Photography, Text and Video by Eileen Ko, Copyright 2018
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HOME SWEET HOME
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Let me welcome you to my hometown, Fort Lee. This year for spring break, I went back home to New Jersey. Although going back home isn’t necessary traveling, I thought I could use this assignment as an opportunity to introduce my town to other people who have never heard of or been to Fort Lee.
Fort Lee is a borough located at the northeastern border of New Jersey and is in the New York City Metropolitan Area. That is because the town is right across the George Washington Bridge, which crosses over the Hudson River and connects Fort Lee directly to Manhattan. Fort Lee is named after General Charles Lee, who served as a general during the American Revolutionary War. And although this is an unheard-of fact to many, it is also the birthplace of the American film industry. Fort Lee was center of film production in the United States before Hollywood took over.
In recent decades, Fort Lee experienced a huge immigrant population influx, which has converted the town into a very diverse community. As you walk through the streets, you will see many stores and restaurant signs written in various languages, representing different countries. You will also see many churches, parks, playgrounds, a library, theater, adult activity center for senior citizens, and a community and recreational center– various environments available for all ages.
Although I consider Fort Lee to be my hometown now, it isn’t where I grew up for the first half of my life. I first moved to Fort Lee in 8th grade. I still remember my first impressions of the town when moving there. A busy and lively urban city with a suburban touch in the outskirts of the town. A diverse society filled with a wide variety of food to enjoy. An engaged neighborhood regularly hosting carnivals, parades, and other entertaining events.
I have made so many fun and pleasant memories here in Fort Lee that I will forever cherish. Many of the best memories of my life were created in this town. It’s a town rich in history, diversity, and fun. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
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About The Author: Eileen Ko is a Nursing student in her junior year at the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2019. To access additional articles by Eileen Ko, click here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/eileen-ko-a-work-of-heart/