About the Fort Washington Library

Fort Washington Library.

The Fort Washington branch dates to 1914.

When it celebrated its 75th anniversary, several well-known personalities, including Henry Kissinger and journalist/author Edwin Newman, fondly recalled how important the branch was to them as teenagers. Among the many other noted residents this branch has served are Lou Gehrig, Maria Callas, Ralph Ellison, Marianne Moore, and Jacob Javits. Built with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie, Fort Washington opened to the public on April 14, 1914 in its present location, two blocks east of the George Washington Bridge. Today the branch continues to be a valuable resource to the community.

The library has collections of materials in Spanish, Russian, and other languages available for borrowing, English classes for speakers of other languages during fall, winter, and spring, and English Conversation classes in fall and spring.

Read more about the early history of the New York Public Library, including that of Washington Heights and Inwood:

Search for events at this branch.

Community District Information

For more information about your Community District, including census data, community board information, local schools and other resources, see here.