Upper Harlem: North of 125th Street

The dividing line between Lower and Upper Harlem, 125th Street has been long considered Harlem’s “Main Street”.  A two-way street, it is the 14th of 15 such in Manhattan.  Lined with imposing buildings in various stages of renovation, 125th Street is also the location of numerous landmarks and centers of African-American theater, culture and art, including the world-renowned Studio Museum in Harlem and the Apollo Theater.

The street follows the 125th Street Fault Line, the only fault line in Manhattan.  The street enters a valley to the west and takes on a diagonal slant; the portion west of Fifth Avenue is also known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

North of 125th Street Fifth Avenue passes many historic survivors, including some of the best rowhouses in New York, as well as several major public housing projects.

Upper Harlem is the last district we will be passing through: Fifth Avenue terminates at 143rd Street.

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