Inwood, Harlem River Ship Canal

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….... click to enlarge


Here's my boundary. But we walked across anyway, because I wanted to return on the other side of the street.



See map

Inwood, Broadway between Ninth Avenue and 225th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………. click to enlarge


Now we're on the Broadway bridge. Or is it the Harlem River Bridge?  Whatever you call it, it's not one of New York's loveliest.







Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………….. click to enlarge


And there's the Manhattan bound No. 1 train.



See map.

Inwood, Broadway at Ninth Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx…………….. click to enlarge


Okay, everybody, we're at the tippy top of Manhattan Island! Pretty exciting, huh? Back there on the left, behind the man's shoulder, is the pedestrian entrance to the Broadway Bridge. We'll go there. Across the bridge is . . . Manhattan! That's why I keep saying Manhattan Island.

I've mentioned before there's a little piece of Manhattan, Marble Hill, which was originally part of the island of Manhattan, but is now part of the mainland. How can that be, you wonder?

1. A canal was dug, cutting Marble Hill off from Manhattan.
2. It lived a while as an island.
3. The other older river bed was filled in between Marble Hill and the Bronx. Easy!


But when I say I'm walking every street in Manhattan, I mean the Island of Manhattan. That's part of the appeal to me. The clear boundaries.

I hesitate to bring up another confusing issue, but it must be done. If you could read that street sign, you would see that it says Ninth Avenue. Ninth Avenue crossing Broadway. It doesn't sound right.

I did a little rant on Ninth Avenue about 3 years ago, and stated wrongly that it ended at 208th Street. It does look like it ends there if you're standing there, but all you have to do is look at your map to see that it jumps the subway yards and picks up again at 215th Street. Then it comes to the end of the island, turns sidewise, and stops at Broadway. How it can call itself an avenue is beyond me.


See map.

Inwood, Broadway Between 219th and 220th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

This group may have just come from the Allen Pavilion.




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

The Allen Pavilion is part of New York Presbyterian Hospital, but much handier. To me, anyway.  It was built in 1988 before I moved here.  I wonder if they bought the land from Columbia University.

Right after I took this shot, a guard came out and told me I couldn't photograph the hospital. Okay, I said, but why? Because it's private, he said, it's not city. But why? I asked, why do they care? I don't know, he said, but they care, so I care. Okay, then. So I photographed it from across the street.

Inwood, Broadway Between 218th and 219th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge






Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

Elevated train tracks have never been thought to enhance a street.



See map.

Inwood, 218th Street at Broadway

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

Oh, thank goodness, a new walk. And look at that sunshine! And the sky is blue!

Bill, my son, was here for a visit, and as devoted readers know, we usually go for a photowalk when he is here. This time, though, it was either raining or too hot to go for a walk until the very last day, when we decided to at least get in a short walk before he left to go home to D.C.

Here's the beginning at 218th Street where the elevated subway joins Broadway. And up ahead is the Broadway bridge. We are going to walk the few short blocks to the end of Manhattan Island and show all you downtowners and out-of-towners what's there. You'll never come and see for yourselves, I know.

Don't you love pink call boxes?  I regret to say I don't know what that odd building is - something to do with Columbia, I assume.  I'll try to check it out later.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 190th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

There are two things I'd like you to notice about this subway station (besides its unusual decor). The first is the sign that says 191st St. Entrance (enlarge!).  There is no 191st Street at Broadway.  This station is directly opposite 190th Street.





Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….. click to enlarge


See? This is 190th Street. You'll have to take my word for it, but I don't lie about map issues. What they should have said was 191st St. Stop Entrance. The main station is over on St. Nicholas at 191st Street.


The next thing is the sign that says "No bicycle riding in subway tunnel." Why in the world would that be necessary?







Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge

Oh.



By the way, google maps shows the subway station before it was painted.  Don't you think they should date those street photos in google maps?

Hudson Heights, Broadway at Fairview Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………….. click to enlarge

Here is your afternoon treat, from me to you.  Although you'd probably rather have a nap, that's not in my power to grant.

We are at Fairview Avenue, next street up from 190th Street. Remember Fairview Avenue? Apartment buildings on stilts?  I'm glad when I was first there two years ago in May, it was before the trees had fully leafed out.



See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway Between 189th and 190th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………......…........ click to enlarge

What's this then? Why, it's Gorman Park, honoring Gertie Amelia Gorman (1859-1920), a real estate investor. Well, see, her family donated the money for the park.







Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxx..xxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge


Here's a long shot, so you can see it in context. It's not very wide, but it's tall.





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………….. click to enlarge

And here's a lovely path just inside the park, leading to – well, I don't know what, because I'm not going into the unknown in a strange neighborhood at dusk. For a description of what might await you, go back to the park link and read the last comment.


See map.

Hudson Heights, 189th Street Between Broadway and Bennett Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………….. click to enlarge


Time for some color relief.



See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 187th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………………….. click to enlarge

This may look like an ordinary humdrum photograph, but I wanted you to see the house in the middle; from here it looks like one of the few stand alone homes in Manhattan. I'm afraid that by the time I get back here to walk 187th Street, it will be gone.

In other news, a reader kindly furnished me with Riva Breuer's death notice, so now I can tell you she died in 1953.

See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 186th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx………………………….. click to enlarge

This is the Police Officer Michael John Buczek School. Whew. Imagine a first grader trying to tell someone what school he goes to.

Michael Buczek was a young police officer who was killed by drug lords in 1988 in Washington Heights. His father, Ted Buczek, responded by throwing himself into community work and, among other things, founding the Police Officer Michael John Buczek Little League. Here is the concluding paragraph of a 2008 Press Release from the Police Officer Michael John Buczek Foundation.

And on the 19th Annual Opening Day, Saturday, April 5, because of his efforts, "Mr.B." [Ted Buczek] will see his dream come true, and watch the children of Washington Heights, coached by officers of the 34th precinct, playing on the state-of-the-art Police Officer Michael J. Buczek Field in Highbridge Park, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, in a safe community. A field of dreams for all.

See map.

Hudson Heights, 186th Street Between Broadway and Bennett Avenue

XX

Here are two photos from the very short block between Broadway and Bennett Avenue.



Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….................……xxxxxxxx……………………….. click to enlarge


Somewhere behind this fence is a building with a plaque reading: Rika Breuer Teachers Seminary. Rabbi Joseph Breuer founded the teachers' seminary for girls in the 60's and it was named for his wife, Rika, after she died. Can't discover when she died. This is a small school, a two-year college, with a current enrollment of about 60 students. By the way, its location is listed at being on Bennett Avenue, so this is probably all irrelevant to this photograph. I have no idea what the structure is on this photograph but there it is.





Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………………xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx…………….. click to enlarge


And across the street is this structure which poses only the question, what's the price of gas?


See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway Between 185th and 186th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

My second post of the day. This was too pretty to leave out.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 185th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I have decided to increase my number of posts when possible. One walk just goes on too long since I can't seem to skip any blocks. Does this mean more work for you? NO. It's okay if you don't look at the extra posts.

It's not at all unusual in upper Manhattan to see people appropriating the sidewalk for their own uses. Of course people have always stood around on sidewalks, but bringing furniture out raises it to another level. I like to see it and I'd have more shots of it if I weren't so adverse to being scowled at. I have to be more willing to be obnoxious. This isn't about me, after all.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 185th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …….. click to enlarge

This is all about the color.

See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 184th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …click to enlarge



See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway at 184th Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 ….. click to enlarge

When I saw the El Conde Steak House, I couldn't help thinking of the pork and beans and rice I had at their other location. I was hungry. I stood on the corner a while thinking about the corn and tomatoes at home that I had bought that morning at the Farmers' Market. But I finally realized I owed it to my readers to go in and get some pork and beans and rice. I would photograph it!

I didn't see pork and beans and rice on the menu, so I settled for pork chunks with fried plantains. Here's a photo.


Mary Sargent © 2009
click to enlarge

Can you see the "pork chunks" are like huge slabs of bacon? Huge, very thick slabs? With more fat than meat? It wasn't smoked, so it wasn't bacon, but other than that they were huge, very thick slabs of bacon. Luckily, I've never lost my taste for fat, so I actually ate 3 of them. The tostones (fried plantains) were good and the lime juice on both was a nice touch. And the Corona came with a frosty glass. Nice.

I copied the Spanish words for what I ate: Chicharron villa mella con tostones. All you Spanish speaking readers are laughing at me, right? Chicharron means (Cracklings) Pieces of fat cooked slowly until lard is rendered out. Lightly salted, may be served as a warm or cold hor d'oeuvre. Or it means Crackles, morsel of fried lard left in the pan. (m). Or it means pig skin according to Ben.

I gotta learn Spanish.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway Between 183rd and 184th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………. click to enlarge

Could you even bear to look at this without the blue fence?



See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway Between 182nd and 183rd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………. click to enlarge

This is looking back toward Col Robert Magaw Place.





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I wonder what theory of government buildings was in play here? You couldn't make it any more soul deadening. No, wait! They could have omitted the windows.



See map.

Hudson Heights, Broadway Between 181st and 182nd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

My obsession has advanced. I now feel as though I should post a photograph of every block. When I began this blog and was more rational, sometimes people interpreted the project as posting a photograph of every block and I would be quick to correct them. Oh, no, I would say, that would be impossible! No, every street, not every block.

Well.

Sometimes I find myself thinking I should post a photograph of every building, even. I'm feeling a little like the director in Synecdoche, who tried to create a copy of everything in his world. I hope mine doesn't end like his did.

Anyway, this is this block.



See map.

Hudson Heights, 181st Street Between Bennett Avenue and Broadway; Broadway at 181st Street

Mary Sargent © 2009 …click to enlarge

Here is the Coliseum Cinema, recently reopened, and much altered from its original state when it was built in 1920. Cinema Treasures has a brief history of the theater and you can find much other information in the many, many, many comments that follow, including this link to a photograph of the theater soon after it was built. These people love their old movie theaters.



Mary Sargent © 2009 ……………………….. click to enlarge

Here is my photo which corresponds to the view in the linked photograph. This is the corner of 181st Street and Broadway.


See map.

Hudson Heights, 181st Street Between Col Robert Magaw Place and Bennett Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………….. click to enlarge


See map.

Hudson Heights, 181st Street Between Fort Washington Avenue and Col Robert Magaw Place

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……click to enlarge


Here is a street level view of the building we saw last night in the middle photo. Can you tell there are gorgoyles up there?




Mary Sargent © 2009 ……click to enlarge

Here, try this.







Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….. click to enlarge


Okay, this.

Wouldn't you like to know what he's reading?

Technically, these are not gargoyles because they're not water drains. If they are non-functional ornaments, they're called grotesques. Read all about it here on Wikipedia.

Maybe he's reading Finding Your Purpose In Life.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Fort Washington Avenue Between 183rd and 181st Streets

X

Here are three from Fort Washington Avenue between 183rd and 181st Streets. There is no 182nd Street West of Broadway.




Mary Sargent © 2009 ………. click to enlarge

The Rose Arms at 482 Fort Washington Avenue.






Mary Sargent © 2009 ………. click to enlarge

These three guys are walking by the fence/wall that encloses the Fort Washington Collegiate Church, shown below.






Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

And here is the front view of the church which we saw from 181st Street in April 2007. I wonder if it's the only church in Manhattan in a country setting. Some day I will know.


See map.

Hudson Heights, 183rd Street Between Magaw Place and Ft. Washington Avenue

Mary Sargent © 2009 ……click to enlarge


This is the doorway to the District Office of my New York City Councilman, Robert Jackson. Not very grand, is it? Or inviting. Well, it was Saturday and they're closed on the weekend.

As his City Council page states, he "represents parts of Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood." The key words there are "parts of". At first I thought he had the longest district in Manhattan, but it's possible District 4 is longer. You should see this map! And in fact you can.

As far as Robert Jackson himself, I regret to say I don't follow him as closely as I should. I do know that his office is the place to call when the city plays dumb on replacing the lights on the city stairs. They are better at explaining the situation than I am.

See map.

Hudson Heights, Col Robert Magaw Place Between 181st and 183rd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …… click to enlarge

We're looking at the end of Magaw Place. See the door all the way over on the right? Can you see it's open? Enlarge the photograph and dig out your magnifying glass. Okay, the next shot is of that door.




Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….. click to enlarge


It's not a door into the building, it's, it's, well let me just go inside and see what it is. This is sidewalk level, remember.





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

I still don't know what it is, but I like it. The sign on the open door back there says No Exit, but that's not exactly true.






Mary Sargent © 2009 ………….. click to enlarge


Now, looking over the edge of the fence. The sidewalk level fence.


See map.

Hudson Heights, Col Robert Magaw Place Between 181st and 183rd Streets

X
Sorry I mentioned Gus' Pickles. I didn't go because it got too late. I know, I always say that. You probably have one or two issues, too.

So I went to Washington Heights instead. I'm pleased with this walk in a map sense. I walked the section of Broadway that parallels Bennett Avenue and since they're very close to each other, the streets that connect them, which I also walked, are little bitty, so it kind of looks like a ladder. See? Broadway is that long street there without a name. You're supposed to know.




Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….. click to enlarge


Although I went late afternoon (5 p.m.) when the light is supposed to be good, it wasn't. It was flat. The sky was white. So be it. This isn't a Woody Allen movie, this is real life.

But first, before Broadway, I got off the A train at 181st Street and walked up Col Robert Magaw Place (see map, other side of Bennett). Following are two shots from that quiet street.



Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge





Mary Sargent © 2009 ……….. click to enlarge


James Renner says Magaw was a Revolutionary War hero and that the street was named in his honor in the 1980's. Richard Rustin in a comment to that article begs to differ. He says it was Magaw Place in the 30's and he knows because he was there.



See map.

Inwood, Broadway Between 216th and 218th Streets

Now at the end of this evening excursion for cat food, I want to show you four train photos. They're only subway trains, but they look romantic to me. Except for the last one which looks endearingly weird (to me).




Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge





Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge


I'm going on a new walk tomorrow. Right now I'm thinking about finding Gus' Pickles before it moves to Brooklyn. I could change my mind.

See map.