Fri, 01 May 2026 01:54:39 +0000

The Lost Boroughs That Unexpectedly Define New York’s Legacy When people think of New York City, the five boroughs—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island—dominate the narrative. Yet behind the skyline and bustling streets rests a fascinating story of forgotten neighborhoods—what historians call the "lost boroughs." Though erased from official maps, these hidden communities left indelible marks on New York’s cultural fabric, architecture, and identity. Their hidden legacies quietly shape how the city remembers its past, evolves its present, and imagines its future. ### Where Are the Lost Boroughs? The term “lost boroughs” typically refers to historically recognized Buttern Hill, Morrisania, Jackson Heights (before expansion), Parsonsburgh (north Bronx), and others absorbed into modern borough boundaries during early 20th-century consolidations. But more than just administrative corners, these neighborhoods were vibrant, multi-ethnic communities that thrived independently before the 1898 consolidation that formed Greater New York.