From A Neighborhood in Transition

Jump to: navigation, search

Landmarks

Landmarks are visual proof of a neighborhood's history. In Morninside Heights that is more than true. From Grant's Tomb, to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, to even Tom's Restaurant on Broadway and 112th Street, landmarks give us an association with the place and history of the neighborhood.

Cathedral of St. John the Divine


Statues in the Cathedral
Statues in the Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine: The cathedral is the largest Anglican Church, the largest cathedral, and the fourth largest Christian Church in the world. The cathedral was designed in 1888, and construction began 1892. Although it was originally designed in the Byzantine-Romanesque style, the cathedral was redesigned in the Gothic style in 1909. Services have been held in The Cathedral of St. John the Divine since 1899. However, the Cathedral is still unfinished. In addition to hosting services daily, the cathedral also hosts weddings, funerals, baptisms, musical performances, and tours.

Location: 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 110th Street and 113th Street) New York, NY 10024

Learn more [1]


Cotton Club


Show at the Cotton Club
Show at the Cotton Club

The Cotton Club: In 1920, heavyweight boxer Jack Johnson opened Club DeLux. And in 1923, he sold the club to gangster and bootlegger Owney Madden. Madden changed the name to The Cotton Club and fashioned the club to resemble a chic Southern plantation, as the name suggests. Although The Cotton Club exploited and portrayed its exclusively black performers as savages to an audience of whites only, the club featured numerous famous entertainers such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, and Sammy Davis, Jr. The club officially closed in 1940 after relocating to Broadway and 48th Street. In 1978, The Cotton Club was reopened at its current location in Harlem, and it now serves patrons of all colors.


Location: 656 W 125th Street (between Riverside Drive and Broadway) New York, NY 10027

Learn more [2]


Tom's Restaurant


Outside Tom's Restaurant
Outside Tom's Restaurant

Tom's Restaurant: Perhaps this restaurant is most well known for its countless appearances as Monk's Cafe on Seinfield. On the television sitcom, only the exterior of the restaurant is shown. Also, in 1987 Tom's Restaurant was referenced in Suzanne Vega's song, "Tom's Diner." The restaurant has been owned and operated by a Greek-American family, the Minasizoulis, for over 50 years and is a favorite among Columbia University's faculty and students.


Location: 2880 Broadway (at 112th Street) New York, NY



Go back to Culture

Go back to Main Page