4. Fort Washington Library

The Fort Washington Branch of the New York Public Library is located on 535 West 179th Street. The library was built due to a sizeable donation by Andrew Carnegie and it opened its doors on April 14, 1914. Fort Washington is a great resource for people learning English as a second language as it has a significant number of texts in Spanish, Russian, and other languages. English classes are also provided.

The Fort Washington Library made a huge impact on multiple writers and famous patrons. Authors Edwin Newman and Henry Kissinger discussed the importance and impact the library had on them growing up. If the library wasn’t there to foster their love of reading and writing, the world might not have gotten to know their brilliance. Other notable patrons include Lou Gehrig, Jacob Javits, Maria Callas, Ralph Ellison, and Marianne Moore.