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A History Lover's Guide to Washington Heights

Revolutionary War history, the High Bridge, a landmarked theater, the Malcolm X memorial, and a baseball-themed pub: history in Washington Heights.

Updated

Snow-covered paths and bare trees in Bennett Park in Hudson Heights, Manhattan, with apartment buildings in the background.
Kidfly182 (opens in a new tab)CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

The neighborhood’s name traces back to Fort Washington, the Revolutionary War fort that fell in 1776. This guide is for history readers who want to see where the fort stood, visit the Malcolm X memorial, and cross the city’s oldest standing bridge, and for anyone who likes a neighborhood with layers.

We chose from the landmark and history-linked listings on Washington Heights Guide and ranked them by how much history each one carries and how much of it a visitor can actually see. Picks are editorial: the order is our judgment, not star ratings, review counts, or any scoring system, and every place is a listing on Washington Heights Guide with its own page, sources, and verdict.

Several of these are exteriors or buildings you see best with a ticket. Each blurb says what you can and cannot do.

  1. 01

    The marker for Manhattan's highest natural point in Bennett Park
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best for the Revolutionary War

    Landmark

    Bennett Park

    A small park on Manhattan's highest natural point, where Fort Washington fell to British and Hessian troops on November 16, 1776. Bluestone and granite paving outlines part of the fort.

  2. 02

    The arched glass and green terra-cotta facade of the former Audubon Ballroom on Broadway, which houses the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.
    ajay_suresh (opens in a new tab)CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best for civil-rights history

    Landmark

    Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center

    A memorial and museum in the restored Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965. Tickets must be bought in advance, and its listed hours are Tuesday to Friday.

  3. 03

    The High Bridge, a pedestrian bridge with stone piers and an arched span, crossing the Harlem River, seen from Highbridge Park.
    Jim.henderson (opens in a new tab)Public domain

    Best for infrastructure history

    Landmark

    The High Bridge

    Opened in 1848 to carry the Old Croton Aqueduct and reopened to pedestrians in 2015 after more than 40 years closed, per NYC Parks. Medallions in the walkway tell its history.

  4. 04

    The Highbridge Water Tower, a tall stone tower, rising above bare trees and a grassy slope in Highbridge Park.
    Jsobel123 (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best landmark you can see from afar

    Landmark

    Highbridge Water Tower

    A 200-foot tower dating from 1872, designated a New York City Landmark in 1967. NYC Parks pages do not give current interior access, so treat it as an exterior sight.

  5. 05

    The Broadway facade and marquee of the United Palace, a 1930 theater building at W 175th St in Washington Heights.
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)Public domain

    Best landmarked theater

    Landmark

    United Palace

    Opened in 1930 as the Loew's 175th Street Theatre and designated a landmark in 2016, per Wikipedia and the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The best way to see inside is a ticketed event or tour.

  6. 06

    Best baseball-history pint

    Bar

    Hilltop Park Alehouse

    A pub named for the 1903 Hilltop Park ballpark that was the original home of the team that became the Yankees, per the city tourism board's listing.

  7. 07

    The white columned portico of the Morris-Jumel Mansion seen from the south
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best historic house

    Landmark

    Morris-Jumel Mansion

    The museum's site calls the house at 65 Jumel Terrace, built about 1765, the oldest surviving residence in Manhattan. George Washington used it as headquarters in 1776. As of Oct 28, 2026 the house is closed for roof work; Roger Morris Park stays open.

  8. 08

    Wooden row houses lining cobblestoned Sylvan Terrace, looking east
    Jim.henderson (opens in a new tab)CC0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best frame-house block

    Landmark

    Sylvan Terrace

    A cobbled block of twenty wooden houses built in 1882 and 1883 on the old Morris estate carriage drive, restored in 1979 to 1981. The houses are private homes, so the visit is a walk from the street.

  9. 09

    The brick 555 Edgecombe Avenue apartment building at W 160th St, seen from the north
    Beyond My Ken (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best for Harlem Renaissance history

    Landmark

    555 Edgecombe Avenue

    An apartment building at Edgecombe Ave and W 160th St, built in 1914 to 1916. Wikipedia says it became a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for Paul Robeson. It is a private building, seen from the sidewalk.

  10. 10

    The courtyard in front of the Hispanic Society museum entrance on Audubon Terrace
    Edgar Alfonseca (opens in a new tab)CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

    Best art collection

    Landmark

    Hispanic Society Museum & Library

    A free museum and research library at 613 W 155th St on Audubon Terrace, founded in 1904, with works by Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco, and Sorolla's Vision of Spain. The listing says it is open Thursday through Sunday.

Sources