Harlem’s historic Mount Morris Park neighborhood will host its 25th annual Mount Morris House Tour on June 8, 2014. Twenty five years ago, the residents of Mount Morris Park’s community organization, the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association (MMPCIA), decided to start a house tour to help counter false impressions about the neighborhood and Harlem. The idea was that if they invited the larger New York area to visit actual homes in the neighborhood, it would help to change perceptions and create new fans. Twenty five years later, the Mount Morris Park House Tour has more than delivered on its goal. Mount Morris is one of Manhattan’s most coveted neighborhoods. Its rows of stately, historically preserved brownstones have been home to notable personalities, like Richard Rogers, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Maya Angelou. Today, it houses folks like Marcus Samuelsson and Neil Patrick Harris.
This year’s tour is a celebration of the event and the impact it has had, not only on Mount Morris, but Harlem as a whole. A welcoming event that allows visitors a glimpse into the lives of Harlemites and an opportunity to discover this beautiful part of Manhattan. In fact, many current homeowners in the area credit the tour with convincing them to buy their homes in the neighborhood.
As with past years, the tour will feature marquis homes that are throughout the neighborhood, as well as key landmark churches and other structures. Mount Morris is well known for its historic church buildings, many of which began as synagogues in the early 1900s.
“Mount Morris has been a leading community in Harlem for preserving the charm, culture and history of our neighborhood,” said MMPCIA President, Sam McClendon. “Our community organized in the ‘60s to win historical landmark status for our buildings and just this past year, we again showed our resolve when we successfully raised over $4 million dollars for the preservation of the Marcus Garvey Park Watch tower, an historically important structure in our neighborhood’s and city’s history,” she added. This tour has represented the community’s passion for establishing a positive and longstanding legacy for generations to come and we are pleased to be able to present it in its 25th year.”
Tickets for the general tour are $30, $25 in advance. Guided tours led by Harlem historians are also on the schedule. The tours begin in front of the Pelham Fritz Community Center, West 122 Street and Mount Morris Park West.
For more information on the events of the day, details on how to order tickets and directions to the Mount Morris Historical District, visit www.mmpcia.org.
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