is the former village known to its residents as Manhattan ville. A steel viaduct spans the Manhattan Valley and connects Riverside Drive with the Harlem Speedway. At Man- hattanville, on 128th Street, near St. Nicholas Avenue, is the celebrated convent school, under the charge of the sisters of the Sacred Heart. The buildings, of brown stone, large enough for the accommodation of several hundred scholars, are situated in the middle of a wooded Digitized by Microsoft® 152 The Hudson River park. Here the pupils are not limited to those of one creed, though uniformity in dress among the inmates of the school is required. Overlooking Manhattanville is the old Lawrence homestead, built by John B. Lawrence more than a century ago. Lawrence Street, in the vicinity, per- petuates his name. Between the Watkins and Brad- hurst houses, a short distance below 148th Street, Alexander Hamilton built his celebrated country seat, the Grange. This was not erected until after the Revo- lution. Here the statesman and soldier passed the last years of his busy and brilliant career, surrounded by his friends, but not entirely free from the animosities of political life — enmities that finally culminated in the fatal encounter between himself and Aaron Burr. The thirteen elm trees planted by Hamilton near his house, to celebrate the thirteen original states of the Union, were saved from destruction some years ago by Orlando Potter, who paid $140,000 for the ground upon which they stood. Dr. Samuel Bradhurst built a house north of the Grange, not far from the site of the noted Watkins house on St. Nichokis Avenue. These old homes were celebrated for the fine and courtly hospitality which mingled freedom with conventionality and reconciled convivial manners with the strict social requirements of the ancien regime. The three or four dwellings last noticed lay along the line of the Bloomingdale road and covered ground Digitized by Microsoft® H X a D o b m < m m X M c; X Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Riverside to Inwood 155 made memorable as the scene of Revolutionary con- flict. The valley in which Manhattanville lies extends from the Hudson to the East River, and was once known as the Harlem Cove and still earlier as the Hollow Way. Fortifications were erected upon its sides in 181 2. Just above the steamboat landing at 15 2d Street is Trinity Cemetery, traversed by the Boulevard Lafay- ette. North of this is the cluster of residences that occupies Audubon Park, where the famous naturalist once had his home. A little above is the building of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, between the Kingsbridge road and the Hudson and nine miles from the City Hall. Now we approach the section known as Washington Heights, a region of park-like aspect, traversed by delightful avenues, shaded by fine trees, and dotted with residences, with here and there some institution of a public character. Nearly midway along the river front, at 175th Street, is Fort Washington, where once stood the fortress that, with its garrison of 3000 men, was captured by the Brit- ish in November, 1776. A small redoubt, also taken at that time, occupied the point that juts into the river at this place. The sites of both the fort and re- doubt have been set aside as a public park. The point, which is now known as Fort Washington Point, was formerly called Jeffrey's Hook, and has been Digitized by Microsoft® 156 The Hudson River familiar to generations of river men as marking the deepest part of the stream. It has seemed advisable to give a separate chapter to the military associations of Forts Washington and Lee. Among the most recent of notable transfers of Hudson River property was the sale of a tract of one hundred and sixty city blocks at Mount Washing- ton in January, 1902. This was formerly a part of the estate of Lucius B. Chittenden, well known as a Broadway merchant, who died about thirty years ago. The last owner was Mrs. Chittenden, a widow, living in England. This land lies from about 189th to 197th Streets. Among those who have made a home in this part of Manhattan in modern times, few have reached the eminence attained by the celebrated lawyer, Charles O'Conor, of whom Judge Charles P Daly said: "He has filled a place in the jurisprudence of this State greater than that of any lawyer who has ever lived in it.'" We are nearing the end of Manhattan Island. The wooded, inviting knoll of Inwood rises above the haunted waters of Spuyten Duy vil creek, itself the home of many a spirit, if it be true that ghosts walk. The Indians long ago gave it a name of unpronounceable gutturals, and sowed its rocky soil