Author: Harlem Shill

Before Metro North, the New York & Harlem Railway ran along 4th Avenue (Park Avenue) between the city and Harlem. The street cars that made this run looked like the one pictured below from 1831 and were pulled by horses: The New York & Harlem Railway was the world’s 1st Street Railway (carriages on tracks…

Jefferson Park in East Harlem has a celebrated WPA pool, but back in 1933, the part of the park which is now a track and field, was a summer wading pool. Today, looking from more or less the same vantage, you can see how mature the trees now are, and how the soccer field and…

Please mark your calendars. Everyone is welcome to attend the March HNBA meeting on Tuesday, March 12th. We’ll meet at 2306 3rd Avenue (the Salvation Army building) at 7:00 PM, and yes, we’re expecting you. Starting at 7:00, we’ll have two presentations. First we’ll meet Tapashi Narine, the new administrator for Harlem’s four historic parks…

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the inclusion of Central Harlem North Historic District in the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. This North Historic District is primarily residential and encompasses approximately ten city blocks. The district features late nineteenth and early twentieth-century brick and stone row houses, tenement houses, apartment houses, churches,…

This photo being sold on Ebay is only described as being taken in Harlem. There are no uniquely distinguishing elements here to get a firm grasp on where it might have been taken. The number on the doorway – 172 – could be east or west. If you have any clues, let us know. Photo…

This is a reminder that our next 25th Precinct Council Meeting will be on: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 6:00 PM This month, the meeting will not be at the precinct, but rather will be held a few blocks away at Bethel Gospel Assembly (2-26 East 120th Street) The British Tried to Change Harlem’s Name…

With Harlem already bearing the weight of its current shelter and rehabilitation center capacity, the community insists on utilizing 2201 ACP Jr. Blvd. to accommodate seniors and young professionals, aligning with the urgent need for accessible and affordable housing. The next meeting, slated for Sunday, February 18th at 4:00 PM, promises to be a beacon…

Ourt Box Cafe Female locally owned cafe and event space has been in its cozy location at 2144 5th Ave for the past year and a half . The owner and mother of two, Lydia C. bakes pastries daily and brews fresh coffee to order with beans from Peru, Columbia and Ethiopia. She also makes…

East Harlem is working towards a BID. The East Harlem 125th Street BID Steering Committee, a group of businesses, property owners, residents, and elected officials, is proposing to create a new Business Improvement District (BID) along 125th Street between just east of Fifth Avenue to Second Avenue, south to 124th Street on some block faces…

Happy Valentine’s Day! Waxing and Waning Density of Residents in 1962 While we think of New York (or Manhattan) as being densely populated, our island is actually less dense than it was historically. I don’t think I’ve seen a better visualization of this than this short 2 minute video on human density. Note that none…

Healthcare helps people stay healthy. Health insurance coverage is associated with many health benefits. People with health insurance are more likely to have a regular doctor, receive preventive care services, better manage chronic health conditions, have longer life expectancy, and more. See more, here: https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/beta/data-explorer/health-care/?id=2151#display=map HNBA Community Meeting Tonight See you tonight at HNBA’s community…