Layout of the Area

Long before it became a complex for the performing arts, the site of Lincoln Center was home to one of the largest black neighborhoods in Manhattan, San Juan Hill.  San Juan Hill, within the borders of larger Lincoln Square, was located between 59th and 65th streets between Amsterdam Avenue and 11th Avenue.   

     

This map shows the area as it was in 1939.  

 

In contrast, this map shows the same area in 1990, when, as you can see, instead of individual streets, the area is made up of squares that include various streets that were once separate.Similarly, the aerial views also changed greatly.  

   

Above is an aerial view of the future Lincoln Center site in 1955.

 

This is a more recent aerial view of the same blocks.