The Kingsbridge Historical Society

Between Enemy Lines - Revolutionary War Walking Tour of Van Cortlandt
2025-09-13 11:00 - 14:30 (America/Halifax) | Van Cortlandt House Museum, 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY, 10471
Learn more and get your free tickets here.

Van Cortlandt Park was a warzone . . . literally. During the American Revolution, the land that would become the park was caught between enemy lines as were the people that lived there. This walking tour and hike of the area in and around Van Cortlandt Park tells the story of the soldiers, generals, and battles but also the story of how local residents got through the most violent and dramatic 8 years in the history of The Bronx.
The first half of the tour is walk through the Van Cortlandt House Museum and surrounding park (about 1 mile). The second half is for anyone interested in continuing on a true hike: we will explore the area around the park to visit little-known places that played in a role in the Revolution (an additional 1.5 miles).The tour begins at the flag pole in front of Van Cortlandt House Museum. The first half ends at the Van Cortlandt family burial vault. You can decide from there if you would like to continue on the hike.
The tour will be led by Nick Dembowski (Kingsbridge Historical Society President) and Margaret Holmes (Van Cortlandt House Museum Director).
Admission is FREE. Registration is required. Walk-ups may not be accomodated due to space limitations.
This event is sponsored by Van Cortlandt House Museum and the Kingsbridge Historical Society.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Kingsbridge Remembers the American Revolution - Exhibit Open Hours
2025-09-09 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-08 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-09-07 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-19 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-18 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-05 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-04 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-03 11:00 - 16:00 and 6 more dates | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
1775 Marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the most dramatic 8 years in the history of Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Spuyten Duyvil, Marble Hill and Inwood. George Washington, French nobility, enslaved people, a Lenape Chief, common farmers, and many more shaped the history of our nation right here. The Bronx streets of today were once a battlefield, but also the homeland of local residents who faced difficult choices and nearly impossible circumstances.
Kingsbridge Remembers the American Revolution is an exhibit and series of public programs that will shed light on local events of the Revolution and place them in a larger context. The exhibit features original period artifacts, artwork, maps, digital displays, and interpretive panels that will bring that period to life. It will change the way you look at the neighborhood and reveal its amazing past.
Artifacts from the archives of local institutions are pulled together for the first time–some of which have never been displayed before. Rarely seen commemorative artwork from the bicentennial compliments newly commissioned artwork by award-winning historical illustrator (and Bronx resident) Gary Zaboly. Interpretive panels featuring new research and findings tell an inclusive story about the people, places, and events that made Kingsbridge important during the Revolution. A digital interactive map display helps make sense of the area’s geographic importance. A translated guide to the exhibit will be available in Spanish.
The exhibit opens June 8, 2025 and remains open every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday in June thereafter from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Evening open hours and summer hours will be announced later in June.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Kingsbridge at the Dawn of the American Revolution
2025-08-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, 4881 Broadway @ W. 204th Street, New York City, NY, 10034
Register for the Zoom here.
Was the American Revolution made up of battles, soldiers, forts, and ships? Or was the real Revolution the change that occurred in the minds of the people: that they no longer wanted a king and parliament ruling them from thousands of miles away? John Adams and others thought it was the latter.
This presentation will focus on the local politics in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War in Kingsbridge, which was caught between New York City and Westchester. It will focus on the years of 1774 and 1775 when the Revolution in the minds of the people was taking shape. The events of those years, while not as well-celebrated as 1776, set the stage for the most dramatic and violent years in the history of historic Kingsbridge, which included the modern neighborhoods of Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Marble Hill, and Inwood.
Join local historian, Nick Dembowski, for an in-depth look at the social, political, and physical landscape that set the Revolution in motion in Kingsbridge and New York. The presentation is free and open to the public on the back porch of the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum at 4881 Broadway at W. 204th Street in upper Manhattan. The event starts at 6PM and should last an hour. A zoom link will be posted here as the event approaches.
More information about the venue can be found here.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Evening Open Hours and Guided Exhibit Tour
2025-06-30 18:30 - 20:30 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
We will be open in the evening this Monday (6:30 to 8:30) to give everyone a chance to see our new exhibit on the American Revolution. Come at 7:00 PM to join a guided tour of the exhibit led by curator Nick Dembowski. The tour will be a great opportunity to ask questions and get into conversations about the Revolution in our area.

1775 Marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the most dramatic 8 years in the history of Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Spuyten Duyvil, Marble Hill and Inwood. George Washington, French nobility, enslaved people, a Lenape Chief, common farmers, and many more shaped the history of our nation right here. The Bronx streets of today were once a battlefield, but also the homeland of local residents who faced difficult choices and nearly impossible circumstances.
Kingsbridge Remembers the American Revolution is an exhibit and series of public programs that will shed light on local events of the Revolution and place them in a larger context. The exhibit features original period artifacts, artwork, maps, digital displays, and interpretive panels that will bring that period to life. It will change the way you look at the neighborhood and reveal its amazing past.
Artifacts from the archives of local institutions are pulled together for the first time–some of which have never been displayed before. Rarely seen commemorative artwork from the bicentennial compliments newly commissioned artwork by award-winning historical illustrator (and Bronx resident) Gary Zaboly. Interpretive panels featuring new research and findings tell an inclusive story about the people, places, and events that made Kingsbridge important during the Revolution. A digital interactive map display helps make sense of the area’s geographic importance. A translated guide to the exhibit will be available in Spanish.
The exhibit opens June 8, 2025 and remains open every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday in June thereafter from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Evening open hours and summer hours will be announced later in June.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

A REVOLUTION OF HER OWN!
2025-06-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
FRIDAY JUNE 27 @ 7 PM
2570 INDEPENDENCE AVE, BRONX
GET YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE.
Deborah Sampson, the first woman to fight in and be honorably discharged from the American Military, captivates audiences in an Immersive Living History Experience chronicling her life. An indentured servant by age five, Deborah grew up in a man’s world, where women were naught but second-class citizens. As a self-educated, masterless woman, she felt a higher calling, and in the final years of the American Revolution, Deborah bound her chest, tied back her hair, and enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army as “Robert Shurtlieff.”
“A Revolution of Her Own!” was created by award-winning playwright, Judith Kalaora, who performs as Deborah Sampson. Having been performed nearly 2,500 times, the award-winning living history experience is internationally renowned, was thrice named one of the Top 7 Things to Do in NYC, and received a standing ovation Off-Broadway, in the United Solo Theatre Festival, 42nd St, NYC.
Contains simulated violence. Viewer discretion is advised. Suitable for all ages.Running Time: 60 minutes, followed by Q&A.

Picturing the Past: A Conversation with Bronx Artist Gary Zaboly
2025-06-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
This year the Kingsbridge Historical Society has been thrilled to work with Bronx artist/illustrator Gary Zaboly to craft depictions of people and places in our neighborhood during the American Revolution for our “Kingsbridge Remembers” exhibit. We have been mining historical maps and records to imagine scenes that have never been depicted before:
The local militia company mustered in Kingsbridge in August of 1775. Pen and Ink, Gary Zaboly, 2025.
Join us for a conversation about this project with Gary Zaboly at the Kingsbridge Historical Society on Thursday, June 12th at 7 PM. This event will be held in person but also live-streamed over Zoom (check back here for Zoom details).
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86573517661
Bronx artist, Gary Zaboly, and Kingsbridge Historical Society President, Nick Dembowski, will discuss the process of creating accurate depictions of the people and landscapes of the northwest Bronx and upper Manhattan during the Revolution. Gary Zaboly will talk about the complexities of imagining a landscape obscured by hundreds of years of change and urbanization. These pictures say a lot more than 1,000 words!
Gary Zaboly
Gary Zaboly was born and raised in New York City and lives in Spuyten Duyvil. He is an award-winning author, artist, and illustrator. His work has been featured/exhibited in countless publications and places including The Alamo, the Fort Ticonderoga Museum, the Custer Battlefield Museum, and in the collections of Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson and the singer, Phil Collins!
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Kingsbridge Remembers the American Revolution - Exhibit Opening
2025-06-08 11:00 - 16:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463

Hike postponed due to weather
2025-05-31 13:00 - 14:30 | Van Cortlandt House Museum, 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY, 10471
Event postponed due to weather.
Admission is FREE. Registration is required. Register HERE.

Van Cortlandt Park was a warzone . . . literally. During the American Revolution, the land that would become the park was caught between enemy lines as were the people that lived there. This walking tour and hike of the area in and around Van Cortlandt Park tells the story of the soldiers, generals, and battles but also the story of how local residents got through the most violent and dramatic 8 years in the history of The Bronx.The first half of the tour is walk through the Van Cortlandt House Museum and surrounding park (about 1 mile). The second half is for anyone interested in continuing on a true hike: we will explore the area around the park to visit little-known places that played in a role in the Revolution (an additional 1.5 miles).The tour begins at the flag pole in front of Van Cortlandt House Museum. The first half ends at the Van Cortlandt family burial vault. You can decide from there if you would like to continue on the hike.
The tour will be led by Nick Dembowski (Kingsbridge Historical Society President) and Margaret Holmes (Van Cortlandt House Museum Director).
This event is sponsored by Van Cortlandt House Museum and the Kingsbridge Historical Society.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Pinkster Festival - New York's First African American Celebration
2025-05-03 12:00 - 16:00 | Van Cortlandt House Museum, 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY, 10471
Celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Pinkster at this year’s Pinkster Festival hosted by the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum, and Kingsbridge Historical Society. Join us on the picturesque lawn of the Van Cortlandt House Museum for a day filled with vibrant festivities, live music, engaging performances, and immersive experiences.
Join us on the picturesque lawn of the Van Cortlandt House Museum for a day filled with vibrant festivities, live music, engaging performances, and immersive experiences.

Live Music with Chief Baba Neil Clarke, Master Percussionist
Story of Pinkster with the Pinkster Players
Stories with April Armstrong, Master Storyteller
Tours with Carla & Keyes, History Interpreters
Make Art with Tijay Mohammed, Artist
Afro-Dutch Cooking Demonstration with Cheyney McKnight

PLUS: African food and crafts for sale!
WHAT IS PINKSTER?
Once a major holiday in 17th century New York, Pinkster is the Dutch name for the Christian event of Pentecost.
For enslaved and free people of African descent, Pinkster morphed into a unique holiday that incorporated African rituals, traditions, and pride. It is considered New York’s first African American holiday!
To learn more about Pinkster watch this video of captivating discussion with local historians, Lavada Nahon and Chief Baba Neil Clarke, as they unravel the significance of Pinkster, exploring its cultural, social, and historical importance.
Supported by:
NYC Councilmember Eric Dinowitz
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
NYS Council on the Arts
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.
This event is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The Boys of Kingsbridge - Film Screening
2025-04-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
The Kingsbridge Historical Society in association with Inwood Art Works presents a free screening of: The Boys of Kingsbridge. Thursday April 24, 2025 at Edgehill (2570 Independence Ave, Bronx)
Five friends from the same neighborhood in the NW Bronx grow up and go separate ways. Amazingly, four of them came to be at the same place at the time on that fateful day in September 2001. Written, Produced and Directed by Thom MacNamara, the “5th unseen friend,” The Boys of Kingsbridge is a compelling, gritty and honest story of survival, community, and what selfless people do in a time of crisis.
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The Dyckman Oval: How the Kingsbridge Athletics built a ballpark that changed baseball history
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
Dyckman Oval: How the Kingsbridge athletics built a ballpark that changed baseball history – A presentation by Don Rice (in person AND on Zoom)
At the dawn of the 1900s a brand new subway snaked its way north to 242nd Street, far from downtown’s crowded world. Almost overnight, North Manhattan and the NW Bronx became a haven for NYC’s weekend sports enthusiasts. Baseball diamonds sprang up, and semipro teams established home fields along the newly opened subway route. In 1917 the semipro Kingsbridge Athletics leased some land in Inwood, just a few blocks south of their home turf. They built bleachers and christened the ballpark the Dyckman Oval. Over the years Dyckman Oval hosted dozens of future Hall-of-Famers, peaking in the 1930s when the New York Cubans battled the Pittsburg Crawfords for two games of the 1935 Negro National League World Series. At the presentation we’ll talk about the teams, the players and the stories of this celebrated yet largely forgotten ballpark and see rare photos from the era.

Thursday April 10, 2025 at 7 PM at Edgehill (2570 Independence Ave, Bronx). Join us there in person or on Zoom at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89121030415
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

A Photographic Tour of Kingsbridge at the Turn of the Century
2025-03-19 17:00 - 18:00 | RSS Center for Ageless Living, 2600 Netherland Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10463
Join us at RSS for a special free presentation featuring rarely seen photographs from the collection of the Kingsbridge Historical Society and other sources. Former KHS president, Peter Ostrander, takes you on a tour of the neighborhood that stood on the cusp of major transformation but still had a small-town feel.
The presentation will take place at RSS (2600 Netherland Ave) on Wednesday, March 19th at 5 PM. Join us in person or on Zoom.
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85177186894
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

No Event Today - Croton Acqueduct presentation was postponed
2025-03-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
The event originally scheduled for today has been postponed

Paradise Bronx - Book Talk with author Ian Frazier (free ticket required)
2025-02-27 19:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
Join Bronx County Historical Society, the Kingsbridge Historical Society, and author Ian Frazier for a book talk on his recent Paradise Bronx: The Life and Times of New York’s Greatest Borough (2024). Talk will be moderated by BCHS visiting scholar Dr. Amy Starecheski of Columbia University. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve a free ticket now.
Update: The event will be held in the Tate Library at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Onsite parking is available.
Get your tickets here.
Enter here:

The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Black Landowners of The Bronx in the early 1800s (registration required)
2025-02-11 16:30 - 17:30 | RSS Center for Ageless Living, 2600 Netherland Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10463
This talk by historian Keith Doherty will focus on a number of early farms and other properties in The Bronx that were owned by free Black men during the era of Gradual Emancipation, when slavery was slowly being abolished in New York (1799-1827). Though several Black-owned farms existed in the rural environs of the city at the time, nearly all have been forgotten by history. This talk is an attempt to shed light on a long-buried chapter in our local history when Black men–many of whom had been enslaved in their youth–rose to become successful businessmen.
The presentation with take place at RSS (2600 Netherland Ave) on Tuesday February 11th at 4:30 PM. Join us in person or on Zoom (link will be sent to you after you register). Register here: https://bit.ly/blackownedfarmsinthe1800s
The Kingsbridge Historical Society’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Donald S. Harris - A Christ Church Riverdale Acolyte - and the Civil Rights Movement (In-person and on Zoom)
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
Roberta Todd shares her research about Donald Harris and Christ Church Riverdale during the Civil Rights Movement. Don Harris grew up in Riverdale: playing baseball and working in Van Cortlandt Park, attending the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, and serving as an acolyte at Christ Church Riverdale. He was arrested in Georgia in 1963 for helping to register Black voters. He faced an “insurrection” charge, which is a capital offense. Learn how the community and Christ Church Riverdale responded to his situation at a free presentation at Edgehill on Thursday 11/21 at 7 PM.
Zoom Link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82921144590
Meeting ID: 829 2114 4590

Freedomland U.S.A.
2024-11-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Edgehill, 2570 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY, 10463
Located in The Bronx, Freedomland U.S.A. was celebrated as the “Disneyland of the East.”
While it survived only five seasons (1960-1964), to this day the park generates fond memories
among boomers who enjoyed its American history-themed attractions.
Freedomland was conceived and built by C.V. Wood and his Marco Engineering Company.
Known to many as Woody, he was Disneyland’s first employee and he brought Walt Disney’s
imagination to life by leading the team that built that park. He then created Marco Engineering to
build theme parks and other venues across the country. Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and
the community of Lake Havasu, Arizona, continue to prosper. The northeast Bronx marshland
that featured Freedomland U.S.A. eventually became a housing development and a shopping
center.
Unknown to Woody and the general public that adored Freedomland during the early 1960s,
landowner William Zeckendorf, Sr., local politicians, city planners and construction unions
considered the park a “placeholder” until property variances permitted significant development
on the marshland. The variances provided the green light for the construction of the largest
cooperative housing community in the world. A shopping center was added about a decade later
and an indoor mall was constructed on the remaining undeveloped land during 2012.
“Co-op City was on New York City’s blueprints before the first shovel of dirt was turned to
build the park,” said Virgintino. “Freedomland U.S.A. was doomed to fail before the first guest
entered the park. As everyone was hailing this great achievement in The Bronx on its opening
day, Woody already was concentrating on his Texas park and other projects. Other people,
including William Zeckendorf, Sr., operated Freedomland U.S.A. and they kept it afloat, or ran it
into the ground, depending on one’s perspective. The park survived until the land variances
could be applied to the property. Then, Freedomland U.S.A. was declared a bankrupt and the
land was cleared for development.”
Michael R. Virgintino
Mike Virgintino is a journalist and marketing communications executive for corporations and
nonprofits (including historic sites/organizations) who began his career in the newsrooms of New
York City area radio stations. He also is an historian and a recognized expert about Freedomland
U.S.A., a 1960s American history theme park located in The Bronx. He has authored
Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History and Freedomland U.S.A.: More Definitive History
published by Theme Park Press and available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online
retailers.
