168th Street Subway Station (IRT)
Also known as: Washington Height-168th Street Subway Station
Why it's listed
Beneath Broadway at West 168th Street in Washington Heights, this subway station opened in 1906 as part of the Interborough Rapid Transit system. It sits inside the Fort George Tunnel, blasted from rock about 87 feet below ground, which was the second-longest two-track rock tunnel in the country when it opened. The central section rises roughly three stories under an exposed concrete barrel vault, a feature found at no other station in the system. Architects Heins & LaFarge decorated the space with brick, terra cotta volutes, ceiling rosettes, marble, a faience Greek key frieze and large mosaic name tablets, while William Barclay Parsons handled the engineering. Platforms were extended in 1909 and 1947, and a west mezzanine and elevator tower followed around 1948. The station is recognized for its part in transportation and in the rapid residential growth of Washington Heights, and for its engineering, architecture and art. Despite the 1991 replacement of glass tiles with ceramic ones, it keeps a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: The station is significant for its role in transportation and in the growth of Washington Heights into a dense residential community, and for its engineering, architecture and art. It is a classic Beaux-Arts station by Heins & LaFarge, set in a barrel-vaulted rock cavern 87 feet below ground within the Fort George Tunnel. It retains a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05000232, listed March 30, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Under Broadway at the jct. of W. 168th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | March 30, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000232 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1906-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Parsons, William Barclay (engineer); Heins, George L. and LaFarge, Christopher G. (architects) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals/Beaux-Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Art, Engineering, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | National, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a subway station; the east elevator tower is closed and used only for ventilation, and lighting, tile and fixtures have been renovated, including a 1991 renovation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Dominican Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.84078, -73.94012 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05000232.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1981131
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.