New York City is a thriving, fascinating metropolis. Unlike the uniformity one finds in much of suburban America, in New York City there is a mosaic of neighborhoods defined by ethnicity and lifestyle each of which exhibit the distinct cultural flavors of their inhabitants. New York's neighborhoods are little worlds unto themselves where languages, customs, and habits differ sometimes as much as if they were separate countries. This reality can be seen clearly in the Riverdale neighborhood of the northwest Bronx. Riverdale is located up on a rocky ledge to the west of Broadway, and overlooks the Hudson and Harlem Rivers as well as the rest of the Bronx to the east.

Throughout the 19th century and up until the 1950's, Riverdale was a bastion of America's Anglo-Protestant elite. Many of the great banking, business, and political families of the country lived there in mansions and estates. Wave Hill, the sprawling estate that looks out onto the Hudson River, was the home of Teddy Roosevelt as a teenager and later was lived in by Arturo Toscanini, the great conductor, before being turned into a museum in 1960. Three old graceful Protestant churches are found in Riverdale, built in English Gothic style by their upper class founders in the mid-19th century. Their congregations have dwindled as the neighborhood changed, but their continuing and conspicuous presence is a reminder that this neighborhood is not only old and historic, but also a place where wealth and taste went hand in hand. Stately homes, mostly built in the early years of the 20th century, make up the Fieldston section of Riverdale.

These homes come in different styles - Spanish haciendas, medieval castles, colonials, and modern architecture, all mixed together. They are generally located on small lots of land, but they can cost as much as 1 to 2 million dollars. The apartments in Riverdale, including those located in drab-looking buildings mass produced in the 1960's, are also pricey, if you're comparing them to similar places outside of the New York area. A typical 3 bedroom apartment starts at $1500 / month and goes up to over $3000 / month. The point to remember here is that people settle in Riverdale for the community, for the proximity to Manhattan, and for the prestige, not for the value of the housing.

Nearby Kingsbridge, to the east of Riverdale, originally was a predominantly working class Irish Catholic population. The Irish began to settle the Bronx in large numbers in the early 20th century. For several generations many of them worked as servants maintaining the estates of the Anglo-Protestants, and in the police and fire departments, much as they did in other northeastern cities. By the 1950's, as the Irish population became upwardly mobile, they began to move out of the area. Today Kingsbridge has a gritty run-down appearance to it, but the neighborhood is still very lively and is mostly Hispanic. There is still a substantial Irish population in Riverdale and Kingsbridge, and many of today's Irish are recent immigrants from the Emerald Isle. Almost all of the many bars along Broadway are Irish bars, as one can see from the names and green colored shamrocks on them, and this is the most visible sign of the strong Irish presence that remains in the area. On Saturday afternoon in nearby Van Cortlandt Park, a passerby can see Irish sports teams competing against each other playing curling, rugby, and Gaelic football.

Starting in the 1950's, as the population of the city grew, high rise apartment buildings were built and the population of Riverdale grew substantially. Much of this influx until today has been comprised of Jews moving in mainly from Manhattan, looking for a neighborhood community that is accessible to Manhattan's jobs, shopping, and culture, but is less crowded, more suburban-looking and less expensive. Riverdale and Kingsbridge have 9 synagogues and several Jewish schools, and many kosher food shops. On Saturday morning, an observer standing in the middle of Riverdale would be likely to see several thousand people walking to the synagogues for Sabbath services. The Riverdale area today is truly a neighborhood where three distinct ethnic groups have left their imprint.

Click here for more Real Times Community Profiles

Published: March 24, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Ellen S. Shnidman only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.