Book Description

By the time the railroad arrived in 1844, the small rural community of Underhill's Crossing--soon to be renamed Bronxville--was already attracting prominent New York City families. Some came seeking permanent homes; others a summer retreat. Half a century later, believing that the future of their charming hamlet would be best served by organizing as a village, a handful of local taxpayers voted to incorporate. This community along the New York and Harlem Railroad, 15 miles from New York City, was about to become one of the most desirable residential suburbs in the metropolitan area. Around Bronxville brings to life more than one hundred years of carefully planned community and architectural development, including fine homes, apartments, houses of worship, and the once famous Hotel Gramatan that was demolished in 1972. The book offers a visual tour of Bronxville's early "downtown"; William Van Duzer Lawrence's art colony, Lawrence Park; and neighboring Lawrence Park West, the home of Sarah Lawrence College. Over 200 photographs, combined with explanatory text, recapture the ambiance of people, places, and events of a past era and offer a glimpse into the private lives of some of the community's more notable residents, such as Elizabeth Custer, widow of General Custer, and the families of Jerome Kern and Joseph P. Kennedy.