83-711: Bronx River Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving, preserving, and improving the health of the Bronx River and surrounding environments. The Bronx River Restoration Project (BXRR), founded by Ruth Anderberg in 1974, grew into the Bronx River Working Group a group with the aim to be a "voice for the river." In 1997, the Bronx River Working Group expanded its efforts to include community groups including government agencies, businesses, and schools. In 2001,
166-517: A Bee-line Bus route. Nepperhan Avenue in Nepera Park is a shopping district in the area. Residents of southeast Yonkers are primarily Irish- and Italian-American. A number of recent immigrants from Ireland live in the area. Its architecture more closely resembles that of parts of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island than of points north. Southeast Yonkers is within walking distance of
249-580: A June 1954 labor dispute. In 1983, the Otis Elevator factory closed. A Kawasaki railcar-assembly plant opened in 1986 in the former Otis plant. With the loss of manufacturing jobs, Yonkers became a commuter town . Some neighborhoods, such as Crestwood and Park Hill , became popular with wealthy New Yorkers who wanted to live outside Manhattan without giving up urban conveniences. Yonkers' transportation infrastructure, which included three commuter railroad lines and five parkways and thruways, made it
332-541: A base for the Bronx River Alliance's 20-member staff. Additionally, the building stores canoes and kayaks, serves as a laboratory for studying the river environment, while also providing space and programming to school and community groups. Since its founding in 2001, the alliance has led in the clean-up and transformation of the river from polluted and abandoned to a source of pride and recreation, providing public parks, hiking and bike trails. Additionally,
415-568: A bicycle path from Bronxville to the Kensico Dam plaza. The Bronx River Greenway project proposes a unified management plan for the narrow ribbon of riverside green spaces in the 8 miles (13 km) in which the river passes through Westchester County and the Bronx, as part of the East Coast Greenway . It includes Concrete Plant Park on the right bank, below Westchester Avenue and Starlight Park above there. Construction on
498-503: A city in 1872. In 1873, the southern Town of Yonkers (outside the City of Yonkers) became the Town of Kingsbridge; this included Woodlawn Cemetery and the present-day neighborhoods of Kingsbridge , Riverdale , and Woodlawn Heights . The Town of Kingsbridge was annexed by New York City the following year as part of the Bronx. In 1898, Yonkers, Brooklyn , Queens , and Staten Island voted on
581-427: A coastal tributary in nearby Connecticut . The alewife spawn in the river's headwaters. Their offspring spend the summer in the river, migrate out to sea in the fall, and in three to five years return, like all anadromous fish, to their spawning grounds. Stocking was repeated annually for the following five years, to build up the new resident population. The fish, among a group called "river herring," feed low on
664-430: A desirable city in which to live. A 15-minute drive from Manhattan, it has a number of prewar homes and apartment buildings. Yonkers' manufacturing sector has also revived during the early 21st century. In 2024, Kawasaki rail reached a milestone with its 5,000th railway car. In 1960, the population of Yonkers was 95.8 percent white and four percent Black. The city developed a national reputation for racial tension during
747-443: A mixture of architectural styles which include dense clusters of apartment buildings, blocks of stores with apartments above, multifamily row houses , and detached single-family homes . The Ludlow Park, Hudson Park, and Van Cortlandt Crest neighborhoods have a larger number of detached houses. Southwest Yonkers, traditionally home to African American and white residents, has seen an influx of immigrants from Mexico, Central America,
830-462: A planned $ 500 million expansion would make it the largest such facility in the Northeast. Yonkers covers an area of 20.3 square miles (53 km ), including 18.1 square miles (47 km ) of land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km ) of water. On the east, the Bronx River separates Yonkers from Mount Vernon , Tuckahoe , Eastchester , Bronxville , and Scarsdale . The town of Greenburgh
913-466: A referendum to determine if they wanted to become part of New York City. Although the referendum passed elsewhere, Yonkers and neighboring Mount Vernon were not included in the consolidated city and remained independent. Some residents call Yonkers "the sixth borough " because of its location on the New York City border, its urban character, and the merger referendum. A 1942 subway connection
SECTION 10
#1732772770822996-531: A result. Wasicsko's story, subject of the 2015 miniseries Show Me a Hero , was adapted from a 1999 nonfiction book of the same name by Lisa Belkin . The 2007 documentary Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story also covers racial discrimination and housing segregation in Yonkers. As a result of the federal lawsuit, Yonkers' public-school enrollment dropped from 54 percent of the city's eligible population to under 30 percent as thousands of white families left
1079-490: A ruling by federal judge Leonard B. Sand , Yonkers engaged in institutional segregation in housing and educational policies for more than 40 years. He connected the city's opposition to ending racial segregation from its public schools to the unlawful concentration of public housing and discrimination in private housing. Yonkers gained national and international attention during the summer of 1988, when it backed out of its previous agreement to build municipal public housing in
1162-753: A safety elevator in 1853, and the Otis Elevator Company opened the world's first elevator factory on the Hudson near present-day Vark Street. The company moved to larger quarters during the 1880s, which later became the Yonkers Public Library . Around that time, the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company in the Saw Mill River Valley expanded to 45 buildings, 800 looms, and more than 4,000 workers. It
1245-630: Is a one-mile long linear park on the east bank of the Bronx River, from 211th to 231st Street in the Wakefield and Williamsbridge areas of the Bronx. Officially named Bronx River Park, it is more commonly known as Shoelace Park because of its shape. The park was renovated in 2020 to create bicycle and pedestrian paths over what was the original roadbed of the Bronx River Parkway . A small pier at 219th street provides access to
1328-593: Is a partial listing, listed north to south: Yonkers, New York Yonkers ( / ˈ j ɒ ŋ k ər z / ) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York and the most-populous city in Westchester County . A centrally located municipality within the New York metropolitan area , Yonkers had a population of 211,569 at the 2020 United States census . Yonkers is classified as an inner suburb of New York City , immediately north of
1411-442: Is a primarily Irish-American and Italian-American area. House sizes vary, from small houses set close together to larger homes in neighborhoods such as Lawrence Park West and mid-rise apartment buildings along Central Avenue ( NY 100 ). Central Avenue (officially Central Park Avenue) is a shopping area. Notable former residents include Steven Tyler of Aerosmith , whose childhood home was at 100 Pembrook Drive. The area contains
1494-505: Is a small Jewish cemetery. Two former Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company loft buildings (at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue) have been repurposed to house the YoHo Artist Community , which has private studios there. Yonkers Raceway, a harness racing track, renovated its grounds and clubhouse and added video slot machines in 2006 to become Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino . MGM Resorts International bought
1577-593: Is also home to the Ridge Hill Mall shopping center, which contains a Legoland Discovery Center Westchester , the first Legoland Discovery Center to open in the Northeast area of the United States. Northeast Yonkers is somewhat more expensive than the rest of the city and, due to the proximity of several Metro-North commuter railroad stations, its residents generally work for Manhattan corporations. Northwest Yonkers neighborhoods vary, spanning from
1660-414: Is an 18-story building on the site of the original old mill. New proposals and current projects are intended to revitalize downtown Yonkers. Phillipse Manor Hall was the site of the first Yonkers Village Hall and City Hall from 1868 to c. 1906 . Yonkers is governed by a strong mayor–council system. The Yonkers City Council has seven members: six, elected from each of the six districts, and
1743-661: Is considered a City of Seven Hills: Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church Hills. Much of the city developed around the Saw Mill River , which enters Yonkers from the north and flows into the Hudson River at Getty Square . Portions of the river had been buried in flumes under parking lots, but have been uncovered ( daylighted ). Daylighting promotes the restoration of habitat for plants, fish, and other fauna, and helps develop an understanding of where Native Americans camped in spring and summer. Yonkers
SECTION 20
#17327727708221826-534: Is on the north, and the Hudson River forms the western border. Yonkers borders the Riverdale , Woodlawn , and Wakefield sections of The Bronx from the south. The city is spread over hills rising from near sea level on the east bank of the Hudson River to 416 feet (127 m) above sea level at Sacred Heart Church, whose spire can be seen from Long Island , New York City , and New Jersey . Yonkers
1909-576: Is the third-most populous city in New York State . In the 2018 American Community Survey , 34.8 percent of Yonkers residents spoke Spanish and 4.2 percent of the population was West Indian . Yonkers has a sizeable Arab population, mainly from the Levant (especially Jordanians and Palestinians ). There is also a sizeable Albanian population in the city. In the 2010 census, there were 195,976 people in Yonkers and its population density
1992-624: The 27th Division or the 77th Division . One hundred thirty-seven city residents were killed during the war. In the 1918 sinking of the USS President Lincoln , seventeen sailors from Yonkers survived. Civilians helped the war effort by joining organizations such as the American Red Cross . The Yonkers chapter of the Red Cross had 126 members in 1916; by the end of the war, 15,358 Yonkers residents belonged to
2075-717: The Cross County Shopping Center and the Ridge Hill Mall , and along Central Park Avenue . The city has a number of attractions, including Tibbetts Brook Park , Untermyer Park and Gardens , the Hudson River Museum , the Saw Mill River , the Science Barge , Sherwood House , and access to the Hudson River . Yonkers is also known as the City of Seven Hills: Park , Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church Hills. The city has continued to experience significant gentrification since
2158-506: The Hudson River Museum , the Lenoir Nature Preserve, and Untermyer Park and Gardens . The two-block section of Palisade Avenue between Chase and Roberts Avenues in northwest Yonkers is colloquially known as "the north end" or "the end". The only retail area in northwest Yonkers, it was known for its soda fountain , Urich's Stationery, and Robbins Pharmacy. It was the end of a trolley line that has since been replaced by
2241-631: The New York and Putnam Railroad and the Third Avenue Railway trolley lines; these buildings are now served by the Bee-Line Bus System . The railroad companies built neighborhoods of mixed housing which ranged from apartment buildings to large mansions in areas such as Park Hill , where a funicular accessed the train station in the valley. Off South Broadway and Yonkers Avenue are residential neighborhoods such as Lowerre, Nodine Hill, Park Hill , and Hudson Park. They have
2324-604: The United States and drains an area of 38.4 square miles (99 km ). It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck . It originally rose in what is now the Kensico Reservoir , in Westchester County north of New York City , on a hill about 650 feet above sea level in what is now New Castle, New York . The river originated in an area the Weckquasgeek called Quaropes, which means White Marshes. It
2407-603: The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development about further construction of low-income housing in west Yonkers, it continued to support subsidized housing in this area between 1972 and 1977. In 1980, the NAACP and the federal government filed suit against the city of Yonkers and its board of education in United States v. Yonkers . After a 1985 decision and an unsuccessful appeal, Yonkers' schools were integrated three years later. According to
2490-585: The Woodlawn and Wakefield neighborhoods of the Bronx. Eastern McLean Avenue, home to an Irish community shared with Woodlawn, is considered the hub of Yonkers by some. A portion of Midland Avenue in the Dunwoodie neighborhood has been called the city's Little Italy . Southeast Yonkers landmarks include the Cross County Shopping Center , Yonkers Raceway and St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, which
2573-744: The Yonkers City Council approved the US Post Office on Main Street for local-landmark status after its 1989 listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. On September 29, 2023 , a state of emergency was declared in the city after flash flooding affected most of the Hudson Valley and New York City . Most area parkways were closed and flooding was also reported in neighboring Mount Vernon . After
Bronx River Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-520: The food-chain and help reduce eutrophication . Several adult alewife were found below the first dam on the river in April 2009. An analysis revealed they were 3 years old, with the assumption of scientists being that these were descendants of the alewife released 3 years before in March 2006. The next step will be to erect fish ladders , aka. fish passageways over the 3 dams lowest on the river, allowing
2739-625: The 15th NY National Guard. During the New York City draft riots , Yonkers formed the Home Guards. The guards were a force of constables formed to protect Yonkers from rioting which was feared to spread from New York City (it did not). Seventeen Yonkers residents were killed during the Civil War. During World War I , 6,909 Yonkers residents (about seven percent of the city's population) entered military service. Most Yonkers men joined
2822-479: The 1854 Smith-Collins House was included in a 1983 article in The New York Times . The house was demolished in 2007, and former city-council president Chuck Lesnick called for legislation which would make the demolition of a 75-year-old landmark in the city subject to the landmark-review process. Neighborhoods include Nepera Park, Runyon Heights , Homefield, Glenwood, and Greystone. Landmarks include
2905-484: The 1980s and 1990s, based on a long-term battle between the city and the NAACP over the construction of subsidized, low-income housing projects . Yonkers planned to use federal funding for urban renewal exclusively downtown; other groups, led by the NAACP, believed that the resulting concentration of low-income housing in traditionally-poor neighborhoods would perpetuate poverty. Although the city had been warned in 1971 by
2988-440: The 1980s struggle against segregation. According to critics, the development would bring homelessness and gentrification to the area. Downtown gentrification has raised concerns that poorer residents might be forced out of the city. A Yonkers Arts Gallery painting, But It's Ours: The Redline Between Poverty and Wealth by Shanequa Benitez, illustrates the effects of gentrification on Yonkers. In an effort to combat redlining ,
3071-564: The 19th and 20th centuries, the river became a natural sewer into which industrial waste was poured every day. An early mill on the industrialized river was the Lorillard Snuff Mill , preserved in the grounds of the New York Botanical Garden . With the decline of manufacturing in the area, the river continued to receive water pollution from the communities that lined its banks. In December 1948, flow of
3154-532: The Bronx and approximately 2.4 miles (4 km) north of Marble Hill (the northernmost point in Manhattan ). Downtown Yonkers is centered around Getty Square , where the municipal government is located. The downtown area, which also houses local businesses and nonprofit organizations , is a retail hub for the city and the northwest Bronx. Major shopping areas are in Getty Square on South Broadway, at
3237-699: The Bronx River Greenway started in October 2016. In the South Bronx, the river has become a popular destination for urban canoeing in New York City. It bisects Bronx Park and the Bronx Zoo. A monorail built in the late 20th century takes zoo visitors over the river to an exhibit of Asian animals on the left bank, with a narration presenting the river as the Irrawaddy . Shoelace Park
3320-603: The Bronx River Working Group along with Bronx River Restoration headed by Nancy Wallace officially founded the Bronx River Alliance. In 2016, after sharing an office for many years with the Parks Department on the Bronx River Parkway , the alliance opened the Bronx River House, a riverfront home in Starlight Park near 174th Street. The Bronx River House, a parks department building, serves as
3403-412: The Bronx River by May 2007. Urban runoff pollution continues to be a serious problem for the river. The Bronx River Watershed Coalition, a partnership of local and state agencies, citizen groups and non-profit organizations, have developed watershed management plans to reduce stormwater pollution and improve water quality . Local alewife were released in the river in March 2006. They taken from
Bronx River Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-542: The Bronx River was changed to eliminate a curve in its course in Bronxville , to create land on the old riverbed on which to construct an addition to Lawrence Hospital . During the excavations a large sand bar was uncovered where sand had accumulated at the bend over hundreds of years and made a sandy beach. In the 21st century, environmental groups including the Bronx River Alliance proposed to return
3569-604: The Bronx River." Several identified blockages, according to a 2004 NYC Parks report, include the 182nd Street Dam, the Bronx Zoo Dam, the Snuff Mill Dam, and the Westchester dams. As a result of these long term blockages, NYC parks did not expect fish to return to these migration routes, requiring the release of fish in historical spawning areas after fish passage remediation. In 2011, New York City parks began
3652-699: The Caribbean, South Asia, and the Middle East. Many residents are of African, Caribbean, Italian, Polish, or Mexican descent. Some neighborhoods on the Riverdale border contain an increasing number of Orthodox Jews. The area is home to historical and educational institutions which include Philipse Manor Hall , the Science Barge , the Beczak Environmental Education Center, and a 2003 Yonkers Public Library building. The revitalization of Getty Square has helped facilitate
3735-650: The Dutch and the English. The Algonkian significance of the name is variously reported. The acca- element, as represented in the Long Island place-name Accabonac , was deformed into the more familiar, suitably watery European morpheme aque- . The tract purchased by Jonas Bronck , a Swedish immigrant, in 1639 lay between the Harlem River and the river that came to be called "Bronck's river". During
3818-737: The Hudson River to the New York State Thruway ( I-87 ) and from Ashburton Avenue north to the Hastings-on-Hudson border. With the Hudson River bordering it on the west, northwest Yonkers has many Victorian-era homes with panoramic views of the Palisades . The Victorian architecture and number of 19th-century estates in northwest Yonkers has attracted filmmakers. An interest in historic preservation has developed, demonstrated on streets such as Shonnard Terrace, Delavan Terrace , and Hudson Terrace. On Delavan Terrace,
3901-475: The NAACP's lawyer during the case, blamed Sand for failing to allocate federal funds to help relieve the cost of integration. Areas of Yonkers which bordered similar neighborhoods in Riverdale began seeing an influx of Orthodox Jews during the 2000s, and the Riverdale Hatzalah volunteer ambulance service began serving neighborhoods in the southwest part of the city. The Sherwood Park Cemetery
3984-441: The Otis Elevator factory. Increased competition from less-expensive imports resulted in a decline in manufacturing in Yonkers after the war, and a number of industrial jobs were lost. Yonkers was originally a small farming town which produced peaches, apples, potatoes, oats, wheat, and other agricultural goods to be shipped to New York City along the Hudson River . Water power created manufacturing jobs. Elisha Otis invented
4067-550: The Philipse family. Yonkers has undergone several changes to neighborhoods in an effort to revitalize the city, which has included gentrification . Changes were made to its waterfront, which included revitalizing its green space. Residents of the western area of downtown Yonkers opposed the Pierpointe, a condominium-complex development proposal that would build over 1,900 condominiums (including six 38-story towers), during
4150-613: The affluent neighborhoods of Crestwood , Colonial Heights, and Cedar Knolls, and the wealthy enclaves of Beech Hill and Lawrence Park West. It includes a gated community off the eastern Grassy Sprain Reservoir, known as Winchester Villages . Notable places include St. Vladimir's Seminary , Sarah Lawrence College , and the Tanglewood Shopping Center, former home of the Tanglewood Boys gang. The area
4233-557: The alewife access to a portion of the river with more suitable spawning habitat. In 2015 a fish passageway was built at the 182nd Street dam. In February 2007 biologists with the Wildlife Conservation Society , which operates the Zoo, spotted a beaver ( Castor canadensis ) in the river. "There has not been a sighting of a beaver lodge or a beaver in New York City for over 200 years. It sounds fantastic, but one of
SECTION 50
#17327727708224316-560: The alliance assists in providing boats to the public so they can paddle in the river and experience it firsthand. Throughout its history, the alliance has partnered with other environmental organizations including the Natural Areas Conservancy to restore the environment and trails along the river. Bronx River The Bronx River ( / b r ɒ ŋ k s / ), is a river that is approximately 24 miles (39 km) long, and flows through southeastern New York in
4399-540: The area known as the Aquehung, it is fed by Harts Brook and the north and south Fox Meadow Brooks . At Tuckahoe, it is fed by Troublesome Brook . At Bronxville, it is fed by Sprain Brook , its longest tributary system, which originates at Greenburgh Town Park . The river divides Westchester County into eastern and western areas, forming the border between the large cities of Yonkers and Mount Vernon , and flows into
4482-433: The chapter. Mostly women, they prepared surgical dressings, created hospital garments for the wounded, and knit articles of clothing for refugees and soldiers. In addition to joining the Red Cross, Yonkers residents donated $ 19,255,255 to a number of war drives. The city's factories were converted to produce items for World War II , such as tents and blankets from the Alexander Smith and Sons carpet factory and tanks from
4565-411: The city announced the Yonkers Greenway: a $ 14 million rail trail along former railways such as the New York and Putnam Railroad . The 3.1-mile (5.0 km) greenway will run from Van Cortlandt Park to Getty Square. Construction, expected to begin in spring 2024, is planned to be completed in 2026. The Village of Yonkers was incorporated in the western Town of Yonkers in 1854, and incorporated as
4648-461: The city for its suburbs or enrolled their children in private schools; this effectively gutted the city's middle class and tax base. The school district's estimated cost of integration was over $ 262 million. Forced to cut programs, Yonkers schools fell steeply in national rankings as test scores sharply declined. By 1995, The New York Times called the city's desegregation effort "a profound disappointment to blacks and whites alike". Michael Sussmann,
4731-469: The eastern parts of the city (an agreement it had made in a consent decree after losing its appeal in 1987). After its reversal, the city was found in contempt of the federal courts. Sand imposed a fine on Yonkers which began at $ 100 and doubled every day, capped at $ 1 million per day by an appeals court, until the city capitulated to the federally-mandated plan. The city remained in contempt of court until September 9, 1988, when its city council relented as
4814-411: The financial impact threatened to close a library and reduce sanitation. The city also considered massive layoffs , which would have adversely affected its ability to provide services to the upper classes it was trying to retain. Nicholas C. Wasicsko , Yonkers' youngest mayor (elected at age 28), struggled in city politics. He helped end the city's contempt-of-court ruling, but was voted out of office as
4897-413: The first completely-synthetic plastic, was invented c. 1907 in Yonkers by Leo Baekeland and was manufactured there until the late 1920s. During the early 20th century, Yonkers hosted the Brass-Era automaker Colt Runabout . Although the vehicle reportedly ran well, the company went out of business. Yonkers was the headquarters of hat manufacturer Waring Hat Company, which was the largest in
4980-401: The flooding, crews pumped water out of Yonkers homes. The city has been used as a location for films and television series, and the City Hall courtroom is used for film scenes and commercials. The city along with neighboring Mount Vernon saw an increase in revenue grow from 2016. Catch Me If You Can (2002) and Mona Lisa Smile (2003) were partially filmed in the city. Yonkers is
5063-436: The growth of southwest Yonkers. During the early 21st century, several luxury apartment buildings were built along the Hudson River. A Victorian-era pier was renovated, and a new public library was housed in the remodeled Otis Elevator factory. Peter X. Kelly 's restaurant, X20 Xaviar's on the Hudson, is on the renovated pier. In 2020, several more rental buildings were placed at the river's edge on Alexander Street. Sawyer Place
SECTION 60
#17327727708225146-470: The inception of the 21st century. The area was granted to Adriaen van der Donck , the patroon of Colendonck , in July 1645. Van der Donck was known locally as Jonkheer ('young gentleman'), an honorific title derived from the Dutch jonk ('young') and heer ('lord'). The title, similar to " esquire ", is linguistically comparable to the German Junker . Jonkheer was shortened to Jonker ( possessive Jonkers ), from which
5229-406: The messages that comes out of this is if you give wildlife a chance it will come back," said John Calvelli, a spokesman for the Society. The beaver is named Jose Serrano , after the Congressman, and was sighted below the East Tremont bridge at Drew Gardens as recently as June 2009. Beavers had not lived in New York City since the early 19th century, when trappers extirpated them completely from
5312-483: The name Yonkers derives. The city's residents are known as Yonkersonians, Yonkersites, Yonkers, or Yonks. The indigenous Native American village of Nappeckamack was located near the Neperah stream (now the Saw Mill River , also known as Nepperhan Creek), which flowed into the Shatemuck ( Hudson River ). The land on which the city is built was once part of Colen Donck , a 24,000-acre (97-square-kilometer) Dutch land grant . It ran 12 miles (19 km) north from
5395-441: The nation when it opened. On January 4, 1940, Yonkers resident Edwin Howard Armstrong transmitted the first FM radio broadcast on the W2XCR station from the Yonkers home of co-experimenter C. R. Runyon. Yonkers had the longest-running pirate radio station, which was owned by Allan Weiner and operated during the 1970s and 1980s. The Alexander Smith Carpet Company, one of the city's largest employers, ceased operations during
5478-554: The non-Hispanic population decreased to 33 percent from 41.4 percent in 2010. The Hispanic and Latino population increased to 40 percent, and the Asian population increased to 5.9%. The city reported a decrease in its white population from 55.8 to 46.3 percent. Yonkers includes several small residential enclaves and communities which form four quarters, demarcated by the Saw Mill River . There are at least 38 neighborhoods, but many of their original names are rarely used except by older residents and real-estate brokers. Northeast Yonkers
5561-417: The northern end of The Bronx , where it divides East Bronx from West Bronx , southward through Bronx Park , New York Botanical Garden , and the Bronx Zoo and continues through neighborhoods of the South Bronx . It empties into the East River , a tidal strait connected to Long Island Sound , between the Soundview and Hunts Point neighborhoods. Prior to European settlement, The Bronx River Valley
5644-411: The population. Non-Hispanic whites were 41.4 percent of the population in 2010, down from 89.9 percent in 1970. Data from the 2020 census indicated that Yonkers' population grew by eight percent from 2010 to 2020, an increase from 195,976 to 211,569. Yonkers surpassed Rochester as the third-most populous city in New York, behind New York City and Buffalo . The Hispanic population increased, as
5727-428: The present-day Manhattan –Bronx border at Marble Hill, and from the Hudson River east to the Bronx River . Adriaen van der Donck (d. 1655) built a saw mill near the confluence of Nepperhan Creek and the Hudson River. Near the site of Van der Donck's mill is the Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site , a manor house owned by Dutch colonists . The historic house museum is also an archive. The original structure
5810-440: The process of adding a 1.5 million passage to Bronx Park, which is adjacent to the Bronx River. The project, including dam repair in addition to construction of the fish ladder, was slated to be one of three fish ladders that were to be installed across the Bronx River. Restoration programs based on fishway construction and hatcheries may have sustained remnant populations, but large-scale restoration has not been achieved. This
5893-430: The raceway and casino in 2018 for $ 850 million. During the COVID-19 pandemic , the city opened several test sites at the ParkCare Pavilion of St. John's Riverside Hospital (considered a COVID-19 hotspot). The test site was operated by the New York State Department of Health during the pandemic. More test sites opened in the city as students prepared to return to school for in-person instruction. In February 2023,
5976-506: The river for canoes and kayaks. The fragmentation of the Bronx River by dams has eliminated diadromous species from the river system, and as human development has progressed across the Bronx river, historic fish migration routes have been severed. According to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection: "At the beginning of the 18th Century, roughly 12 water mills were producing paper, pottery, flour, tapestries, and snuff along
6059-508: The river to its original state as a clean waterway. The river became a favorite project of U.S. Representative José Serrano , who secured US$ 14.6 million in federal funding to support the rehabilitation of the waterway, into which some Westchester towns continued to discharge raw sewage intermittently, as sanitary sewer overflows , as late as 2006. Under a November 2006, agreement, the municipalities of Scarsdale , White Plains , Mount Vernon and Greenburgh agreed to stop dumping sewage in
6142-542: The setting of two feature films by local filmmaker Robert Celestino : Mr. Vincent (1997) and Yonkers Joe (2008). The city is the setting for the 2005 film A Tale of Two Pizzas , and Tyler, the Creator released " Yonkers " in 2011. Neil Simon 's play, Lost in Yonkers , and its film version are set in the city. A new Lionsgate Studios facility hosts the Spanish multimedia communications group Mediapro , and
6225-541: The state. In the summer of 2010 a second beaver joined Jose, doubling the beaver population in New York City. Beaver were once important to the city's economy. A pair of beaver appear on the city's official seal and flag . A pod of dolphins visited the river in January 2023. Along much of its length in Westchester County and the northern Bronx the river is paralleled by the Bronx River Parkway . It has
6308-488: The tower spilled, causing flooding in the area that crushed cars and damaged homes. Construction of a new tower began in 1938, and it became operational the following year. During the American Civil War , 254 Yonkers residents joined the U.S. Army and Navy . They enlisted primarily in four regiments: the 6th New York Heavy Artillery , the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry , the 17th New York Volunteers , and
6391-476: Was 10,827.4 people per square mile (4,180.5 people/km ). There were 80,839 housing units, with an average density of 4,466.2 per square mile (1,724.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 55.8 percent white , 18.7 percent African American , 0.7 percent Native American , 5.9 percent Asian , 0.1 percent Pacific Islander , 14.7 percent from other races, and 4.1 percent from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any racial background were 34.7 percent of
6474-736: Was built by white workers and enslaved people for Frederick Philipse and his wife, Margaret Hardenbroeck de Vries, around 1682. Philipse was a wealthy Dutchman who, at his death, had amassed an estate which included present-day Yonkers and several other Hudson River towns. Philipse's great-grandson, Frederick Philipse III, was a prominent loyalist during the American Revolution who had economic and political ties to English businesspeople. Because of his political leanings, he fled to England. American colonists in New York State confiscated and sold all lands and property belonging to
6557-654: Was fed by the Fulton Brook , Manhattan Park Brook , Davis Brook , and Tompkins Brook . With the construction of the Kensico Dam in 1885, however, the river was cut off from its natural headwaters and today a small tributary stream originating from the reservoir serves as its source. The Bronx River flows south past White Plains , then south-southwest through the northern suburbs in New York, passing through Edgemont , Tuckahoe , Eastchester , and Bronxville . In
6640-593: Was known as Laaphawachking--"the place of stringing lakes." In the 17th century, the river—called by the natives "Aquehung"—served as a boundary between loosely associated bands under sachems of the informal confederacy of the Wecquaesgeek . Europeanized as the Wappinger , the east bank of the river was the boundary for the Siwanoy , clammers and fishermen. The same line was retained when manors were granted to
6723-621: Was known as one of the world's premier carpet-producing centers. In addition to manufacturing, Yonkers played a key role in the development of recreational sports in the United States. Scottish-born John Reid founded Saint Andrew's Golf Club in the city in 1888; it was the first golf course in the United States. That year, the New York City and Northern Railway Company (later the New York Central Railroad ) connected Yonkers to Manhattan and points north. A three-mile spur to Getty Square operated until 1943. Bakelite ,
6806-641: Was planned between Getty Square and the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line , which terminates in Riverdale at 242nd Street (slightly south of the city line). The plan was dropped. In 1937, a 175-foot (53 m) water tower collapsed in the Nodine Hills area; nine people were initially injured. The injury total increased by three after the collapse, bringing the number to 12. About 100,000 U.S. gallons (380,000 L) of water from
6889-418: Was visited by Pope John Paul II in October 1995 and by Pope Benedict XVI in April 2008. Getty Square is Yonkers' downtown and its civic center and central business district . Much of southwest Yonkers grew along the railroad and trolley (now bus) lines along South Broadway and in Getty Square which run to New York City. Clusters of apartment buildings surrounded the stations of the Yonkers branch of
#821178