One Block, 400 Years of History

This one-hour tour will circle the block bounded by West 106th and 107th Streets and by West End Ave. and Riverside Dr. We’ll see how the jumble of building types and architectural styles provides a rich narrative of growth and decline, waves of immigration, and evolving social values. We’ll discuss the Dutch and English settlers who farmed the land along with enslaved people from Africa, the site’s role in a 1776 battle, and how Riverside Park and the IRT transformed the site from a country estate to a community of townhouses and apartment buildings. Architectural highlights include the mansions built for a tobacco tycoon and a Shakespearean actress.