Letter to the Editor: Anne Fredericks on Bronxville Fifty Years Ago
To the Editor:
Aug. 19, 2015: Reading John Corry's delightful and valuable account in "Bronxville Fifty Years Ago" brought to mind several of my own remembrances of Bronxville even earlier than that, when I was a child growing up here.
In my childhood, there really was a green field at the southern end of Greenfield Avenue. It was full of wild strawberries every June and had a few apple trees that produced small, rather wormy apples every October. They were among the last vestiges of the large orchard for which Orchard Place was named.
Every Sunday, ice cream was hand-churned at home--quite a chore to turn the handle after the mixture began to thicken. We children used to squabble over who would lick the dasher when finally it was pulled out of the canister, which was then closed and put on the ice in our icebox.
The iceman came in a large wagon pulled by a docile white horse who would allow children to pet him. The wagon contained huge blocks of ice encased in sawdust. He would check the needs of each household and shape the necessary block with a pick and hammer. He'd extract that piece with a giant pair of tongs, sling it over his shoulder onto his protective leather vest, and enter the kitchen to re-supply his customers. On hot summer days, he would allow children to take small chips of ice from the wagon to suck on. Many of us ingested as much sawdust as ice water.
The Miss Williams bookshop was next to a white picket fence on Pondfield Road, and further along, on the opposite side of the street, was the library, next to the fire station.
There was a splendid dalmatian dog on duty at the firehouse whom I regarded with apprehension. I gave him a wide berth if I were allowed, as a treat, to help meet my father's train in the evening.
The year I was thirteen and allowed to go into the city by myself, my round-trip ticket was thirty-three cents. On summer evenings when the wind was just right, we could hear the faint clickety-clack of the trains passing through and even the hoots of ocean liners as they cast off from their Hudson River piers.
Anne Fredericks
Letters Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
Letters Recent Articles
Quick Links
Newsletter
MyhometownBroxnville reserves the right to monitor and remove all comments. For more information on Posting Rules, please review our Rules and Terms of Use, both of which govern the use and access of this site. Thank you.
The information presented here is for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to present accurate information, myhometownBronxville, LLC, does not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information herein. We urge all users to independently confirm any information provided herein and consult with an appropriate professional concerning any material issue of fact or law. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of myhometownBronxville, LLC, its officers, staff or contributors. The use of this website is governed by the Terms of Use . No portion of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed, either in whole or part, without the express written consent of the publisher.
Copyright © 2009 myhometownbronxville.com, All rights reserved.