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Info from Wikipedia :In the 1870s, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted envisioned a greenbelt across the Bronx, consisting of parks and parkways that would align with existing geography. However, in 1877, the city declined to act upon his plan. Around the same time, New York Herald editor John Mullaly pushed for the creation of parks in New York City, particularly lauding the Van Cortlandt and Pell families’ properties in the western and eastern Bronx respectively. He formed the New York Park Association in November 1881. There were objections to the system, which would apparently be too far from Manhattan, in addition to precluding development on the parks’ sites. However, newspapers and prominent lobbyists, who supported such a park system, were able to petition the bill into the New York State Senate, and later, the New York State Assembly (the legislature’s lower house). It appears the parkways out of Manhattan and in the Parks of the Bronx have there design based on Olmsted’s work. I am sure there were some issues with condemnation of private & public property. The public opposition came from the building of the The Henry Hudson Bridge. After that, the Henry Hudson Parkway & Mosholu Parkway connecting to the Saw Mill had much less controversy. The Major Deegan caused a “Major” split in Van Cortlandt Park getting traffic out from the Triborough Bridge and too the George Washington. Like the Cross Bronx Expressway, most wished they were tunneled through the Bronx, at least through the Park.
Bronxologist asks … Spuyten Duyvil Parkway, was it originally a scenic avenue to a park, comparable to Olmsted and Vaux’s Ocean Parkway and Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn? Since Olmsted and Vaux designed many or all of the sweeping roads in Riverdale, against City Hall that wanted the Grid System in the Bronx, it is a small miracle that so many of their street designs are still with us.
The basement foundation of stones, does not match the exactly the floorplan of the house. It is also a very deep foundation, with a walk out metal door….leading to a flat stone ledge.
Note that only the top was lined with brick…the sides are local stone. I think the brick was added 100 years later.
I did get an invite to examine the tunnel from Alfeo Manzi and it is possible the the tunnel was later used to bring in coal. The surrounding foundation seems to predate the houses in the area and the tunnel drops into a lower basement and out to Broadway. with a stone platform, perfect for a small cannon. It was a direct line of fire at the road leading to the Kingsbridge. The bricks lining the tunnel could have been added in the later years 1880’s. we did not pull any off to examine what was underneath. If this was not used in 1776….Gunpowder may have been stored for the quarry. See for yourself in some pictures I took. One has Mr. Manzi
The African Burial grounds was mentioned in the The Borough of the Bronx by Harry Cook . The Van Cortlandt’s had many slaves that were buried locally.
Interesting story and photographs, especially the walkway to the rail platform which I never seen before.
It is interesting how 50 years later the Riverdale Country School for Boys that hosted the dinner for the Intergroup Relations escaped having the same light shine on them. Even back then, the Riverdale Country School for Boys could virtue single. 50 years later Black boys make up less than 3 % of the school population while at the same time the Black population is over 10 times that percent.
No Type writers in 1680 …The deeds were transcribed. The Map of The Manor of Fordham, John Archer Patent of 1684 details near the bottom of the map, the ” Mill Run”, it runs along side the Bronx River as they approach Van Cortlandt Park in the North. I believe the Mill Run, Mill Brook went as far north and into Mosholu Parkway.
Stephen Jenkins in 1912 ” The Story of the Bronx” indicates that the Van Cortlandt’s bodies are still at Vault Hill.
The maps are from the NYPL and are not specific for these images, with the exception of the ferris wheel map listed as 1921.
I think the map maker placed it in the wrong side of Broadway. An other key has it at #38…Also found a nice overview of the Ferris Wheel etc
