Yorkville is a neighborhood in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Its boundaries have changed over the years, and this is still a topic of debate among people living in and around the neighborhood.

1. The Evolution Of The
Upper East Side
Neighborhood Of Yorkville
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2. Yorkville is a neighborhood situated in the greater Upper East
Side of Manhattan and its boundaries are the East River to the
East, the 96th street to the north, 3rdavenue to the west, and
the 72nd street to the south. At present, the boundaries of the
neighborhood is the East River to the East, the 96th street to
the north, 3rd Avenue to the West, and 72nd Street to the
south.
However, it is also a commonly held belief that actual south
boundary of Yorkville is the 86th street, not the 72nd street.
Today, Yorkville is known to be a multicultural community that
offers its residents the convenience of having everything at
their fingertips. Those who visit the neighborhood are met by
numerous high-rises and several pockets of Old World culture.
The area has gained renewed attention in recent years
because of its residents. For instance, President Barack
Obama resided in Yorkville in the 1980s.
The location of what would become the
Yorkville neighborhood has been
populated even before European contact
in the 16th century. When the Europeans
arrived, the East River bluffs were home
to the Lenape, also known as Delaware
Indians. Based on historical records, the
Europeans purchased the island of Manhattan from the Lenape
in the early 17th century by giving the natives goods worth 60
guilders, which is equivalent to approximately $1,000 if
converted today.
Not much is known about Yorkville between the 17th and 18th
century, only that the area of what would be the Upper East
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3. Side was a vast farmland and a market garden district. By the
1830s the Boston Post Road extended to the Upper East Side,
and later on by the New York and Harlem railroad, one of the
earliest railway systems in America, and these brought gradual
but steady commercial development to the region. It was in the
1830s when the New York and Harlem railways was extended
to the Upper East Side. In one of its stops, the 86th street to be
specific, a settlement grew and in time, this would become the
Yorkville neighborhood.
19th century Yorkville was a lively
blue-collar community that became the
destination for waves of immigrants,
particularly those from Central Europe,
Ireland, and Germany. There was
some time in Yorkville’s history when
violent street battles were prevalent. This is because in the
1930s, the neighborhood was the headquarters for Fritz Kuhn’s
German American Bund, the most notorious pro-Nazi group
during that period. Despite this, Yorkville continued to flourish
as more and more of its residents opened businesses which
showcased their cultural heritage. Although many of these
shops have closed, there are several them that remain such as
the Lexington Candy Shop, Heidelberg Restaurant, and
Glaser’s Bake Shop.
Go here for articles about the history of other popular American
neighborhoods and cities: http://mindyourbodyfitness.com
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