Named after the famous naturalist John James Audubon, the history of Audubon Park in New York City is quite interesting. This isn’t just another green space. It’s a place with a past.
Audubon Park Historic District is in the Washington Heights neighborhood. It’s a special area in Manhattan. The district includes parts of five blocks. These blocks stretch from West 155th Street to West 158th Street. Broadway, Edward M. Morgan Place, and Riverside Drive West border it.
The Audubon Park area has 19 large apartment buildings. There is also one duplex house. These buildings show how the area changed in the early 20th century. It became a busy residential neighborhood then.
The naturalist John James Audubon bought 20 acres here in 1841. Back then, this area was mostly farms and woodlands. Rich people had country estates here. After Audubon died, his widow sold the land. This was in the 1860s. People started calling the area Audubon Park then. They built single-family homes there.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission made it a historic district on May 12, 2009. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
Audubon Park complements the Audubon Terrace Historic District. It is next to it on the southeast side.
Many notable apartment buildings are here. One is ‘The Sutherland’ at 611 West 158th Street. Emery Roth designed it. It features Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival styles.
Other styles in the district include Medieval and Mediterranean Revival. Also, there is Arts and Crafts architecture. Look for pressed metal cornices. Notice the green Mission-style tile. Admire the molded terra-cotta window surrounds and arched entryways.
The neighborhood of Washington Heights got its name from Fort Washington. Continental Army troops built this fort. It was the highest point on Manhattan Island. They wanted to defend the area from British forces during the American Revolutionary War.
So, as you stroll through Audubon Park, remember its namesake. Think about the history around you. This area has transformed over time. It changed from farms to estates to a lively neighborhood. Now, it is a protected historic district for all to enjoy.