Dozens May Be Trapped Inside Manhattan Building After Collapse

NY 1 News ^ | 3/27/03

[adam_az]

Washington Heights is many miles away from where the protestors are, I doubt they will impact the rescue effort!

Inwood and Washington Heights is a historical area, centered around what is now Fort Tryon Park but was once Fort Tryon, built on the highest land in Manhattan.

This is the site from which the Continentals retreated from the Royalists and lost Manhattan during the American Revolution.

It's also where the famous story of Margaret Corbin occurred, whose husband was shot by a musket while manning a cannon. Margaret took over and continued loading the cannon. She was injured, captured by the British, and repatriated by prisoner exchange - the first woman Patriot, as far as I know! This is close to the site where the beautiful Cloisters museum now sits, which is made from pieces of mideival European monastaries.

Wash. Heights used to be a largely Jewish community back in the '50s. The area then became primarily black and hispanic, and in the 80's was famous as a large open air crack den, since it's serviced by numerous bridges and tunnels. It was a VERY dangerous place, with frequent gunfights. Residents were scared to leave their houses.

Guiliani turned the area around, and arrested all the crack gangs that hadn't already killed each other. I've been there recently, it's a busy primarily Puerto Rican and Dominican neighborhood (GREAT restaraunts if you like carribean food!!!), safe enough to walk on foot without fear. It's now a nice neighborhood, and the apartment buildings are for the most part decently maintained by Manhattan standards.

[ffusco]

Nuts. They missed Clinton's office in Harlem.

[Laurie S]

I hope they are ok!

[PallMal]

For you Red Sox fans, Manny Ramirez grew up on 170th street and Amsterdam Avenue, seven blocks from the building collapse.