Eastchester's History to Be Celebrated by Many Local Organizations
Feb. 19, 2014: On February 10, Eastchester town historian Richard Forliano led a room full of Bronxville Rotarians back in time for a history lesson. A former social studies teacher in the Eastchester public schools, Forliano presented the 350 years of the town's history in an encapsulated version, but one that offered new information to his audience.
The Rotarians learned, as school assemblies and other groups this year have also discovered from Forliano, that the town and its two villages represent a microcosm of the country's development from the first interactions of the farmer/settlers with Native Americans to heroes in the Civil War to the town's becoming the present-day bustling suburban community.
As the town's history keeper and a member of the steering committee of Eastchester 350th Anniversary, Inc., Forliano noted that much of what is now known about the town was brought to light within the last couple of decades.
With a PowerPoint presentation as his tool, the Rotary's guest speaker spoke about the primary source materials he has uncovered and the documentation of the town's history that is being showcased this year.
In the fall, an exhibit at Concordia's OSilas Gallery and the publication of a hardcover and beautifully illustrated history book will be the capstones of this research as the celebrations conclude.
But before those planned programs unfold, many Eastchester organizations are "jumping on the bandwagon" and adding, with pride, the town's history to their own events. The Eastchester Historical Society plans a special Eastchester 350th anniversary float for the St. Patrick's Day parade. The American Cancer Society Relay for Life in May will take as its theme a birthday party for the Town of Eastchester.
The Bronxville Garden Tour will acknowledge the anniversary by including garden locations in Eastchester and Tuckahoe, as well as in Bronxville, and will include a history of each home on the map handout.
The Eastchester Tuckahoe Chamber of Commerce has planned not one but two restaurant weeks--one in April, the other in May. Local eateries are being encouraged to offer menus that represent the best of ethnic cuisine in acknowledgment of residents' immigrant roots.
The three public libraries are also acknowledging the theme of legacy and an appreciation of immigrant forebears. On Monday afternoons from March 17 to April 14, the Eastchester Public Library will feature a film series on immigrants in America.
The annual poetry reading at the Bronxville Public Library on April 6 will focus on the topic of legacy. And the Tuckahoe Public Library plans to host a troupe of Irish step dancers in the next month.
To keep up with all of these various community events--and ones still in formation--residents are encouraged to check www.eastchester350.org, the official website of the town's anniversary celebration. Announcements of all programs will be posted there, and information about the upcoming official celebrations this spring will be detailed.
Pictured here (L to R): Martin Schulman, program chair, and Gregory Tanno, president, of The Rotary Club of Bronxville with Richard Forliano, historian for the Town of Eastchester.
Photo courtesy Linda Doherty, Co-Chair, Steering Committee, Eastchester 350th Anniversary, Inc.
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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
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Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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