WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, MANHATTAN

'Washington Heights' is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of 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. During the Battle of Fort Washington, on November 16, 1776, the fort was captured by the British 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.

Contents

Geography

Transportation

Subways

Noted sites

Parks

Community

Sports

Education

Notable residents

References

External links

Sources

Geography

Washington Heights is on the high ridge in Upper Manhattan 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 Harlem at 155th Street to Inwood, topping out just below Dyckman Street. At the northern end of Washington Heights, near Fort Washington Avenue and 183rd Street in Bennett Park, is a plaque marking Manhattan's highest natural elevation, 265 ft (80.8 m) above sea level, at what was the location of Fort Washington.^[1]

Transportation

Washington Heights 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 is the oldest Harlem River span still in existence, crossing the river just south of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. Originally it carried the Croton Aqueduct as part of the New York City water system and later functioned as a pedestrian bridge that has been closed since 1970. It has been recently announced High Bridge will reopen after a 20 million dollar renovation project.

Subways

Washington Heights is served by the New York City Subway.
On the Eighth Avenue Line ( and ) service is available at the
155th Street,
163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue,
168th Street,
175th Street–George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal,
181st Street,
190th Street, and
Dyckman Street.
Along the Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line, the train has stations at
157th Street,
168th Street,
181st Street, and
191st Street.

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, across the street is the New Balance Track and Field center. This is the nation's premier indoor track and is home to the Track and field hall of fame. 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.

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 New Jersey 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 works from El Greco and Goya outside of the Museo del Prado, including one of Goya's famous paintings of Cayetana, Duchess of Alba.
Manhattan'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 Revolutionary War, and the early 19th century in New York.
The Little Red Lighthouse, a small lighthouse located on the Hudson River at the base of the eastern pillar of the George Washington Bridge, was made famous by a 1942 children's book.

Parks

★ Bennett Park - ''highest natural point in Manhattan.''

★ Fort Tryon Park - ''home to The Cloisters''

★ Highbridge Park - ''embodies the city's history''

★ J. Hood Wright Park - ''between 173rd and 176th Streets and Ft. Washington''^[2]

★ Riverside Park - ''a waterfront park''

Community

The neighborhood has a majority Dominican population (the area is sometimes referred to as "Quisqueya Heights"), and Spanish is frequently heard being spoken on the streets.^[3] Since the 1980s, the neighborhood has been the United States' most important base for Dominican accomplishment in the political, non-profit, cultural, and athletic arenas.^[4]
There is also a significant Jewish population, particularly in the 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.

The neighborhood was severely affected by the crack cocaine epidemic of the early/mid-1980s. This was due, in part, to the neighborhood crack gang, known as the Wild Cowboys or the Red Top Gang, who were associated with Yayo. The Wild Cowboys were responsible for the higher number of crimes, especially murders, during the late 80s and early 90s. Robert Jackall wrote a book, ''Wild Cowboys: Urban Marauders and the Forces of Order''^[5], describing the events that took place during that period of lawlessness. Homelessness was rampant. Washington Heights had become the largest drug distribution center in the Northeastern United States during that time. It was nicknamed "Crack City" by newspapers.
Crime subsequently fell quickly due to aggressive police tactics. Police presence increased, and building landlords allowed police to patrol in apartment buildings, which led to the arrests of thousands of drug dealers a year in Washington Heights. People were also being stopped for quality of life crimes, which deterred people from carrying guns. A new police precinct was also added in the area.^[6] Today, its crime rate, along with that of neighboring Harlem, is much lower. However, the area is still lovingly referred to by many people in the marijuana underground as 'the home of the haze' which is a term that refers to the prolific availability of a high potency strain of Marijuana that originates from Florida and is referred to as 'Purple Haze'.

Sports

Three of the most storied clubs in American professional sports played in the Washington Heights area: the New York Giants, who are now the San Francisco Giants, the New York Yankees and the Football New York Giants. The baseball Giants played at the Polo Grounds at West 155th Street and Eighth Avenue from 1911-1957, the Yankees played there from 1913-1922 and the New York Mets played their inaugural 1962-1963 season there.
Before the Yankees played at the Polo Grounds, they played in Hilltop Park on Broadway between 165th and 168th from 1903-1912; at the time they were know as the New York Highlanders. On May 15, 1912, after being heckled for several innings, the great Ty Cobb leaped the fence and attacked his tormentor. He was suspended indefinitely by league president Ban Johnson, but his suspension was eventually reduced to 10 days and $50. One of the most amazing pitching performances of all time took place at Hilltop Park. On September 4, 1908, 20 year-old Walter Johnson shut out New York 3-0 with a five-hitter. The park is now the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, a major hospital, which opened on that location in 1928. Washington Heights was the birth place of Yankee star Alex Rodriguez. Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez grew up in the neighborhood, moving there from the Dominican Republic when he was thirteen years old and attending George Washington High School, where he was one of the nation's top prospects. Hall-of-Fame infielder Rod Carew, a perennial batting champion in the 1970's, also grew up in Washington Heights, having emigrated with his family from Panama at the age of fourteen.
The New York Mets and New York Jets both began play at the Polo Grounds, while Shea Stadium in Queens was under construction.

Education

Washington Heights is assigned to schools in the New York City Department of Education.
Zoned elementary schools include:

★ P.S. 132 Juan Pablo Duarte

★ The Muscota New School, PS 314
Zoned middle schools include:

★ J.H.S. 143 Eleanor Roosevelt
Grade 6 and 7 option schools include:

★ (WHEELS) Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School

Notable residents

★ Leonel Fernandez President of the Dominican Republic

★ Willy Rodriguez- Dominican American- Musical Director of La Excelencia (www.Laexcelencia.net) and Tito Puente Jr.

★ Alex Arias - Dominican-American former Major League Baseball player.^[7]

★ R.E. American Hip-Hop/rap artist

★ Michele Capalbo - Soprano^[8]

★ Héctor Carrasco - Dominican baseball player

★ Don Dinero - Cuban-American Hip-Hop/Reggaeton artist.^[9]

★ Andrew S. Dolkart - Author and faculty member at the Columbia University School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation [1]

★ Jim Dwyer - Columnist and reporter at ''The New York Times''.^[10]

★ Luis Flores - Dominican former NBA point guard.^[11]

★ Alan Greenspan - 13th Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.^[12]

★ Jacob Javits - United States Senator.^[13]

★ Henry Kissinger - former National Security Advisor and United States Secretary of State.^[14]

★ Stan Lee - Creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk.^[15]

★ Julio Lugo - Dominican Baseball player for Boston Red Sox

★ Don "Magic" Juan - Dominican-American hip-hop/merengue/Reggaeton artist.^[16]

★ Mims - Jamaican-American Rapper.^[17]

★ Manny Perez - Dominican Actor, who has appeared in ''Third Watch''

★ Freddie Prinze - Puerto Rican and Hungarian descent Stand-up comedian, best known for his 1970s TV series ''Chico and the Man'' co-starring Jack Albertson.^[18]

★ Manny Ramirez - Dominican Baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.^[19]

★ Alex Rodriguez - Dominican-American Baseball player for the New York Yankees.^[20]

★ Sacario - Dominican-American Rapper

★ Jae Millz

★ Juelz Santana - Dominican-African American Rapper

★ Merlin Santana - Dominican-American actor

★ Vin Scully - Sportscaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers.^[21]

★ Taki 183 - one of the originators of New York graffiti

★ Gina Torres - Cuban Actress

★ 2 in a Room - Dominican-American & Cuban American Hip-Hop/ Freestyle group

★ Ruth Westheimer - "Dr. Ruth", sex educator and sex counselor.^[22]

★ J.R. Writer - Dominican-American Rapper

★ Young Blaze - Dominican-American hip-hop producer

★ Gene Colan, Marvel and DC Comics artist, Comic Book Hall of Famer

References

1. New York Department of Parks and Recreation: Bennett Park, accessed June 24, 2006
2. J. Hood Wright Park, accessed December 24, 2006
3. Fernandez, Manny. "New Winds at an Island Outpost". ''The New York Times'', March 4, 2007. Accessed May 21, 2007. "Dominicans, in fact, increased as a percentage of the total population in Washington Heights and Inwood, from 43 percent in 1990 to 53 percent in 2005."
4. Nguyen, Pauline and Sanchez, Josephine. "Ethnic Communities in New York City: Dominicans in Washington Heights", New York University. Accessed May 21, 2007. "Washington Heights stretches roughly thirty-five blocks across the northern tip of Manhattan island. It encompasses a broad tract of land, taking in 160th Street to about 189th Street and all that lies between the wide avenues of Broadway, St. Nicholas Boulevard, and Fort Washington. The majority of its occupants are the smiling, chestnut-skinned immigrants of the Dominican Republic, whose steady arrival accounts for 7 percent of New York City's total population, and makes up its highest immigrant group."
5. "Wild Cowboys: Urban Marauders & the Forces of Order", Amazon.com. Retrieved 30-01-2007.
6. In Washington Heights, Drug War Survivors Reclaim Their Stoops, accessed November 5, 2006
7. Mickle, Tripp. "At George Washington High School, Beisbol is a Hit", New Media Workshop at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Accessed May 21, 2007. "Since the mid-1980s, the school has produced two World Series winners in the Major Leagues: Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox and former Florida Marlins shortstop Alex Arias."
8. Michele Capalbo official website. Retrieved 07-06-2007.
9. González-Andino, Heriberto. "Rapero Don Dinero se presenta hoy en NJ", ''El Diario La Prensa'', July 27, 2005. Accessed June 7, 2007. "Mientras el reggaetón ha irrumpido con fuerza en el mercado musical, Don Dinero se mantiene fiel en el hip hop."
10. Times Topics: People - Jim Dwyer, ''The New York Times''. Accessed June 28, 2007. "Born and raised in the city, Jim is the son of Irish immigrants. For the last 26 years, he has lived in Washington Heights with his family."
11. Weiss, Dick. "Flores, from Dominican Republic, takes unusual journey.", ''New York Daily News'', March 20, 2004. Accessed June 7, 2007. "Luis Flores never figured his future would be in basketball when he was growing up in San Pedro de Marcos, a Dominican Republic hotbed for major league baseball prospects.... But all that changed when his parents sent him from that sun-drenched Caribbean island to live with his grandparents Basilio and Juanita Flores in Washington Heights when he was just 8 years old. "
12. Martin, Justin. "Greenspan: The Man Behind the Money", Perseus Publishing. Accessed June 7, 2007. "A few years prior to the great stock market crash of 1929, Alan Greenspan's parents moved into an apartment in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan."
13. Jacon K. Javits Playground, accessed December 27, 2006. "Jacob Javits was born on the Lower East Side to Russian Jewish parents. He lived variously in Brooklyn and Manhattan, including this neighborhood, on West 192nd Street, when he was 15."
14. Cold War Files: Henry Kissinger, accessed December 27, 2006. "He spent his high-school years in the Washington Heights section of upper Manhattan but never lost his pronounced German accent. Kissinger attended George Washington High School at night and worked in a shaving-brush factory during the day."
15. Sinclair, Tom. "Still a Marvel! Meet Stan Lee: The mind behind Spider-Man and Hulk. EW talks with the legend who rewrote the book on comics in the '60s, and planted seeds for today's biggest summer movies", ''Entertainment Weekly'', June 20, 2003. Accessed June 7, 2007. "To fully understand how Lee, a poor Jewish kid from New York's Washington Heights, came to be the Munificent Monarch of the Mighty Marvel Universe, we must journey back through the mists of time, all the way to the first quarter of the last century, to reveal...the Origin of Stan Lee!"
16. "Magic Juan Readies Hip-Hop Masterpiece The Sure Bet, Tours The World, Preps Other Business Ventures; Second Album from Former Lead Vocalist of Latin Hip-Hop Pioneers Proyecto Uno Due Later This Year on M.O.B. Recordings", Hispanic Business., October 13, 2005. Accessed June 7, 2007. "Magic Juan's current ventures should not surprise his loyal fans.... The Washington Heights, New York, native also flexed his acting skills in independent films such as Harlem Blues and Buscando Un Sueno with Lauren Velez."
17. Sanneh, Kelefa. "In Search of New York at a Hip-Hop Summit", ''The New York Times'', June 5, 2007. Accessed June 7, 2007. "Sometime around 6:30 the Washington Heights-raised rapper Mims — better known as the “This Is Why I’m Hot” guy — hit the stage to tell the crowd why he is hot. (It’s related somehow to his flyness.)"
18. Biography of Freddie Prinze, Museum of Broadcast Communications , accessed January 3, 2007.
19. "Head of Production - Manny Ramirez, baseball player for the Red Sox - Statistical Data Included", ''Baseball Digest'', August, 2001 by Gordon Edes. "For a Dominican kid who grew up in the non-trendy side of Manhattan--that upper end of the island known as Washington Heights--Manny Ramirez tends to have his name dropped in the same sentence as the game's biggest stars, past and present, and isn't out of place in their company."
20. "Alex Rodriguez: he arrived in New York to cries of both "Hallelujah!" and "Is he worth it?" but after his bumpy, bruised beginnings in the Bronx, baseball's heavy-hitting superstar has hit his stride", ''Interview (magazine)'', July 2004. "'The kid who was born in Washington Heights, New York City', and grew up in Miami had no doubts about handling the pressure in a town where movie stars are second-class citizens to top-tier ballplayers."
21. Sandomir, Richard. "Daffy Days of Brooklyn Return for Vin Scully", ''The New York Times'', October 5, 2006. Accessed May 21, 2007. "Scully’s lyrical voice has belonged to Los Angeles for so long that only older fans can recall Scully’s time with the Dodgers in Brooklyn from 1950 to 1957 after growing up in the Bronx and in Washington Heights. His last known address in New York was 869 West 180th Street; he took the subway to Ebbets Field during his first Dodgers season."
22. Dr. Ruth: The Private Parts, accessed December 27, 2006. "Dr. Ruth and her husband, Fred Westheimer, still reside in the same three-bedroom apartment in Washington Heights where they raised their two children."

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.