The Boroughs of New York
Many people do not realize that there are several different neighborhoods, or boroughs, that exist in New York City. They hear of these different parts of the city and see them as little cities of their own. Many of these boroughs may act as their own township but are, in fact, still part of New York City. The most well-known boroughs include the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn. Manhattan itself has many of its own neighborhoods.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is most well known for the Brooklyn Bridge, which was considered to be an engineering masterpiece when it was built in 1883. Brooklyn Heights was deemed to be the first historic district in the city. The area is ripe with many beautiful mansions and homes. The Brooklyn Philharmonic, which makes its home in Brooklyn, held its first concert in 1861. The Brooklyn Museum of Art is home of the world’s largest Egyptian collection of artifacts, and features over one million different artifacts including a contemporary art collection.
The Bronx
The Bronx is located in the upper most portion of New York City. With a population of over 1.4 million, this borough has been home to many celebrities, as well as being home to the New York Yankees, as well as many parks and zoos. There is forty-two square miles of parks and green grass in the Bronx, making it a beautiful place to live and visit. The Bronx Zoo has the pleasure of being the largest zoo in the United States, with over four thousand animals and more than six hundred species.
Queens
Queens is located across the East River from Manhattan on Long Island and is considered to be the most culturally diverse area on the planet. There are several different cultures in this area including Indians, Peruvians, Greek, Chinese, Irish and Spanish. Every culture has contributed to the area and the seven subways located there became nicknamed “The International Express”. Queens is also home to “Little India,” which is famous for the numerous Indian restaurants that are located there. There are also several museums located in Queens, including the Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum.
Staten Island
Staten Island is the most ethnically homogenous area in New York. The island is often called the “The Forgotten Borough”, because it is frequently left off of maps. The Fresh Kill Landfill was also in Staten Island, but was closed in 2001. The fifty three year old landfill is now being cleaned up and decontaminated in order to use the area for recreational purposes. The island is largely suburban and home to many museums, such as the Alice Austen House Museum, the Conference House, the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Historic Richmond Town, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the Staten Island’s Children Museum, and the Staten Island Museum.
