Washington Heights, locally called “The Heights” (recently made famous by the popular Broadway musical of the same name) is in the northern and highest point of Manhattan with spectacular views up and down the Hudson River. and East River. It has a long history of its own - apart from the lower part of Manhattan Island which was first settled by Europeans in 18th century. Earlier occupied by the Wecquaesgeek tribe of Lenape Native Americans- the tribe moved out by 1669 (holding onto their land until 1715).
The Revolutionary War put the area into history books with the battle between the advancing British marching south and eventually facing General George Washington with his troops from the Continental Army on the high camp ground “Fort Washington”. The British took the position, and settled in the area now called Bennett Park (between 183rd - 185th Streets). They later retreated leaving Washington’s Continental Army in charge.
On July 9, 1776, in the Blue Bell Tavern, not far from the fort (where today Broadway and West 181st Street intersect), New York’s Provincial Congress met to assent to the Declaration of Independence,
The biggest migration to The Heights from other countries began in the early 1900s, Irish immigrants moved to Washington Heights. During World War I, immigrants from Hungary and Poland moved in next to the Irish. European Jews went to Washington Heights to escape Nazism during the 1930s and the 1940s. During the 1950s and 1960s, many Greeks moved to Washington Heights; the community was referred to as the “Astoria of Manhattan.” By the 1980s–90s, the neighborhood became mostly Dominican.
In recent times - from the beginning of approximately 2000, a mix of many people started to migrate from downtown Manhattan (and other boroughs) to “The Heights” - many younger people in the arts, beginning a business career, and/or starting a new family, or retirement needs. All drawn by the large and multiple parks, playgrounds, the access to Riverside Park with biking paths starting by the George Washington Bridge, multiple walking paths, hiking the old woods in Inwood Park. There is still a large population of Dominican but overall a diverse area in Manhattan.
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| SPRING 2020 | SUMMER 2020 | FALL/WINTER 2020-2021 |
