Alphabet City, Manhattan residential district from Avenue A to D, United States
Alphabet City is a residential district in the eastern part of Manhattan, United States, running from Houston Street to East 14th Street. The streets stretch from Avenue A to Avenue D and include numerous small parks, storefronts and low-rise brick buildings.
Salt marshes covered this area in the early 1800s before being drained and attracting German immigrants. The district grew into a large German-speaking settlement called Kleindeutschland until fires and changes in the late 1800s brought new waves of residents.
Spanish-speaking residents call Avenue C by the name Loisaida, a phonetic spelling of Lower East Side. Murals and small plaques on building walls reflect the lasting connection between the community and its Puerto Rican roots.
Several bus stops along major cross streets make it easier to reach the area from other parts of the city. Subway stations at First Avenue and Second Avenue offer further connections to destinations across Manhattan and beyond.
More than 60 community gardens appeared between the 1960s and 1990s on abandoned lots that residents turned into green spaces with flower beds and vegetable plots. Many of these gardens remain open today and are maintained by volunteers from the neighborhood.
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