The History of Morningside Heights, NY

The personal injury attorneys in Morningside Heights, NY, at Banville Law, offer the following glimpse into the area's history.

Morningside Heights

Morningside Heights is a neighborhood within the Manhattan borough in New York. Located on the West Side of Upper Manhattan, the area is sometimes referred to as part of Greater Harlem. Morningside Drive forms the eastern border, West 110th Street the southern, and West 125th Street the northern edge. The western edge reaches the Hudson River, and the Henry Hudson Parkway travels along with it. Broadway is one of the main roadways and cuts through the center of town, running north and south. 

Early History

The Lenape Native Americans were the first to inhabit the area and created many pathways along the river. One such pathway is the present-day Riverside Drive. The Dutch were the first Europeans in the area during the early 17th century, followed by the British. Originally, the area was known as Vandewater Heights after the prominent landowner, Harmen Vandewater, in 1738.

The Battle of Harlem Heights took place on September 16, 1776.  Under the command of General George Washington, the Continental Army that totaled approximately 9,000 soldiers, took up position in the high grounds of upper Manhattan. The British Army consisted of 5,000 soldiers and was under the command of Major General Henry Clinton. In the early morning, the battle took place when the British advanced too far, exposing themselves to the Continental Army. Washington failed to cut off the British force but still managed to make them retreat. This would go down as Washington's first battle win of the war. 

Neighborhood

This heavily populated college town is primarily made up of apartments, and rent is higher than 91.6% of other New York neighborhoods, running approximately $3,719 per month. As many as 53.0% of the working residents walk to work, and 13.5% work from home. Approximately 28.3% take the train to work, and 8.7% ride the bus. The occupational breakdown of the working adults is the following:

• 61.5% executive, management, and professional roles
• 21.9% sales and service jobs
• 13.1% clerical, assistant, and tech support positions
• 3.5% manufacturing and laborer occupations

Demographics

Based on figures from 2010, the city's population was 55,929. The racial breakdown of the neighborhood residents was the following:

• 46.0% white 
• 13.6% African American
• 23.5% Hispanic or Latino
• 13.3% Asian
• 0.2% Native American
• 0.1% Pacific Islander
• 0.4% other races
• 2.9% two or more races

In addition to English, the languages spoken by the residents include Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Arabic. Approximately 24.9% were born outside of the United States, and the ancestral makeup of the town is the following:

• 15.2% Asian
• 7.4% German
• 5.4% English
• 3.8% Italian
• 3.5% Irish

Keep reading for more interesting details about the neighboring communities: The Historical Harlem, NY

Our Local Office

Our experienced Morningside Heights, NY, personal injury attorneys at Banville Law, will fight to get you the results you deserve. Call today for a free consultation.

Banville Law
165 West End Ave #1h
New York, NY 10023, USA
(917) 633-4808