I started the first day of walking on Father’s Day, June 21, 2015. I thought it was coincidental that the first day of Summer was Father’s Day, so it made the start of my walk even more special. I would have spent this day with my dad doing something special as we always did.
So in the spirit of the day and in memory to him, I started this project, “MywalkinManhattan” exploring the island that we both loved so much. I took the number One subway uptown to Marble Hill, a section of Manhattan that is located on mainland side of the Bronx.
Marble Hill is the northern most neighborhood in Manhattan and has a very interesting history. Marble Hill has been occupied since the Dutch controlled the area. On August 18, 1646, Governor Willem Kieft, the Dutch Director of New Netherland, signed a land grant that comprised of the whole present community.
The name Marble Hill was conceived when Darius C. Crosby came up with the name in 1891 from the local deposits of dolomite marble underlying it. Dolomite marble is a soft rock that crops out in the Inwood and Marble Hill communities, known as Inwood marble. This is the marble that was used for the federal buildings in lower Manhattan when New York was the capital of the United States in the 1780’s. (Wikipedia)
After an increase in ship traffic in the 1890’s, the United States Army Corps of Engineers determined that a canal was needed for a shipping route between the Hudson and Harlem rivers. In 1895, the construction of the Harlem River Ship Channel rendered. Marble Hill became an island bounded by the canal to the south and the original course of the Harlem River to the north.
The Greater New York Chapter of 1897 designated Marble Hill as part of the Borough of Manhattan. Effective January 1, 1914, by an act of the New York State Legislature Bronx County was created but Marble Hill remained as part of New York County. Later in 1914, the old river was filled in, physically connecting Marble Hill to the Bronx and the rest of North American Mainland. (Wikipedia)
The Marble Hill Bridge crossing from Inwood
So, I took the subway to the Marble Hill-225 Station and started the walk. Who knew while it had been sunny and warm the whole trip into the city from New Jersey and on the trip up that the heavens would open up once I got the subway stop and I would have to run from the subway station to the River Plaza Mall which is around the corner from the subway station? I would spend a half hour at Target looking for a good map of the island.
By the time I paid for it, it cleared and was still cloudy. I have to say for a city neighborhood, Marble Hill has the best of the suburbs with many chain stores and restaurants within reach of everyone in the community. There are two malls in the neighborhood, one inside and the other right around the corner from the public housing.
The Train station at Marble Hill
I walked Exterior Street first, which is where the Marble Hill Houses are located. Not much to report but the street could use a good weed whacking. It was so over-grown that you have to walk in the street.
The Marble Hill Housing Project is one side of the neighborhood
The housing in this area is pretty standard with a large complex of buildings with a common yard and playground with benches. Because of the weather, there weren’t many people outside or on the streets. As I revisited Marble Hill in the Spring of 2024, there were more people in the playgrounds but most of the families preferred the one closer to the Bronx border.
The Marble Hill Houses are on one side of Broadway
https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-search/New-York/New-York-City/Marble-Hill/10061824
Once you cross Broadway, you have an array of unique turn of the last century homes mixed in with low pre-war apartment buildings. The Victorian style homes that line Jacobus Street and Fort Charles Street have true character and beautiful urban landscaping for the space the homes have for yards. There are all sorts of secret doors and terraces that you can only see from the street and there was a lot of pride in this neighborhood.
Marble Hill Homes are quite unique
The small side streets are filled with uniquely designed homes that have gotten a bit run down in the nine years since I visited the neighborhood. I was surprised that this neighborhood has not been discovered yet but most of the houses could have used some work. Some blocks looked better than others. Still there were some beautiful homes in the neighborhood.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Hill,_Manhattan
Some of the homes are really unique but still need some work.
From the core of Marble Hill, you would never know that you were in the city. It is good to take time to walk these small streets, especially on a nice day to enjoy flowers and plantings from the sidewalks. Even by the Marble Hill Houses, someone joined in and planted a vegetable garden on raised beds by Broadway. By the middle of the summer, this will be filled with fruits and vegetables to the residents that planted it.
The raised bed gardens at the Marble Houses are still going strong in 2023
Broadway is the commercial strip on both sides of Marble Hill that continues around the corner of 225 Street by the subway station entrance. For a quick snack, bypass the traditional fast-food places in the neighborhood and stop by Taveras Food Center at 5193 Broadway for their Pastilitos (a type of Cuban Pastry similar to Empanada).
Tavernas Food Center 5193 Broadway
They make them in both chicken and beef and at a $1.00 they make a nice quick meal while walking around.
Fresh Pastilitos at Taveras Food Center at 5193 Broadway
https://www.facebook.com/Taverasfoodcenter/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Walk around the corner with these treats and admire the view of the river at 225th Street or the quirky street paintings by the downtown subway entrance. Even though some people might consider this a nuisance, if you have seen the recent prices for urban art, it might be easier to pull down the wall and bring it to market. You never know when one of these ‘taggers’ may become famous.
Walking down Broadway from Taveras, stop at Rosarina Bakery at 5219 Broadway for a doughnut. Their thickly iced doughnuts are a real treat for a $1.00 and they have a nice selection of other pastries as well. There are all sorts of small businesses along Broadway that cater to the residents of Marble Hill, so take time to explore some of these shops.
Rosarina Bakery in the strip of stores by Broadway at 5219 Broadway
The baked goods at Rosarina Bakery
https://www.krvcdc.org/business/rosarina-bakery
My review on TripAdvisor:
I took a tour around the Marble Hill Houses and they are looking more run down considering they are being renovated. They have been under this renovation for two years now and the yards on both sides of Broadway look worse for the wear. I never see anyone outside enjoying the grass and the playground on the other side of Broadway never has any children in it.
The front of the Marble Hill Houses facing the water
The Marble Hill Houses sign
Marble Hill can be walked in about two hours but take time to stroll along the winding streets of the middle of the neighborhood and admire the homes and gardens and take time to walk along the river on 225th Street before taking the subway back to where you are going. The hills and parks are very pretty as the sun goes down.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad with all the love a son could send you!
My father and I at “Tap O Mania” in front of Macy’s June 1994
To get there: take the Number One subway to Marble Hill (you can walk the whole neighborhood in two hours)
Places to eat:
Rosarina Bakery
5219 Broadway
New York, NY 10034
(718) 367-2271
Open: 6:00am-8:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Taveras Food Center
5193 Broadway
New York, NY 10034
(718) 933-2346
https://www.facebook.com/Taverasfoodcenter/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-11:45pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Things to see:
Walk along the winding streets in the middle of the neighborhood along Jacobus, Charles Place and Adrian Avenue to see the unique architecture. The views by the river on the Manhattan border are also quite nice of Inwood Park.
Walk along the Harlem River to see the sunset.
mywalkinmanhattan 
Marble Hill is part of Manhattan not the Bronx. Please note on the map where it is located. Broadway is the main shopping district.
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It took nine years but I returned on Father’s Day, June 16th, 2024 to rewalk the same streets. The neighborhood has changed in nine years but still holds the same spirit.
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