Often grouped with Carnegie Hill and Yorkville or just simply referred to as the Upper East Side, Lenox Hill is a historical part of Manhattan, with roots dating back to some of the earliest inhabitants of the city.

Named for Robert Lenox, an immigrant Scottish merchant who purchased the land in 1818 from Archibald Gracie (of Gracie Mansion fame). Lenox used this expansive piece of land, ranging from East 60th Street to East 77th Street, all the way east to the East River and reaching as far west as Park Avenue, as a farm. A steep slope on what is now East 70th and Park Avenue lends itself to the “Hill” portion of the neighborhood’s name.

After Robert’s death in 1839, his son James Lenox took over the farm, but ended up selling most of the land by the 1870s. James kept and built on some of the land, most notably building the Lenox Library on East 70th and 5th Avenue, now known as the Frick Collection.

After having attended High School in Lenox Hill for four years and after living there for two, I feel very strongly that Lenox Hill has become my “home” in Manhattan. My familiarity with the neighborhood will hopefully enable me to talk to the right people, obtain the best information, and uncover the deepest secrets in order to write about a neighborhood conflict that no one has written about before.