Morningside Heights is a neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City and is bound by the Upper West Side, Morningside Park, Harlem, and Riverside Park. Streets marking its edges are 110th and 123rd Streets, Riverside Drive, and Morningside Drive. (Some define the southern edge as being 106th St., and a few place it as far south as 100th St.) The main thoroughfare is Broadway. It has recently come to be considered part of the Upper West Side.

The label Academic Acropolis could have been used to describe the area, since it sits on one of the highest natural points in Manhattan and contains numerous academic institutions. Much of the neighborhood is the campus of Columbia University, and the university also owns a large amount of the non-campus real estate. Other educational institutions in the neighborhood include Barnard College, Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, Manhattan School of Music, and Bank Street College of Education.

Other landmarks in Morningside Heights include the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Grant's Tomb, The Riverside Church , The Interchurch Center , International House , and St. Luke's Hospital .

On 1776 September 16, the Battle of Harlem Heights was fought in Morningside Heights, with the most intense fighting occurring in a sloping wheat field that is now the location of Barnard College.

Important issues affecting the neighborhood include the construction caused by the constant expansion of Columbia University, and the gradual gentrification of the area, which is driving out small businesses.

Famous Residents

Comedian George Carlin grew up on West 121st St. in Morningside Heights, and in the piece "Morningside Heights" (which appears on his "Occupation: Foole" album) he referred to the neighborhood as "White Harlem".

While writing a master's thesis on William Blake at Columbia University, Thomas Merton attended Corpus Christi Catholic Church on West 121st St., where he formally converted to Catholicism.

Numerous other famous people resided in the area while attending Columbia University.

Political

The neighborhood is part of the Fifteenth Congressional District of New York, which includes much of Harlem. Traditionally, Morningside Heights has been heavily Democratic.

The neighborhood's ZIP codes are 10025 and 10027.

References

• Andrew Dolkart, Morningside Heights, 1998 ISBN 0231078501.
• Hopper Striker Mott. The New York of Yesterday: A Descriptive Narrative of Old Bloomingdale. 1908.

External links

• Morningside Heights Historic District Committee
• Morningside Heights.net
• Morningside Heights Mailing List