Kingsbridge, Bronx
Encyclopedia
Kingsbridge is a working class residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx in New York City
. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8
. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park
to the north, Goulden Avenue to the east, West 225th Street to the south, and Irwin Avenue to the west. Broadway
is the primary thoroughfare through Kingsbridge.
Kingsbridge Heights, Bronx
, a separate but similarly named neighborhood, lies across the Major Deegan Expressway
, east of Kingsbridge proper.
, roughly south-parallel with today's 230th Street. The Kingsbridge carried Boston Post Road
, connecting southern Westchester County
(which became The Bronx) with Marble Hill
, once part of the Manhattan island, but still today part of the Manhattan borough. The bridge is said to still be in place, having been buried when the creek bed was filled in. The creek water flow was redirected to the new and deeper shipping canal, south of Marble Hill.
(A depiction of King's Bridge can be seen at www.loyalamericanregiment.org/bridge.jpg)
Until the latter part of the 19th century Riverdale
, Kingsbridge, and other areas now in the northwest Bronx were part of the Town of Yonkers
. The areas that are inside the modern-day New York city line broke off to form the Town of Kingsbridge. In 1874, the City of New York annexed three towns that later became the western half of The Bronx, including the Town of Kingsbridge. As the trains to Manhattan were built in the 20th century, a stop in the northwest Bronx along the Hudson River
called Riverdale-on-Hudson, now Riverdale
, was created. This gave rise to the Riverdale neighborhood; the remainder of the old Town of Kingsbridge developed into the modern-day Kingsbridge neighborhood.
Kingsbridge has a population of over 10,000. It was once a neighborhood of predominately Irish immigrants. From the late 1970s the Irish population has decreased significantly, being replaced by large numbers of African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Albanians, and Greeks. The largest Hispanic group in Kingsbridge today are Dominicans, replacing the earlier Puerto Ricans and Cubans, who were the first Hispanics to settle in the neighborhood in the 1970s. There still is a strong Irish population centered on Bailey Avenue and Tibbett Avenue. The Dominicans predominantly live along Broadway and adjacent side streets, with a predominantly mixed ethnic area east and west of Broadway.
The Irish legacy can still be seen in the Roman Catholic churches and schools that serve the current residents, such as the St. John's Roman Catholic Church
on Kingsbridge Avenue near 231st Street, and its two schools; the elementary school on Godwin Terrace (just south of 231st Street), and the junior high school on Kingsbridge Avenue just a block north of 231st Street. In northern Kingsbridge the Visitation Roman Catholic Church and School is located on West 239th street. To the east, on Sedgwick Avenue is Our Lady of Angels Church and School. For recreation Gaelic Park
, (now operated by Manhattan College
), is located on 240th Street & Broadway and is the venue for a variety of sports including Gaelic football
and hurling
. The neighborhood is also home to Manhattan College
.
The area is patrolled by the 50th Precinct located at 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue. NYCHA
property in the area is patrolled by PSA 8.
Kingsbridge was home to the 77 year-old Stella D'Oro factory, which was relocated to Ashland, Ohio
when Stella D'Oro was sold to Lance
after labor unrest in 2009.
and Kingsbridge include "step streets", with stairways of as many as 160 steps climbing the slope. Some jokingly refer to Riverdale as the "rich uncle" of Kingsbridge which has its origins during the Irish period. The neighborhood is also part of a business improvement district
that is home to 200 merchants, which is one of the largest retail shopping districts in the Bronx. River Plaza Shopping Center is located nearby (in Marble Hill
, Manhattan) but it is not part of the business improvement district. During the past several years there have been significant improvements in the infrastructure of the community. For example, the parks have been improved significantly and there are new elementary schools on 230th Street.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8
Bronx Community Board 8
Bronx Community Board 8 is a local representative government unit of New York City. This area of , encompasses the neighborhoods of Fieldston, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill is in Manhattan or New York County, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil and Van Cortlandt Village...
. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park is a park located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the fourth largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park, Flushing Meadows Park and Staten Island Greenbelt....
to the north, Goulden Avenue to the east, West 225th Street to the south, and Irwin Avenue to the west. Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
is the primary thoroughfare through Kingsbridge.
Kingsbridge Heights, Bronx
Kingsbridge Heights, Bronx
Kingsbridge Heights is a working class residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx, New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park to the north, Jerome Avenue to the east, Kingsbridge Road to the south, and the...
, a separate but similarly named neighborhood, lies across the Major Deegan Expressway
Major Deegan Expressway
The Major Deegan Expressway is a north–south expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx...
, east of Kingsbridge proper.
History
The neighborhood is named for The King's Bridge, erected in 1693 by Frederick Philipse, a local Lord loyal to the British Monarch. The bridge spanned the now-filled-in Spuyten Duyvil CreekSpuyten Duyvil Creek
Spuyten Duyvil Creek is a channel connecting the Hudson River to the Harlem River Ship Canal, and on to the Harlem River in New York City, separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx and the rest of the mainland. The neighborhood named Spuyten Duyvil lies to the north of the creek.Spuyten...
, roughly south-parallel with today's 230th Street. The Kingsbridge carried Boston Post Road
Boston Post Road
The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts that evolved into the first major highways in the United States.The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York...
, connecting southern Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
(which became The Bronx) with Marble Hill
Marble Hill
Marble Hill is the name of several places:*Marble Hill, County Donegal, a village in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland*Marble Hill, Missouri, a place in Missouri in the United States of America...
, once part of the Manhattan island, but still today part of the Manhattan borough. The bridge is said to still be in place, having been buried when the creek bed was filled in. The creek water flow was redirected to the new and deeper shipping canal, south of Marble Hill.
(A depiction of King's Bridge can be seen at www.loyalamericanregiment.org/bridge.jpg)
Until the latter part of the 19th century Riverdale
Riverdale, Bronx
Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
, Kingsbridge, and other areas now in the northwest Bronx were part of the Town of Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. The areas that are inside the modern-day New York city line broke off to form the Town of Kingsbridge. In 1874, the City of New York annexed three towns that later became the western half of The Bronx, including the Town of Kingsbridge. As the trains to Manhattan were built in the 20th century, a stop in the northwest Bronx along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
called Riverdale-on-Hudson, now Riverdale
Riverdale (Metro-North station)
The Riverdale Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York via the Hudson Line. Trains leave for New York City every 25 to 35 minutes on weekdays...
, was created. This gave rise to the Riverdale neighborhood; the remainder of the old Town of Kingsbridge developed into the modern-day Kingsbridge neighborhood.
Kingsbridge has a population of over 10,000. It was once a neighborhood of predominately Irish immigrants. From the late 1970s the Irish population has decreased significantly, being replaced by large numbers of African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Albanians, and Greeks. The largest Hispanic group in Kingsbridge today are Dominicans, replacing the earlier Puerto Ricans and Cubans, who were the first Hispanics to settle in the neighborhood in the 1970s. There still is a strong Irish population centered on Bailey Avenue and Tibbett Avenue. The Dominicans predominantly live along Broadway and adjacent side streets, with a predominantly mixed ethnic area east and west of Broadway.
The Irish legacy can still be seen in the Roman Catholic churches and schools that serve the current residents, such as the St. John's Roman Catholic Church
St. John's Church (Bronx, New York)
The Church of St. John is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 3021 Kingsbridge Avenue, Bronx, New York City...
on Kingsbridge Avenue near 231st Street, and its two schools; the elementary school on Godwin Terrace (just south of 231st Street), and the junior high school on Kingsbridge Avenue just a block north of 231st Street. In northern Kingsbridge the Visitation Roman Catholic Church and School is located on West 239th street. To the east, on Sedgwick Avenue is Our Lady of Angels Church and School. For recreation Gaelic Park
Gaelic Park
The Gaelic Park Sports Centre , often abbreviated Gaelic Park, is a multi-purpose outdoor athletics facility in Kingsbridge in the Bronx, New York...
, (now operated by Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
), is located on 240th Street & Broadway and is the venue for a variety of sports including Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. The neighborhood is also home to Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
.
The area is patrolled by the 50th Precinct located at 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue. NYCHA
New York City Housing Authority
The New York City Housing Authority provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments...
property in the area is patrolled by PSA 8.
Kingsbridge was home to the 77 year-old Stella D'Oro factory, which was relocated to Ashland, Ohio
Ashland, Ohio
Ashland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Ashland County. The population was 21,249 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Ashland Micropolitan Statistical Area...
when Stella D'Oro was sold to Lance
Lance Inc.
Lance, Inc. is an American snack food company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.They manufacture snacks such as:*Captain's Wafers*Toastchee Crackers*Nekot cookies*Gold-N-Chees crackers*Cape Cod Potato Chips*Tom's Potato Chips*Archway Cookies...
after labor unrest in 2009.
Land use and terrain
Kingsbridge has detached, semi detached, and attached homes, and Broadway has apartment buildings where many Dominicans reside. Streets connecting RiverdaleRiverdale, Bronx
Riverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
and Kingsbridge include "step streets", with stairways of as many as 160 steps climbing the slope. Some jokingly refer to Riverdale as the "rich uncle" of Kingsbridge which has its origins during the Irish period. The neighborhood is also part of a business improvement district
Business improvement district
A business improvement district is a defined area within which businesses pay an additional tax or fee in order to fund improvements within the district's boundaries. Grant funds acquired by the city for special programs and/or incentives such as tax abatements can be made available to assist...
that is home to 200 merchants, which is one of the largest retail shopping districts in the Bronx. River Plaza Shopping Center is located nearby (in Marble Hill
Marble Hill, Manhattan
Marble Hill is the neighborhood which makes up the northernmost part of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Although it is politically part of Manhattan and New York County, because of the re-routing of the Harlem River, it is located on the North American mainland contiguous...
, Manhattan) but it is not part of the business improvement district. During the past several years there have been significant improvements in the infrastructure of the community. For example, the parks have been improved significantly and there are new elementary schools on 230th Street.
Transportation
- Bx1: to Third Avenue – 138th Street station (via Grand ConcourseGrand Concourse (Bronx)The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
) - Bx7: to College of Mount Saint VincentCollege of Mount Saint VincentFor the university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, see Mount Saint Vincent University The College of Mount Saint Vincent is a Catholic liberal arts college located in the northeast corner of the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York, adjacent to the Yonkers border. It is the northernmost location in...
or 168th Street168th Street (New York City Subway)168th Street , is an underground station complex on the New York City Subway shared by the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line and IND Eighth Avenue Line...
station (via Broadway) - Bx9: to RiverdaleRiverdale, BronxRiverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
or West Farms Square – East Tremont Avenue station (via Kingsbridge Road) - Bx10: to College of Mount Saint VincentCollege of Mount Saint VincentFor the university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, see Mount Saint Vincent University The College of Mount Saint Vincent is a Catholic liberal arts college located in the northeast corner of the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York, adjacent to the Yonkers border. It is the northernmost location in...
or Norwood – 205th Street station (via Riverdale Avenue) - Bx20: to RiverdaleRiverdale, BronxRiverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
or Inwood – 207th Street station (via Henry Hudson Parkway) - BxM1: express to RiverdaleRiverdale, BronxRiverdale is an affluent residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx in New York City. Riverdale contains the northernmost point in New York City.-History:...
or Midtown ManhattanMidtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
(via 5th Av) - BxM2: express to Penn Station (via West Side)
- BxM18: express to Lower ManhattanLower ManhattanLower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
- 231st Street station ( train)
- 238th Street station ( train)
See also
- John F. Kennedy High School (Bronx, New York)
- Walton High School (New York City)Walton High School (New York City)Walton High School was a secondary school located in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York.Walton's colors were sky blue and white. Its motto Semper Fidelis means "always faithful". The school seal is an open book supported by the torch of learning, and the school crest...
- Episcopal Church of the Mediator (Bronx, New York)Episcopal Church of the Mediator (Bronx, New York)The Episcopal Church of the Mediator is an Episcopal parish church in the Kingsbridge section of The Bronx, New York.The parish was formed on August 15, 1855, as The Church of the Mediator, Yonkers. Two years later, the first church for the parish was constructed at the cost of $5,000...