The Lay of the Land

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Washington Heights is bounded to the south by 155th Street and to the north by Fairview Avenue and runs from the Harlem River on the east to the Hudson River on the west.

Inwood is the northern tip of the island.

Together, the two neighborhoods make up Manhattan Community District 12. 

Manhattan

 The history of Washington Heights and Inwood dates back to the Native Americans who inhabited the area for centuries. Remnants of their settlements are still evident in Inwood Hill Park where Native American trails, caves and artifacts can be seen. Inwood is also reported to be the place where Peter Minuit paid the Lenape Indians $24 "in trinkets" to purchase Manhattan island in 1626.