Guide to Manhattan Neighborhoods Part 4

If you’re thinking of moving to Manhattan, or simply taking a vacation to Manhattan, you need a guide to Manhattan’s many multifaceted neighborhoods. New York City, and especially Manhattan, comprises many tiny neighborhoods stacked on top of one another, and each has its own unique identity, feel, energy, and personality. In this final installment of our guide to Manhattan neighborhoods, let’s explore which you should place on your own NYC bucket list!

Harlem

Harlem is Manhattan’s largest neighborhood. In fact, Harlem is so big that many make the mistake of thinking Harlem is its own borough. Harlem spans from 110th Street to 155th Street. Harlem owes its name to the Manhattan’s Dutch residents, who named it after Haarlem in the Netherlands.

While today, Harlem is largely known for its vibrant black culture, after the Dutch colonists, it was originally a place where wealthy white colonists built homes to escape the hustle and bustle of Lower Manhattan. One such colonist was Alexander Hamilton. You can still visit his home, known as the Hamilton Grange, at 414 West 141st Street. It is now part of the National Park Service, and occasionally offers free tours.

After Alexander Hamilton friends left Harlem, it became an immigrant neighborhood. Many Italians and Jewish immigrants called the neighborhood of Harlem home. In fact, one of the Manhattan’s very first “Little Italys” was in Harlem, and stars of David can still be seen engraved onto some buildings such as Mount Olivet Baptist Church. It’s a clue to Harlem’s past.

In the 1920s and 30s, the Jim Crow laws of the south caused The Great Migration of African-Americans to Harlem. This would give birth to the Harlem Renaissance, one of the greatest cultural moments in our nation’s history. Langston Hughes wrote poetry while Ella Fitzgerald sang at the Apollo.

Much of the Harlem Renaissance is still alive and well in the neighborhood. Catch an Amateur Night at the Apollo or a jazz brunch at Red Rooster. For soul food, swing by Melba’s, Sylvia’s, or Charles Pan Fried Chicken. Of course we also always promote taking tours to learn more about a neighborhood’s history.

Morningside Heights

The west side of Manhattan between 110th street and 125th street is known as Morningside Heights. Morningside Heights is home to both Columbia University and Manhattan School of Music. As such, while it blends in with Harlem, it tends to have a more collegiate feel. Morningside Heights is also home to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. This is the largest cathedral by volume in the world. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes everyone within its walls and they frequently host fun community events, in addition to some of the most historically-important speakers in American history. Stand-out events are Pride Eve and the blessing of the animals, where locals bring their pets in for a blessing.

Washington Heights and Inwood

The northern tip of the island of Manhattan is home to Washington Heights and Inwood. Lin-Manuel Mirand made Washington Heights a global sensation with his musical “In The Heights.” Washington Heights is built on top of the highest geographical point in Manhattan, which is also the point where the Battle of Fort Washington, during the American Revolution, took place. During the Battle of Fort Washington, the British took control of Manhattan. A devastating blow to George Washington and his men.

Today, Washington Heights is home to vibrant Puerto Rican and Dominican Culture, as well as beautiful bucolic Fort Tryon Park and the Met Cloisters Museum. Just north of Fort Tryon Park is the neighborhood of Inwood, which has a very friendly neighborhood feel.

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