8. There Has Only Been One Road to Ever Go through Morningside Park, And It’s Long Been Lost

During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Harlem took place in the area in September 1776. A plaque on the mathematics building at Columbia University commemorates this battle, which was a morale turning point in the American Revolution for the Patriots. The majority of the action occurred west of here however, from 106th Street to 120th Street between Broadway and Riverside Drive. Colonial soldiers were able to retreat on a road that ran through today’s Morningside Park, the only road ever known to go through it.