Morrisania, Bronx
Encyclopedia
Morrisania is the historical name for the South Bronx and derives from the powerful and aristocratic Morris family, who at one time owned all of the Manor of Morrisania. Today the name is most commonly associated with the village of Morrisania, which is only a small corner of the original Morrisania. It is mostly a low income residential neighborhood geographically located in the southwestern Bronx
, New York City
. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 3
. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: the Cross-Bronx Expressway
to the north, Crotona-Prospect Avenue to the east, East 161st Street to the south, and Webster Avenue to the west. Third Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Morrisania. ZIP codes include 10456, 10457, and 10459. The area is patrolled by the 42nd Precinct located at 830 Washington Avenue. NYCHA property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 7 at 737 Melrose Avenue in the Melrose
section of the Bronx.
, Puerto Rican, or Dominican
descent. The vast majority of households are in public housing.
.
The area was sparsely populated until 1840, when Gouverneur Morris Jr.
, son of the famous congressional delegate
and grandson of Lewis
, allowed a railroad to be built across the property. In 1848, he sold the land next to the line for the development of a new town called Morrisania Village. In 1855, additional settlements along the rail line became the town of Morrisania, with its political center in the original 1840 village. At first the village was an early forerunner of today's bedroom communities, populated by people who worked in Manhattan
, but it quickly developed its own local industries and craftsmen as it developed into a full-fledged town (Jackson, 1995). In 1874, the area was annexed to New York City (then consisting only of Manhattan
) as part of the Twenty-Third Ward. In 1887, the Third Avenue Elevated
was extended to area and provided easy and quick access to and from Manhattan. By the time the New York City Subway
was extended to the area in 1904, a large influx of European immigrants had given the neighborhood an urban character, with tenements replacing houses as the dominant form of dwelling (Jackson, 1995).
In the 1950s along with changing demographics, Robert Moses
destroyed various tenements in favor of a colony of public housing. After the construction of the Cross-Bronx Expressway
, the poverty that East Tremont suffered spread into Morrisania. As a result, the Third Avenue El
closed in 1973. During this time period a wave of arson destroyed or damaged many of the residential, commercial, and industrial structures in the area.
P.S.463-Urban Scholars Community School
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
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 3
Bronx Community Board 3
Bronx Community Board 3 is a local government unit in the New York City borough, of the Bronx, encompassing the neighborhoods of Crotona Park East, Claremont, Concourse Village, Melrose, and Morrisania...
. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: the Cross-Bronx Expressway
Cross-Bronx Expressway
The Cross Bronx Expressway is a major expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, conceived by Robert Moses and built between 1948 and 1972. It carries traffic on Interstate 95 through the city, and serves as a portion of Interstate 295 toward Long Island; a portion is also designated U.S...
to the north, Crotona-Prospect Avenue to the east, East 161st Street to the south, and Webster Avenue to the west. Third Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Morrisania. ZIP codes include 10456, 10457, and 10459. The area is patrolled by the 42nd Precinct located at 830 Washington Avenue. NYCHA property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 7 at 737 Melrose Avenue in the Melrose
Melrose, Bronx
Melrose is primarily a residential neighborhood geographically located in the SouthWestern section of the borough of The Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 1. Its boundaries, starting from the North and moving clockwise are: East 161st Street to the North,...
section of the Bronx.
Demographics
Morrisania has a population over 35,000. The majority of residents in the area are of African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Puerto Rican, or Dominican
Dominican American
A Dominican American is any American who has origins in the Dominican Republic.Immigration records of Dominicans in the United States date from the late 19th century, and New York City has had a Dominican community since the 1930s...
descent. The vast majority of households are in public housing.
Land use and terrain
Morrisania is dominated by public housing complexes of various types, vacant lots, and tenement buildings. Most of the original housing stock which consisted of older multi-unit homes and tenements were structurally damaged by arson and eventually razed by the city. The total land area is over a square mile. The terrain is somewhat hilly.The Morris High School Historic District
The landmarked Morris High School Historic District is located adjacent the Forest Houses. Two square blocks between Boston Road, Forest Avenue, and East 166th Street. The district consist of Morris High School and adjacent brownstones, most of which have been converted into S.R.O.'s (Single Room Occupancy).Low income public housing projects
- There are twenty NYCHA developments located in Morrisania.
- 1162-1176 Washington Avenue; one rehabilitated 6-story tenement building.
- Butler Houses; six, 21-story buildings.
- Claremont Parkway-Franklin Avenue Area; three buildings, 3 and 7-stories tall.
- Davidson Houses; one 8-story building.
- Eagle Avenue-East 163rd Street; one 6-story building.
- Forest Houses; fifteen buildings, 9, 10 and 14-stories tall.
- Franklin Avenue I (Conventional); three rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5-stories tall.
- Franklin Avenue I M.H.O.P. (Multi Family Homeownership Program); two rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5-stories tall.
- Franklin Avenue II (Conventional); three rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5-stories tall.
- Franklin Avenue III (Conventional); one 5-story rehabilitated tenement building.
- Franklin Avenue III M.H.O.P. (Multi Family Homeownership Program); three rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5-stories tall.
- Jennings Street M.H.O.P. (Multi Family Homeownership Program); three rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5-stories tall.
- McKinley Houses; five, 16-story buildings.
- Morris I; ten buildings, 16 and 20-stories tall.
- Morris II; seven buildings, 16 and 20-stories tall.
- Morrisania HousesMorrisania Air RightsMorrisania Air Rights is New York City Housing Authority public housing project consisting of three buildings, 19, 23, and 29-stories tall. There are 843 apartments housing some 1,952 residents. It was designed by the architectural firm, The Eggers Partnership also known as Eggers & Higgins...
; two, 16-story buildings. - PSS Grandparent; one 6-story building.
- Union Avenue-East 163rd Street; one nine-story building.
- Union Avenue-East 166th Street; six, 3-story buildings.
- Webster Houses; five, 21-story buildings.
History
From 1670, the land of the neighborhood was the estate of the Morris family in Westchester CountyWestchester 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...
.
The area was sparsely populated until 1840, when Gouverneur Morris Jr.
Gouverneur Morris Jr.
Gouverneur Morris Jr. was the son of a founding father of the United States, Gouverneur Morris, and of Anne Cary Randolph. He married Martha Jefferson Cary, daughter of Wilson Jefferson Cary, and Virginia Randolph Cary....
, son of the famous congressional delegate
Gouverneur Morris
Gouverneur Morris , was an American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States, and a native of New York City who represented Pennsylvania in the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation. Morris was also an author of large sections of the...
and grandson of Lewis
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris was an American landowner and developer from Morrisania, New York. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Continental Congress for New York....
, allowed a railroad to be built across the property. In 1848, he sold the land next to the line for the development of a new town called Morrisania Village. In 1855, additional settlements along the rail line became the town of Morrisania, with its political center in the original 1840 village. At first the village was an early forerunner of today's bedroom communities, populated by people who worked in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, but it quickly developed its own local industries and craftsmen as it developed into a full-fledged town (Jackson, 1995). In 1874, the area was annexed to New York City (then consisting only of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
) as part of the Twenty-Third Ward. In 1887, the Third Avenue Elevated
IRT Third Avenue Line
The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and eventually became part of the New York subway...
was extended to area and provided easy and quick access to and from Manhattan. By the time the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
was extended to the area in 1904, a large influx of European immigrants had given the neighborhood an urban character, with tenements replacing houses as the dominant form of dwelling (Jackson, 1995).
In the 1950s along with changing demographics, Robert Moses
Robert Moses
Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
destroyed various tenements in favor of a colony of public housing. After the construction of the Cross-Bronx Expressway
Cross-Bronx Expressway
The Cross Bronx Expressway is a major expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, conceived by Robert Moses and built between 1948 and 1972. It carries traffic on Interstate 95 through the city, and serves as a portion of Interstate 295 toward Long Island; a portion is also designated U.S...
, the poverty that East Tremont suffered spread into Morrisania. As a result, the Third Avenue El
IRT Third Avenue Line
The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and eventually became part of the New York subway...
closed in 1973. During this time period a wave of arson destroyed or damaged many of the residential, commercial, and industrial structures in the area.
Social problems
Many social problems associated with poverty, from crime to drug addiction, have plagued the area for some time. Despite crime declines versus their peaks during the crack and heroin epidemics, violent crime continues to be a serious problem in the community. Morrisania has significantly higher drop-out rates and incidents of violence in its schools. Other problems in local schools include low test scores and high truancy rates. Drug addiction is also a serious problem in the community. Due to the lucrative drug trade in the area, many addicts reside in the community. Peer pressure among children who come from broken homes contributes to the high rate of usage. Many households in the area are headed by a single mother, which contributes to the high poverty rate. Single parent homes often have a harder time providing at the same level as two-parent homes. Many of the families living in Morrisania have been in poverty for generations. The incarceration rate in the area is also very high. Morrisania is home to a significant number of inmates currently held in New York state prison and jail facilities.Urban renewal
After a wave of arson ravaged the low income communities of New York City throughout the 1970s, most of the residential structures in Morrisania were left seriously damaged or destroyed. The city began to rehabilitate many formally abandoned tenement style apartment buildings and designate them low income housing beginning in the late 1970s. Also many subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses and newly constructed apartment buildings have been or are being built on vacant lots across the neighborhood.Public
- PS 2/63: Morrisania (East 169th Street and Franklin Avenue)
- PS/MS 4: Crotona Park West (East 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue)
- PS 42: Claremont Village (Claremont Parkway and Washington Avenue)
- PS 35: Franz Siegel (East 163 Street and Grant Avenue)
- PS 90: George Meany (McCellan and Sheridan Avenue)
- PS 55: Benjamin Franklin (St. Paul's Place and Washington Avenue)
- PS 110: Theodore Schoenfield (Crotona Park South and Fulton Avenue)
- PS 132: Garrett A. Morgan (East 168th Street and Washington Avenue)
- PS 140: Eagle (East 163rd Street and Eagle Avenue)
- PS 146: Edward "Pops" Collins (East 164th Street and Cauldwell Avenue)
- PS 186: Walter J. Damrosch Day Treatment Center (Jennings Street and Union Avenue)
- PS 198:(East 168th Street and Tinton Avenue)
- PS/MS 212: Theodore Gathings (Home Street and Union Avenue)
- MS 128: Mott Hall III (St. Paul's Place and Washington Avenue)[occuping the 5th & 6th floor of the Benjamin Franklin School]
- MS 145: Arturo Toscanini (East 165th Street and Teller Avenue)
- MS 219: Charles Richard Drew (East 169th Street and Third Avenue)
- MS 301: Paul Laurence Dunbar (East 161st Street and Cauldwell Avenue)
- MS 313/339: Diana Sands (East 172nd Street and Webster Avenue)
- Morris High School (East 166th Street and Boston Road)
- Jane Addams High School (East 161st Street and Tinton Avenue)
- Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics (East 169th Street and Fulton Avenue)
- Bathgate High School Campus (Claremont Parkway and Bathgate Avenue)
P.S.463-Urban Scholars Community School
Transportation
- Bx6: to Hunt's PointHunts Point, BronxHunts Point is a low-income neighborhood located on a peninsula in the South Bronx in New York City. It is the location of one of the largest food distribution facilities in the world. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 2. Its boundaries are the Bruckner Expressway to the west and...
or Riverside DriveRiverside Drive (Manhattan)Riverside Drive is a scenic north-south thoroughfare in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The boulevard runs on the west side of Manhattan, generally parallel to the Hudson River from 72nd Street to near the George Washington Bridge at 181st Street...
(via 161st Street) - Bx11: to Simpson StreetSimpson Street (IRT White Plains Road Line)Simpson Street is a local station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Simpson Street and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 2 train at all times, and the 5 train at all times except late nights and rush hours in the peak...
or George Washington Bridge Bus TerminalGeorge Washington Bridge Bus TerminalThe George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
(via 170th Street) - Bx15: to Fordham Plaza or West Harlem (via Third Avenue)
- Bx21: to Westchester Square–East Tremont Avenue or Third Avenue–138th Street (via Boston Road–Morris Park Avenue)
- Bx35: to Simpson StreetSimpson Street (IRT White Plains Road Line)Simpson Street is a local station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Simpson Street and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 2 train at all times, and the 5 train at all times except late nights and rush hours in the peak...
or George Washington Bridge Bus TerminalGeorge Washington Bridge Bus TerminalThe George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
(via 167th Street) - Bx41: to Wakefield–241st Street or Third Avenue–149th StreetThird Avenue-149th Street (IRT White Plains Road Line)Third Avenue – 149th Street is a station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. It is located at Third Avenue and East 149th Street in Mott Haven, Bronx and is served by the 2 and 5 trains, the latter of which does not stop here during late night hours...
(via Webster Avenue) - Bx55: to Gun Hill RoadGun Hill Road (IRT White Plains Road Line)Gun Hill Road is an express station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. Located in the Bronx at the intersection of Gun Hill and White Plains Roads, it is served by the 2 train at all times while the 5 train provides additional rush hour service in the peak direction.This...
or Third Avenue–149th Street (via Third Avenue Limited)
Facts
- The neighborhood's name is of somewhat low currency, possibly due to the difficult pronunciation (it is pronounced "mohr-ih-'san-ee-ə", or in the speech of many New Yorkers "mahr-ih-'san-ee-ə") as well as the preference among many to simply refer to the general area as the South BronxSouth BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
rather than by individual neighborhood names. - In 1790, Lewis MorrisLewis MorrisLewis Morris was an American landowner and developer from Morrisania, New York. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Continental Congress for New York....
, owner of the estate and signer of the Declaration of IndependenceUnited States Declaration of IndependenceThe Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
, proposed the land as the site of the federal capital. - In 2003, the City rezoned several blocks along Third and Washington Avenues, allowing for residential development in a manufacturing area. As a result, several formerly vacant parcels of land have been redeveloped with affordable housing and retail projects.
- PSS Grandparent is the first-ever low income housing development in the United States constructed to meet the special needs of grandparents or elderly caregivers who care for grandchildren or other relatives.
- Morrisania is considered part of the socioeconomic South BronxSouth BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
. - The film I Like It Like That (film) starting Lauren VelezLauren VélezLauren Vélez is an American actress of Puerto Rican descent and the twin sister of actress Loraine Vélez. Her most notable roles are as María LaGuerta on Dexter, Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover, and Dr...
and Jon SedaJon SedaJonathan Seda is an American actor, possibly best known for his role as Detective Paul Falsone on NBC's: Homicide: Life on the Street....
was filmed 167th & Findlay in Morrisania section of the South BronxSouth BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
. - The US Post Office-MorrisaniaUnited States Post Office (Morrisania, Bronx)US Post Office-Morrisania, originally Station "T," is a historic post office building located at Morrisania in The Bronx, New York, United States. It was built in 1936, and designed by consulting architect William Dewey Foster for the Office of the Supervising Architect...
was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1988.
Notable natives
- Grandmaster FlashGrandmaster FlashJoseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
is rumored to be a current resident of the neighborhood. - Edward Stanley KelloggEdward Stanley KelloggEdward Stanley Kellogg was a United States Navy Captain who served as the 16th Governor of American Samoa. Kellogg graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1892, and joined the Naval Engineer Corps. He served as an assistant engineer on numerous ships, and participated in the...
, 16th Governor of American Samoa was born in Morrisania. - Rapper Fat JoeFat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
was raised in the Forest Houses and attended P.S. 146. - Rapper Cuban LinkCuban LinkFelix Delgado , better known by his stage name Cuban Link, is a Cuban rapper.-Biography:Delgado was born in Havana, Cuba in 1974. He and his family emigrated to the United States in 1980 and settled in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City...
was raised on Prospect Avenue in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx. - Rapper Triple Seis was raised in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx.
- Radio executive Alfredo AlonsoAlfredo AlonsoAlfredo Alonso is a Cuban-born media executive. He has held numerous senior management positions in Spanish-language media publishing, radio, television and event management. He is known as an innovator of new products to reach the U.S...
was raised on Grand Concourse and attended All Hallows School. - Rapper/producer Lord FinesseLord FinesseLord Finesse is a Hip hop artist and producer, hailing from The Bronx, New York, best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. rap crew.- Career :...
was raised in Forest Houses. - Rapper/producer Diamond DDiamond DDiamond D is a hip hop producer and MC from the Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. He started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980s and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and together with rhyme...
was raised in Forest Houses. - Hip Hop pioneer DJ Lovebug StarskiLovebug StarskiLovebug Starski is an American MC, musician and record producer. He began his career as a record boy in 1971 as hip-hop first appeared in the Bronx, and he eventually became a DJ at the Disco Fever club in 1978.Starski recorded his first single, "Positive Life," on the Tayster record label in 1981...
was raised in Forest Houses.