Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War at the highest point on Manhattan island to defend the area from the British forces. The fort was captured by the British on November 16, 1776 at great cost to the American forces; 130 soldiers were killed or wounded, and an additional 2,700 captured and held as prisoners, many of whom died on prison ships anchored in New York Harbor. The progress of the battle is marked by a series of bronze plaques along Broadway. The construction of the Empire State Building, 1930. ... Upper Manhattan is an area in New York City consisting of the thin, northern neck of the island of Manhattan. ... Alternate uses: Fort Washington (disambiguation) Fort Washington (New York) was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island and was located at the highest point on the island. ... The Continental Army was the unified command structure of the thirteen colonies fighting Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, allies British Empire, allies Commanders George Washington Comte de Rochambeau Nathanael Greene William Howe Henry Clinton Charles Cornwallis Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties {{{casualties1}}} {{{casualties2}}} The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was the military side of the American Revolution. ... Manhattan Borough,highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... New York Harbor is a geographic term that refers collectively to the bays and tidal estuaries near the mouth of the Hudson and adjacent rivers in the vicinity of New York City. ... A view of Broadway in 1909 Broadway, as the name implies, is a wide avenue in New York City, and is the oldest north-south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to the first New Amsterdam settlement. ...

Geography

Washington Heights is on the high ridge that rises steeply north of the narrow valley that carries 125th Street to the former ferry landing on the Hudson River. Though the neighborhood was once considered to run as far south as 125th Street, modern usage defines the neighborhood as running north from 155th Street to Inwood. At the northern end of Washington Heights, near Fort Washingon Avenue and 183rd Street in Bennet Park is a plaque marking Manhattan's highest natural elevation, at what was the location of Fort Washington. View of the Hudson in the 1880s showing Jersey City The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk in Mahican, is a river running mainly through New York State but partly forming the boundary between the states of New York and New Jersey. ... Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan. ... Bennet Park as known as Bennett Park is a public park located in the Washington Heights neighbourhood of New York City. ...

Transportation

Three of the bridges that cross the Harlem River are visible in this photo of the river: the High Bridge (closed to traffic); the Alexander Hamilton Bridge (part of Interstate 95); and the Washington Bridge. In this photo, looking north, the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan is on the left and the Bronx is on the right)

The Washington Heights area of Manhattan is connected to Fort Lee, New Jersey via the George Washington Bridge. The Trans-Manhattan Expressway, a portion of Interstate 95, proceeds from the George Washington Bridge in a trench between 178th and 179th Streets. To the east, the Highway leads to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge across the Harlem River to the Bronx and the Cross-Bronx Expressway. The Washington Bridge crosses the Harlem River just north of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. High Bridge, an unused portion of the New York City water system that is now closed to pedestrian traffic, crosses the Harlem River just south of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. Image File history File links Harlem River with the High Bridge, the Alexander Hamilton Bridge and the Washington Bridge visible, looking north, mid-December 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Harlem River with the High Bridge, the Alexander Hamilton Bridge and the Washington Bridge visible, looking north, mid-December 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Interstate 95 (abbreviated I-95) is an interstate highway that runs 1907 miles (3070 kilometers) north-south along the east coast of the United States. ... Manhattan Borough,highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States. ... Map highlighting Fort Lees location within Bergen County. ... The George Washington Bridge The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan Island in New York City to Fort Lee, New Jersey. ... The Trans-Manhattan Expressway is a highway in New York City. ... Interstate 95 (abbreviated I-95) is an interstate highway that runs 1907 miles (3070 kilometers) north-south along the east coast of the United States. ... Three of the bridges that cross the Harlem River are visible in this photo of the river: the High Bridge (closed to traffic) in the foreground; the Alexander Hamilton Bridge (part of Interstate 95); and the Washington Bridge furthest away. ... The Harlem River, shown in red, between the Bronx and Manhattan in New York City The Harlem River is a tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the East River and the Hudson River, separating the borough of Manhattan from the Bronx. ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ... The Cross-Bronx Expressway is a highway in New York City. ... Three of the bridges that cross the Harlem River are visible in this photo of the river: the High Bridge (closed to traffic) in the foreground; the Alexander Hamilton Bridge (part of Interstate 95); and the Washington Bridge furthest away. ... High Bridge may refer to: High Bridge, New Jersey High Bridge, Kentucky The name of a variety of bridges in a number of English-speaking countries, including the High Bridge that crosses the Harlem River in New York City. ...

Noted sites

Among the Heights' now-vanished riverfront estates was "Minnie's Land," the home of artist John James Audubon, who is buried in Trinity Church Cemetery churchyard of the neighborhood's Church of the Intercession (1915), a masterpiece by architect Bertram Goodhue. At Audubon Terrace is a cluster of five underused Beaux Arts museum buildings of distinguished architecture. Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, perhaps the most widely known institution in the neighborhood, occupies the former site of Hilltop Park, the home of the New York Highlanders (now known as the New York Yankees) from 1903 to 1912. John James Audubon John James Audubon (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a Franco-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. ... Trinity Church Close-up of Trinity Church Trinity Church, at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street in New York City, viewed from the World Trade Center A glimpse of New York from Trinity Church steeple. ... The Church of the Intercession is a congregation of the Episcopal Church in the United States. ... Goodhue by Lee Lawrie, holding the Rockefeller Chapel, Chicago, Illinois Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue (April 28, 1869 - April 23, 1924) was a renowned American architect celebrated for his work in neo-gothic design. ... ... New York-Presbyterian Hospital is a prominent university hospital in New York City, composed of two medical centers, Columbia University Medical Center and New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, each affiliated with an Ivy League University. ... Hilltop Park was a baseball stadium that formerly stood in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927 â€¢ 1923 AL Pennants (39) 2003 â€¢ 2001 â€¢ 2000... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ...

The Cuxa Cloister, at The Cloisters

The best known cultural site and tourist attraction in Washington Heights is The Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park at the northern end of the neighborhood, with spectacular views across the Hudson to The Palisades. This branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is devoted to Medieval art and culture, and is located in a medieval-style building, portions of which were purchased in Europe, brought to the United States, and reassembled. Another major museum, though little visited, is The Hispanic Society of America, which has the largest collection of El Grecos and Goyas outside of the Museo del Prado, including one of Goya's famous paintings of Cayetana, Duchess of Alba. The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum, 300 pixels x 400 pixels, © 2003, by Wikipedia user:alex756, all rights reserved; the license granted herein is to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. ... The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum, 300 pixels x 400 pixels, © 2003, by Wikipedia user:alex756, all rights reserved; the license granted herein is to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. ... The Cloisters as seen from the Hudson River The Cloisters is one of the museums of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. ... Fort Tryon Fort Tryon Park is a public park located in Washington Heights, New York City, USA, 40°51. ... Palisades is also a general term for steep cliffs next to a river. ... Interior of the museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums, located on the eastern edge of Central Park in Manhattan, New York, United States. ... Byzantine art was the high art of the Middle Ages and monumental Church mosaics were the crowing glory. ... The Museo del Prado is a famous museum and art gallery located in Madrid, Spain. ...

Manhanttan's oldest remaining house, the Morris-Jumel Mansion, is located in the landmarked Jumel Terrace Historic District, located between West 160th and West 162nd Street, just east of St. Nicholas Avenue. An AAM-accredited historic house museum, the Mansion interprets the colonial era, the period when General George Washington occupied it during the American Revolution, and the early 19th century in New York. The Morris-Jumel Mansion is located in historic Harlem and is the oldest house in Manhattan. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the successful Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and later became the first President of the United States, an office to which he was elected twice (1789-1797). ... The American Revolution is the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of thirteen colonies in North America from the British Empire and the creation of the United States of America. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Community

The neighborhood has a large Dominican population (the area is sometimes called "Quisqueya Heights"), and Spanish is commonly heard being spoken on the streets. Since the 1980s, the neighborhood has been the United States' most important base for Dominican empowerment in the political, non-profit, cultural, and athletic arenas. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ...

There is also a significant Jewish population, particularly in the more upscale Hudson Heights subsection, descended from a previous wave of immigration, as well as students (and recent graduates) of the neighborhood's Yeshiva University. The term "Hudson Heights" was created by one of the local real estate firms to attract more wealthy residents in the area. It worked, and the gentrification has been continuing in recent years. It brought a Starbucks to 181st Street, and other upscale stores, spas, gourmet markets, and restaurants. Hudson Heights refers to the northwest corner of Washington Heights in northern Manhattan, New York City. ... Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a private Jewish university in New York City whose first component was founded in 1886. ... It has been suggested that Starbucks Australia be merged into this article or section. ...

The German-Jewish population is based around Khal Adath Yeshurun, a direct continuation of the pre-war Jewish community of Frankfurt am Main, colloquially called "Breuer's" after Rabbi Dr. Joseph Breuer, founder and first rabbi of the congregation. Washington Heights is also served by a number of smaller orthodox synagogues, as well as the Hebrew Tabernacle, a reform congregation. Frankfurt am Main [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hessen and the fifth largest city of Germany. ... Rabbi (Classical Hebrew רִבִּי ribbÄ«;; modern Ashkenazi and Israeli רַבִּי rabbÄ«) in Judaism, means teacher, or more literally great one. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root-word RaV, which in biblical Hebrew means great or distinguished, (in knowledge). In the ancient Judean schools the sages were addressed as רִבִּי (Ribbi... Joseph Breuer (1882-1980) was a rabbi community leader in Germany and the United States. ...

The neighborhood was severely impacted by the crack cocaine epidemic of the early/mid-1980s. Homelessness was rampant. Today, its crime rate, along with that of neighboring Harlem, is quite low. Unfortunately, homelessness is becoming a big problem again. Cocaine is a crystalline alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... A homeless American. ... Harlem is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, long known as a major African American cultural and business center. ...

External links

• Northern Manhattan
• Washington Heights and Inwood Online
• NYCfoto.com - Photos of Washington Heights

Sources

• The WPA Guide to New York City, 1938; reprinted 1982, pp 294ff.