Fort Washington Avenue, North-south avenue in Washington Heights, Manhattan, US
Fort Washington Avenue is a north-south street in Washington Heights, Manhattan, running from the area near Fort Tryon Park down to around 159th Street where it meets Broadway. The road follows a rocky ridge, which gives it one of the highest natural elevations on the island.
The avenue takes its name from Fort Washington, an American fortification built during the Revolutionary War that stood near the northern end of Manhattan. British forces captured it in 1776, and the loss was one of the most costly defeats for the Continental Army in the entire war.
The avenue runs through Washington Heights, a neighborhood shaped largely by its Dominican community. Street vendors, bodegas, and social clubs line the sidewalks, giving the area a feel that sets it apart from much of Manhattan.
The A subway line runs nearby and provides easy access to several points along the avenue, making it straightforward to move between the northern and southern ends. The terrain is hilly in parts, so comfortable shoes are a good idea if you plan to walk a long stretch.
Bennett Park, which sits just off the avenue, is marked by an outline on the ground showing the original footprint of the fort that gave the street its name. Most visitors walk through it without realizing they are standing on the site of one of the war's turning points.
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