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"20th CENTURY BRONX"
On Boston Road near Pelham Parkway stood the Post Road Casino with its canopied entrance
(inset), as witnessed by this 1930s photograph. The bar served plenty of liquor and beer along with dining and
dancing in the restaurant section. Genuine Italian spaghetti was the house specialty. Patrons had
plenty of parking space in the lot to the right. This was a very popular Bronx spot of that era.
- Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
Here's a photo from 1937 that shows the reconstruction of the Williamsbridge Reservoir.
The old reservoir was drained and playground equipment and grass was brought in to make a new park. The curved
street is Reservoir Oval and the tunnel entrance faces Van Cortlandt Avenue East at Bainbridge Avenue.
- Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
This is a picture taken in 1939 of Unionport Road looking toward Tremont Avenue.
This was the old Catholic Protectory grounds. All buildings were leveled prior to the construction of Parkchester.
Today, the roads are wider and the Parkchester buildings are on the left and on the right and if you continue up the block
to E. Tremont Avenue, you will see the car wash on the corner across the street on the right side. -
Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
"20th CENTURY BRONX"
Here's West Farms Square in 1940. It was a very busy transportation hub as many
trolley lines connected here. Notice a man waiting on the pedestrian traffic island where the cars from Williamsbridge
end their run and begin their journey back. The letter "V" in the front left side of the car means that this trolley
car is from the Williamsbridge Road line. The building on the right, behind the trolley advertising The Bronx
Savings Bank is still standing there today and it now houses the Bronx River Art Center & Gallery.
- Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society.
This is the corner of Gun Hill Road and Eastchester Road as it appeared in this photo
from 1941. It was the site of the Russell Family farm stand. Here, they are selling Long Island
potatoes and sweet apple cider. The majority of their produce and cider jugs are displayed along the curb.
More was stored in the shed to the left. They also sold apples, onions and corn. Some neighborhood
families are inspecting some of the displays. - Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society.
This is the corner of Fordham Road and Sedgwick Avenue back in 1949. Notice
the construction of the Fordham Hill Houses. The trees mark the site of a park and we can see some playground
equipment to the right. - Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
In 1911, E. Tremont Avenue from Webster Avenue to Third Avenue was one
of the main shopping districts of that time. Back then, there were two bars, one on each corner of E. Tremont
and Webster Avenues.
Here's A Brief History of The Bronx in the 20th Century
1904 - The IRT Subway is extended to The Bronx under
149th Street.
1906 - The Jerome Park Reservoir is opened.
1914 - The Kingsbridge Armory, reportedly the largest
in the world, is completed.
1923 - Yankee Stadium opens with Babe Ruth
hitting a massive homerun, giving it the nickname of "The House that Ruth Built".
1932 - Major William F. Deegan
a builder of Army bases, dies on April 4th.
1933 - Henry Bruckner, served
as Bronx Borough President, during the depression of the 1930s. He was an avid Democrat. Bruckner Boulevard and
Bruckner Expressway were named in his honor.
1936 - The Henry Hudson Bridge and the Henry Hudson
Parkway, open to traffic.
1936 - The Triborough Bridge opens to traffic.
1939 - The Bronx-Whitestone Bridge opens to traffic.
1955 - The Major Deegan Expressway opens to traffic.
1955 - The Bronx County Historical Society is founded.
1961 - The Throg's Neck Bridge opens to traffic.
1965 - The Cross Bronx Expressway is completed.
1968 - The Museum of Bronx History opens.
1972 - The Bronx Museum of the Arts opens.
1977 - Then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, visits The
Bronx, followed by television cameras and newspapers, reporting widespread devastation of the surroundings. This depicts
a powerful negative image of The Bronx, across the nation and around the world.
1997 - The Bronx is designated an "All American City",
by the National Civic Council.
The Sheffield Farms Milk Plant around 1950 with its round milk bottle on the roof
is a local landmark. Inside the plant, milk was poured into bottles, placed on trucks and sent from this beautiful
gleaming white building located on Webster Avenue and 166th Street to grocery stores throughout the borough.
- Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
Here's a photo from 1950 showing the corner of Boston Road and Bronxwood Avenue.
That's the Glass Post Bar and Restaurant which was a very popular spot of that era, which shares its structure with an A&P
Supermarket and a liquor store. Further down the street to the left is a White Castle Hamburger Restaurant, which
by the way, still stands in the exact spot today. Notice very little traffic. Electricity was provided by
wires strung from wooden poles along the sidewalk. - Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical
Society.
This is the Busher Building back in 1950, located at 149th Street and Courtlandt Avenue.
It was one of many office buildings west of the Hub. On the street level was the National City Bank of New York.
- Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical Society
Here we see Knox Place just south of Gun Hill Road in this photo taken in 1950 also.
A very quiet street back then. It looks like many of the residents owned cars. The trees all the way
at the end are in Mosholu Parkway. - Photo courtesy of The Bronx County Historical
Society
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