist Johnathan Batiste from New Orleans. New locations are planned for the building across from the Apollo theater with help from Loren Schoenberg; planned with 17,000 square feet of space dedicated to cultural events. 7500 visitors come every year to hear concerts, this space is not in the business of preserving artifacts. A young museum, founded in 1997 as an affiliate of the Smithsonian, they offer free programs and affordable music lessons.
There is a large collection of selected works; the Savoy Collection holds important Depression era recordings transferred to compact disc format. Since the decline of popularity in the genre, Jazz music and the preservation of it remains a challenge; when the museum was founded they had a budget of $1.3 million. On the board of directors is documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. Bringing Jazz to the masses has been slow with the decline of radio airplay and a mere blip on the Grammy roster. Beginning in 2008 Batiste and the Stay Human Band created the program Jazz Is: Now! where they play deconstructed jazz and discuss music theory. This museum is for serious aficionados and casual fans alike. Located at 104 E. 126th Street it is a gem of Harlem.
Marcus Garvey Park
Also called Mount Morris Park, this space was renamed to honor the Jamaican born political leader who founded both the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Opened to the public in 1840 it is a part of the Mount Morris district. Best remembered as the site of the Harlem Cultural Festival, it was labeled “Black Woodstock”. Since the prime of the park, it has become a bit run down; with concrete and brick dislodged and vandalism rampant. The park does have its strong points like the Pelham Fritz Recreation Center and Amphitheater located west of the park at 122nd Street. There is also a swimming pool north of the park. There are two playgrounds constructed with infants and disabled children in mind, built in 1993. A Little League baseball field fills the southwest corner. A dog run is at the southeast corner of the park.
A big feature is the Harlem Fire Watchtower. Designed by Julius H. Kroehl and built between 1855 and 1857 in cast iron. Fitted with a massive 10,000 pound bell, cast by Jones & Hitchcock, this structure allowed firemen to take advantage of the height above sea level the park is elevated to, plus the added height of the building. In an era when most buildings were made of wood this was an important feature. At a height of 47-foot the tower is the only one of its kind to survive out of eleven constructed in the city. It was designated as a landmark in 1967. The watchtower at the center of the park, is on an artificial platform nicknamed The Acropolis.
Hamilton Heights
Hamilton Heights is contained with 135th Street on the south side, the Hudson River to the west side, 155th Street on the north side, as well as Edgecombe Avenue on the east. This area is named for Alexander Hamilton, who spent the last two years of his life in this neighborhood when it was a vast farmland. He lived in what is now Hamilton Grange National Monument. Most of the buildings in this area were constructed between 1890 and 1910, beautiful buildings were steadily declining when in the Depression the neighborhood changed over from predominately white upper class to black middle lower class. In the 1960s more upper middle class African Americans came to the area because of new construction of brownstone townhouses.
Immigrants escaping the Russian Revolution spurred growth in the area during and after the 1940s. Ukrainians, Russian White émigré, and Polish peoples came to Hamilton Heights. A large Russian presence in this immediate area: with Russian Orthodox Churches, book stores, bakeries, grocery stores as well as Russian language theaters along Broadway. The "Russian House" at the corner of Broadway and West 141st Street is detailed with florishes indicative of Russian architecture. A Russian language library was on the other corner. In the late 1950s through the 1960s, Russians began to move out; favoring suburban areas in nearby Long Island and New Jersey. One landmark cementing this time in the heights history is the Holy Fathers Russian Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, located on 524 W. 153rd Street.
Washington Heights and Hudson Heights are closely associated because of their proximity to each other. Named for Fort Washington, it is a desirable area since it is less densely populated than other parts of Manhattan. Washington Heights is bound with Harlem to the South, along 155th street, and Inwood on the North contained by Dyckman Street, as well as the Hudson River to the West and Harlem River to the East. This is the first neighborhood you hit when departing the Washington Bridge, with the Little Red Lighthouse at the base of the last tower upon entering the city. A plaque at Pinehurst Avenue and 183rd Street in Bennett Park marks the highest point of elevation from sea level in all of Manhattan. High cliff faces upon the Hudson river were the property of wealthy landowners, one of which was John James Audubon. In recent history; In the early 2000s many rough characters moved out of the area to make way for Latin American and South American immigrants; mostly Dominicans. In the early 1900s Irish immigrants occupied the area.
Much of the Inwood neighborhood is occupied by the Inwood Hill Park and the Isham Park. There is a growing artist scene as well as the oldest surviving farmhouse on Manhattan. A safe area, it is a desirable location to raise a young family. This area is at the most northern point of the island, with rolling hills it is prone to flooding in spots. With 160 acres of land devoted to the park, it is an ideal place to go apartment hunting. not planning on an extended stay? Then come to the Inwood Hill Park Farmers Market, rain or shine every Saturday at the far end of the park.
Strivers’ Row
These three rows of townhouses were the idea of David King, first named for him as “King Model houses”. Located between West 138th and West 139th, Strivers’ Row has had famous occupants such as Eubie Blake and Fletcher Henderson, as well as Vertner Tandy and W. C. Handy. Dr. Louis T. Wright, Henry Pace called this place home, and heavyweight boxer Harry Wills shared a courtyard with comedian Stepin Fetchit. Beloved Harlem performer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and preacher/congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. also lived here at different times.
The alleyway entrance is an iron gate with lettering on stone, telling tenants that they have to “walk their horses” through this private community. Built between 1881 and 1883 this was an affluent address. Part of the 139th Street complex was created by McKim, Mead and White in neo-Italian style. Other architects who added to the complex on 138th Street were James Brown Lord, Bruce Price, and Clarence S. Luce.
Over time, the development failed and most of the houses were soon taken over by the Equitable Life Assurance Society, the projects financier. At the time, Harlem was being abandoned by white New Yorkers who favored the suburbs of Long Island and new Jersey. Despite the great need to provide real estate to the growing professionals in the black community the company would not sell to blacks. For many years the homes sat empty. Finally, when made available to residents for $8,000 each, they attracted diligent professionals, or "strivers," who gave the houses their namesake.
The Cloisters
A very different experience; you wouldn’t expect a New Yorker would care about a place so much that they wanted to re-build it brick-by-brick from it’s original location in France. That is exactly what happened. George Grey Barnard was a collector of medieval art, and of course the ultimate would be adding a whole building of the period to exhibit how monks lived during that time in history. It is dominated by the Cuxa Cloister tower, which holds the Cuxa Cloister. You can still climb the stairs here to see the amazing view of the Washington Bridge.
Located at Fort Tryon Park, you’ll need to take a trip over to Washington Heights. Between 1934 and 1938 a grant from John D. Rockefeller Jr. made reconstructing this immense building possible. It is considered a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, maintained as one of many structures on the National Register of Historic Places.
This is not a first date kind of a place. It can be eerily quiet and the harsh echo bounces far. Mostly you will see SUNY and CUNY students sketching, older people walking the grounds and occasionally couples taking leisurely strolls. This is a place where people linger all day. The best thing to do; bring a sandwich and a drink and a notebook. This is a great space to get inspired and brainstorm your next novel’s plot. Set near the Hudson River it is a very different experience set apart from the usual tourist stops in NYC. Also note that this is a rare place where you can park all day.
Address: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, New York, NY
Phone: (212) 923-3700
Hours:
Mon
Closed
Tue-Thu, Sun
9:30am–5:15pm
Fri-Sat
9:30am–9pm
Dyckman Farmhouse
Manhattan’s oldest surviving farmhouse sits at 4881 Broadway at 204th Street, built in 1784. This is a Dutch Colonial situated at the northern point of the old property. Jan Dyckman was given a land grant northern tip of the island in the 1660s. Destroyed in the Revolutionary War, descendants reclaimed the land and built this structure. Made of fieldstone and clapboard it has spring eaves with deep slopes and wide porches. Simple brick makes the facade, which faces street level. Until 1868 this was the family home. When large high rises were erected the house fell to near ruin.
By 1915, Mary Alice Dyckman Dean and Fannie Fredericka Dyckman Welch took an interest, with help from spouses; curator Bashford Dean and architect Alexander McMillan Welch, the building was fully restored. These two sisters were determined to create a museum space to exhibit their ancestors entire way of life. Rooms in the home are decorated with objects reminiscent of New York’s Dutch heritage. The garden space is unique: with traditional fieldstone smokehouse plus a half-timbered wood hut—originally constructed by the famous Hessian mercenaries who fought for the British in the Revolutionary War—this is a reconstruction. Upon completion in 1916 the sisters donated the house and grounds to the City of New York.
Dyckman Street
Storied as an important part of Manhattan; Bisecting Broadway and connecting the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, it is located where 200th Street should appear. This is a small portion of the island where the grid plan was not applied. A small part of the road divides Inwood Hill Park from Fort Tryon Park. Once owned and named for Dutch farmer William Dyckman, the Dyckman Plantation reached 100 acres at its height of operation. A rarity: Traffic on this street runs both ways, with the exception for a one-block area between Broadway and Seaman Avenue.
An indispensable part of the city’s history, it has also been featured in the arts: In the fictional Mad Men television series, character Pete Campbell is a descendant of the Dyckman family. J. D. Salinger's character Charlotte Mayhew is described as having a "Dyckman Street accent" in his work "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters."
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