Yeshiva College, 1928. Designed by Charles B. Meyers Associates in 1928, the style of this Orthodox Jewish education institution is a mix of Art Deco touches with prominent Moorish/Byzantine/Near Eastern Romanesque elements such as colored stone blocks and ceramic tiles; and towers, turrets, and domes. Today the building is mostly occupied by the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, also known as Yeshiva University High School for Boys. It was the first academic Jewish high school when it was organized in 1916 downtown with the rest of the Yeshiva University. Though this uptown building was designed for the high school specifically, for many years it shared the space with Yeshiva College, the undergrad institution which began in 1928 in this location with 31 students.

185 Wadsworth Avenue, east side between 182nd and 183rd Streets, showing P.S. 132. Board of Education, N.Y.C.

Yeshiva University, founded as "Yeshiva College of America" in 1928 has historically provided a seminary level Jewish education alongside a modern academic one. Like many Jewish educational institutions, as it grew, Yeshiva College, whose class of male students are seen here in this image, moved on up from the Lower East Side to Washington Heights where its campus is still located. "YU" as it's known by its legions of fans, emerged out of the merging of two historically important orthodox Jewish educational facilities: the Eitz Chaim elementary type traditional Jewish school known as a "cheder" founded in 1886 and a rabbinic seminary was known as Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) established a decade later in 1896. Both located on the Lower East Side and founded by Eastern European Jewish immigrants.

Washington Bridge, ca. 1940. As pre-consolidation New York City grew, it gradually absorbed the northern Manhattan neighborhoods of Harlem, Yorkville, Manhattanville, and Carmansville. This expansion and the 1870s development of housing in newly-laid-out Washington Heights promoted the idea for a vehicular traffic link between upper Manhattan and The Bronx, where population growth was still minimal. Washington Bridge (originally called the Harlem River and then the Manhattan Bridge) opened in 1889, setting a record completion time of just under two years, and making the relatively rural Bronx approachable for development. Although still part of Westchester, a status that changed with consolidation, The Bronx was newly accessible to Manhattan by light rail surface transit. Eventually, with the opening of the George Washington Bridge, the Washington Bridge became part of the interstate system carrying U.S. Route 1 from Maine to Florida. Period guidebooks recommended the center of the bridge, 155 feet above the river, as a site from which to enjoy a superb view that encompassed the Harlem River, Long Island Sound, Fort George, Spuyten Duyvil, and Kingsbridge. Fifteen-foot-wide walkways on either side of the roadway provided amply for those who chose to enjoy the view on foot.

9-11 Washington Terrace, 1916. Washington Terrace is a small private street tucked away in Washington Heights. The land here was purchased in 1898 by Daniel J. Murphy, who constructed (he listed himself as both architect and builder) 18 three-story tan brick attached homes. The early tenants of the street included Murphy (though he had lost ownership through foreclosure), a postal superintendent, a couple of actors, and a driver. Despite early efforts by residents petitioning the city to take over ownership of the roadbed (ie make it a public street), the road remains private. By the 1980s a number of homes on the street were abandoned and left to deteriorate. Today, only two of the original nine buildings that lined the east side of the terrace remain, including no. 11, the building at right in this photo. The west side of Washington Terrace has fared better, with six of the original nine still standing.

New York City is known for its nightlife and entertainment. Since its early days, people have gathered in taverns to socialize, discuss the latest news, and gossip while enjoying drinks with friends. Join us as we take you back in time for a 19th century bar crawl that will quench your thirst for more of the City's history.

W. T. Grant Co. Store, 1950. W. T. Grant was an American chain store that was in business from 1906 until 1976. The original store was advertised as a 25-cent store, and sold a variety of mass-produced merchandise. By the time the founder, William T. Grant died in 1972 (at nearly 100 years old) more than 1,100 stores operated nationally. The company went bankrupt in 1976 and this location closed along with all of the others. In 1936 William T. Grant set up a foundation to support research that would contribute to “human betterment and social progress.” That foundation, which has largely focused on education and research related to childhood development, is still active today.

Wadsworth Avenue, west side, north from 187th Street, 1934. This series of eight small wood-frame homes were constructed circa 1895 (according to the photographer's notes). Today a number of the homes are still standing, though the wooden facades have been covered by brick or stucco.

Fort Washington Branch, NYPL, May 11, 1929. One of eight libraries designed by Babb, Cook & Welch, the Fort Washington Branch was the 26th and final Carnegie constructed in Manhattan. Completed in 1914, the building was renovated in the early 1950s following a fire in the basement. The library has been an important resource for the local community and its users have included Jacob Javits, Henry Kissinger, Ralph Ellison, and Lou Gehring.

My Archive Spring 2019 "This is a photo of grandmother, my siblings, and I in Washington Heights between summer 1995-1998. When my siblings and I were younger my parents would drive us from Brooklyn, NY to Washington Heights to visit my Grandmother- Maria Salgado. I remember her selling Ice's on a corner. My siblings and I would get excited because my Grandma would let us get any flavors for free. I recently asked my Grandmother how many years did she sell Ice's and she said from 1982 to 2003. My Grandmother was born in Honduras and came to New York in the early 80s. She's always been a hardworking woman, she's an inspiration." —Priscella Guillen

516 West 185th Street, ca. 1932.