Marble Hill New York, NY

Originally connected to the island of Manhattan by land and separated from the mainland by the Harlem River to the north, Marble Hill came into the hands of Dutch colonists in the 1600s. The area remained rural for centuries afterward, but during the Revolutionary War it gained importance as the site of a Continental Army fort. By the end of the 19th century, an increase in ship traffic spurred the Army Corps of Engineers to create a canal along the southern edge of Marble Hill, effectively turning it into an island and cutting it off from Manhattan proper. In 1914, the old Harlem River to the north was filled in, but Marble Hill remained, politically speaking, a part of Manhattan.

By 1906, the first of New York City’s subway lines had reached the neighborhood, and residential construction boomed. Throughout the rest of the century, Marble Hill remained a middle- and lower-middle-class stronghold, flying under the radar of more desirable downtown neighborhoods. The 2004 opening of River Plaza created a commercial center, increasing desirability and access to goods and services for residents.

Though Marble Hill lacks museums, the Cloisters in nearby Inwood represent the most well-known cultural institution around. A wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters’ museum and gardens occupy a corner of Fort Tryon Park and feature more than 2,000 works of art from the 12th through the 15th centuries.

Marble Hill lacks a reputation for fine dining, but residents who know where to look can find quality food in or near the neighborhood. Fast-food and sit-down chains, such as Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen, and Applebee's, dominate the scene, especially along Broadway, the area's major thoroughfare. Night owls head north to the Bronx or south to Inwood for nightlife, though they can look forward to returning to quiet streets after a night out on the town.

At neighborhood institution Arturo's Pizza on Broadway near the Marble Hill subway station, diners feast on New York-style pizza. Regulars recommend plain cheese for a classic experience, along with the flavorful - but not too garlicky - garlic knots. Also on the menu: Italian favorites such as Chicken Parmigiana and Ziti with Tomato Sauce. For a coffee experience a little less ordinary than the Starbucks on Kingsbridge Road, take the 1 train one stop south to Inwood, where Darling Coffee serves up hot brew and espresso drinks with beans from Plowshares Coffee Roasters. Owners Nick and Nichole have made a name for themselves with their house-made pastries; lucky customers arrive just as their galettes, filled with seasonal fruit, come out of the oven.

Extensive and reliable mass transit systems make for easy access to the rest of the city and beyond. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates a 24-hour subway system, and the 1 train runs through the heart of the neighborhood along Broadway. A Metro North Railroad station at the Broadway bridge carries passengers north along the Hudson River and south to Grand Central Station, and commuters also have access to numerous bus routes suitable for closer journeys. Given these options, travel times to midtown Manhattan are often less than an hour.

While not bike-friendly due to its hilly topography, Marble Hill does have a bike lane along Marble Hill Avenue. Biking proves most popular in warmer months, and bikers as well as walkers compete with less traffic than in other Manhattan neighborhoods.

Owning a car comes in handy here, and drivers can find street parking more easily than in other areas of Manhattan, though competition is still steep. Also, weekly street cleaning means you can’t leave your car unattended for long. Parking garages also exist for those willing to pay. For commuters who work a fair distance away, Marble Hill offers easy access to major thoroughfares, including I-87 and the Henry Hudson Parkway. Taxis generally stay farther south of Marble Hill, and any sort of car service, including Uber, will set you back more than $30 if traveling to midtown.

Although the neighborhood lacks much green space of its own, the Marble Hill Playground proves an exception. Occupying a small patch of land on Marble Hill Avenue, the playground attracts families and children of all ages with its interactive playset, basketball courts and grassy fields.

For a more involved outdoor experience, residents head to neighboring Inwood. City planners dedicated a large portion of Inwood to green space, and the resulting world-class parks, with no charge for admission, attract new residents and visitors alike. At the far northern border of the neighborhood, Inwood Hill Park contains the last remaining old-growth forest in Manhattan. Add to that extensive athletic facilities, running and biking trails and a barbecue area, and you have a recipe for a real community gem. Fort Tryon Park to the south stuns visitors with its majestic trees looming over the Hudson River and its extensive gardens maintained by the Cloisters.

Both Inwood Hill Park and Fort Tryon Park offer dog runs, and each year during the early summer, Inwood Hill Park plays host to Drums Along the Hudson, a Native American festival and celebration of culture. Attendees watch traditional dance, visit storytelling tents and listen to vocal performances by award-winning artists.

The cost of living in Marble Hill skews lower than New York City at large due to its distance from the city center. Renters can find one-bedroom apartments for as low as $1,200. The relative isolation of the neighborhood and stable rents keep prices for groceries and other everyday items reasonable relative to Manhattan at large. In addition, residents have access to lower-priced big-box retailers not easily reached by other Manhattanites.

The shopping center known as River Plaza dominates the retail scene in Marble Hill and attracts New Yorkers from well outside the neighborhood. From Target to Marshalls, shoppers enjoy low prices on clothing, electronics and everyday needs.

Shoppers looking for smaller retailers head across the canal to Inwood. Dichter Pharmacy on Broadway, a neighborhood staple since the early 1900s, has the endless inventory of household supplies you would expect from a drugstore, while also offering old-fashioned egg creams and malts. Over on 9th Avenue, Flair Beverages provides thrifty shoppers a one-of-a-kind destination. A sort of Costco for beer, wine and spirits, Flair Beverages supplies most of the retailers in the area, meaning you cut out the middle man by shopping here. They carry everything from industrial beers, such as Miller, to craft brews, such as Dogfish Head.

Residents seeking groceries and everyday items find various options, namely Target at River Plaza and the independently owned Garden Gourmet Market. Food lovers in search of farm-fresh fare should mark their calendars for the Marble Hill Youthmarket, a division of the New York City Greenmarket, held Thursdays between July and November.