Washington Heights in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Audubon Park Historic District
New York Landmark Preservation Foundation
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 3, 2019
1. Audubon Park Historic District Marker, front
Impressive early 20th-century apartment houses, curving streets, and dramatic vistas all contribute to Audubon Park’s unique sense of place. The area’s namesake, naturalist and illustrator John James Audubon (1785-1851), purchased a farm here in 1841. The arrival of the IRT subway line in 1904 spurred the construction of new apartment houses, which were marketed as modern and elegant addresses in the tradition of the grand apartment house to the South. Buildings were exuberantly designed in the popular residential styles of the period, including Beaux-Arts, Renaissance and Medieval Revival, and Arts and Crafts. Well-known, local architecture firms, such as Emory Roth, George F. Pelham, George & Edward Blum, and Neville & Bagge, created distinctive designs for buildings with names that recall the area’s history or imparted a sense of romance or stature, such as the Grinnell, Cragmoor, Riviera, Rhinecliff, and Hispania Hall.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.
Location. 40° 50.068′ N, 73° 56.878′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Washington Heights. Marker is at the intersection of Riverside Drive and West 156th Street, on the right when traveling south on Riverside Drive. Touch for map
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Church of Our Lady of Esperanza (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stephen H. Tyng Jr (about 400 feet away); El Cid (about 500 feet away); Audubon Terrace Historic District (about 600 feet away); Oliver Evans (about 600 feet away); A Gem in the Heights: The Hispanic Society on Audubon Terrace (about 600 feet away); Berthold Nebel (1889-1964) (about 700 feet away); The Church of the Intercession (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
Also see . . . The Lost John James Audubon House. "Daytonian in Manhattan" entry (Submitted on November 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 3, 2019
2. Audubon Park Historic District Marker, back
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 4, 2019
3. The Vauxhall, at 780 Riverside Drive
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 3, 2019
4. The Grinnell, at 800 Riverside Drive
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 10, 2019
5. The Riviera, at 790 Riverside Drive
Photographed By Larry Gertner, November 3, 2019
6. John James Audubon gravesite
The area's namesake in the nearby Trinity Cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 208 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
