Wikipedia’s Take on the History of Upper Manhattan
On May 24, 1626, according to legend, Peter Minuit, the director general of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, bought the island from the Lenape Indians for 60 Dutch guilders and, the story goes, some trinkets. On the southern tip of the island Minuit founded New Amsterdam. A plaque (on a rock) marking what is believed to be the spot of the sale is in Inwood Hill Park, the only natural forest left in Manhattan.
With plenty of parks and scenic views, Inwood is one of the more peaceful neighborhoods in Manhattan.
As New Yorkers perpetually hunt for find affordable, comfortable places to live, many are turning to areas of Upper Manhattan like Inwood, rather than defaulting to the outer boroughs. Upper Manhattan — a submarket comprising Harlem, Inwood, Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights and Manhattanville — has become an increasingly popular place for both buyers and renters, with Inwood especially enjoying a growing reputation for pleasant living at a good value.
Brick Underground on the Life in the 1930’s in Inwood
The Works Progress Administration guide to New York City, written in the 1930s, describes Inwood as a place where “rivers and hills insulate a suburban community that is as separate an entity as any in Manhattan.”
The buildings are taller and closer together these days, but the gist still holds true to some degree. Inwood’s skyline is low-rise, with a mix of single-family brick houses and five- to eight-story apartment buildings, most built in the first half of the 20th century. A proposed rezoning could change all that in short order, but it has yet to be formally approved.