While we were photographing upper Edgecombe Avenue this weekend, an open lot that now serves as a public park space caught our attention. The open lots that are gaps between some of the larger apartment complexes were often the tell-tale footprint of wood frame houses. We did some research and found the photo from 1932 (click to enlarge) showing the original house that was on the land at the intersection of roughly 150th Street and Edgecombe. The house looked pretty ancient back in the 1930's and might have been considered a country home in Manhattan since the hills of upper Harlem was mostly farmland and small villages in the mid 19th century (before all the apartment buildings were developed). Fire or decay probably did it in for the pastoral abode sometime after the Depression years, and an empty lot became a park for the neighborhood. The closest train to this area is the A,B,C,D at 145th Street. Archival photo courtesy NYPL. Current photo by Ulysses.
While we were photographing upper Edgecombe Avenue this weekend, an open lot that now serves as a public park space caught our attention. The open lots that are gaps between some of the larger apartment complexes were often the tell-tale footprint of wood frame houses. We did some research and found the photo from 1932 (click to enlarge) showing the original house that was on the land at the intersection of roughly 150th Street and Edgecombe. The house looked pretty ancient back in the 1930's and might have been considered a country home in Manhattan since the hills of upper Harlem was mostly farmland and small villages in the mid 19th century (before all the apartment buildings were developed). Fire or decay probably did it in for the pastoral abode sometime after the Depression years, and an empty lot became a park for the neighborhood. The closest train to this area is the A,B,C,D at 145th Street. Archival photo courtesy NYPL. Current photo by Ulysses.
I know an older gentleman who lives on that block. Ill ask him if he remembers it.
ReplyDeleteThat would be pretty amazing if you could get some information from someone who remembers the place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for finding this! As the manager of the Greenthumb garden that is now there, and as a long tenant of the building next door, I've been looking for info on what was once there. Now I have a lead.
ReplyDeleteThanks again!