Wandering around a typical street in New York City, one might easily believe that many of the buildings and structures simply appeared, yet history shows the many unique influences that caused growth and collapse. The Upper West Side has developed and decreased throughout the years, as its centuries-long story shows.
In the early history of New York, the Lenape people would manage the island with controlled fires that destroyed any underbrush and trees for farming and grazing. Along the North River, the streams and wetlands guaranteed that the burns did not reach the west side and so trees survived in the Upper West Side, eventually maturing into some of the oldest trees on the island.
As the Dutch moved in and began to colonize Manhattan from the South end, the Lenape people migrated towards the North end of the island and explored the high bluffs along the North river. The North side of the island would eventually be split horizontally as the grid-style street system was implemented. Until then, farms were spread above the downtown creating a country feel. In the early 18th century, the farms grew mostly tobacco for the entire island and eventual trade market.
PC: Yale University Art Gallery
The farms were eventually systematized by a road that stretched from 23rd Street all the way to 114th Street. The Bloomingdale road, named after the Dutch town Bloemendaal, located in the tulip region of Holland meaning “Valley of Flowers”, encouraged a rustic ambiance for all residents.
By the late 18th century, the farms evolved into wealthy country estates owned by merchants who won their fortunes through the thriving trade markets. However, as the War of Independence consumed the colonies, the Upper West Side also felt the mark of the war during the Battle of Harlem Heights in 1776. The battle did not scar the land or residents for long, and more and more American citizens moved uptown.
PC: Derzsi Elekes Andor
The Upper West Side was characterized by distinct little villages that were connected through peaceful estates in the early 19th century. These independent homes and hamlets were eventually displaced as the city finally decided to create Central Park in 1853.
Residents and squatters were evacuated and pushed to the true west side of the island. Central Park created a physical barrier between the east and West, as homes and families decided to move to either side. Although the park created a peaceful atmosphere, many builders and homeowners were wary of living uptown.
PC: Diego Torres Silvestre
Progress continued as new sewer systems were implemented, roads were built, and the elevated railroad was extended throughout the Upper West Side. The infrastructure was built, yet for a few decades, the streets remained undeveloped.
Finally, in 1890, Columbia University moved to Morningside Heights at the tip of the Upper West Side and breathed the student vivacity, the artist ingenuity, and academic culture into the old and dusty streets. After the University appropriated the late Bloomingdale Lunatic Asylum grounds, many high rises multiplied and encouraged new families to move away from the busy and cacophonous downtown.
PC: Smart Destinations
Apartments eventually pushed out row houses and encouraged more renters to stay, yet this growth could not survive forever. The Great Depression affected the entire island, and the Upper West was no exception. Ultimately, the slump was overcome and more people poured into the neighborhood, including the Metropolitan Opera, Natural History Museum, countless libraries, and the new, underground subway system. Currently, tourists and residents enjoy tree-lined streets and a culture that has grown up from the original swampy wetlands to the truly unique destination it is today.
