As part of this mission, we visited the Washington Heights neighborhood. During our visits, we interviewed several residences; so that we can get an initial sense of what it means to live in the community, why they moved to the community, and the many changes they have witnessed during their time in the neighborhood. Washington Heights is a very culturally diverse community. located at the northern tip of Manhattan. It stretches from 155th Street to 200th Street. Washington Heights is the highest point in Manhattan at 265 feet above sea level, making this area a great place to take in magnificent views of the city, the Palisades, the Harlem River, and the Lower River Valley. 'Hudson. Washington Heights, also known as "Little Dominican Republic", is a primarily Latin American neighborhood inhabited primarily by immigrants from the Dominican Republic. The neighborhood was formerly called Harlem Heights until its name was changed to commemorate the American Revolution. Despite its large Dominican population, Washington Heights is a multicultural, multilingual, and multiracial neighborhood. The neighborhood is home to many Spanish-speaking residences such as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Colombians. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Washington Heights was once known as the murder capital of the city. The neighborhood was once plagued by crime, drugs and prostitution. Many residences lived in fear, not even allowing their children to play outside. For this reason, in 1993 the police department divided the patrol area between the 33rd Precinct south of 179th Street and the 34th Precinct to the north which also includes Inwood. Today, Washington Heights is one of the safest, warmest and trendiest neighborhoods in the city. From cover to cover......they speak Spanish, many of them have not yet assimilated and learned English. They move for job opportunities because of the many Spanish-speaking business owners. Living in Washington Heights was a way for many to preserve their culture. It's a place where when you walk down the street, here you are people speaking Spanish, here you are people in their cars and businesses listening to their native music, merengue. Many of them attend Catholic churches that celebrate mass in Spanish. Many businesses also had religious shrines which one business owner told us was for good luck and protection from misfortune. Many companies advertised in Spanish and many of the products they offer are aimed at Latin American subcultures. They sell many specialty items imported from their home country that are not available in larger retail stores. Authentic cultural cuisine