12/31/05 - Walking along the cobblestone streets past museums and row houses, you'll think you've traveled back in time, when in fact you're in East Harlem. This New York neighborhood makes up a diverse tapestry of many ethnic groups including: African American, Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican and South American. In its early days, East Harlem attracted Dutch and French settlers who were lured to the area by the abundant fish supply and excellent water quality.

The early 1800s brought black farmers, as well as German and Irish immigrants who wanted to escape overcrowded urban areas. Railroads provided cheap transportation and a new wave of immigrants moved to the area from Italy and other parts of the City, displacing many existing residents like the German and Irish, who migrated to the Bronx and Queens.

The Italian community in East Harlem grew considerably after 65,000 apartments were built from 1870-1910. This influx created the need for markets and small businesses, which took advantage of the cheap transportation and immigrant labor and their strong work ethic.

After East Harlem residents returned from tours in the World Wars, the area had yet again opened its doors to more immigrants, especially those of Puerto Rican descent, who made this part of Harlem their first stop in pursuit of the American Dream. Many more African Americans moved to East Harlem around this time, as veterans relocated to nearby suburbs or other areas of New York such as Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx to take advantage of GI programs, further their education or start businesses.

As East Harlem Latino population grew, the borough earned a new name: Spanish Harlem, or El Barrio. As with the Italian boom, businesses catering to this group opened in earnest, particularly along Park Avenue between East 111th and 115th streets-an area that came to be known as La Marquetta. Spanish Harlem is the birthplace of many renowned Latin artists such as Tito Puente, Eddie & Charlie Palmieri, and Ray Barretto. Spanish Harlem extends from about East 96th St. to East 140th St. and is bound by the Upper East Side, East River, Central Harlem, and Central Park. It is also home to shows like BET's "106th and Park" and "The Chappelle Show" have been produced.

The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, which was founded in 2000, won Best New Artist at the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards and was nominated for a Grammy in 2002 for Best Salsa Album Of The Year. The band was formed when Aaron Levinson joined forces with salsa giant Oscar Hernandez. Their debut album was released in October of 2002 to immediate acclaim.