West Bronx facts for kids
The West Bronx is a part of the Bronx, a borough in New York City. This area is located west of the Bronx River. It makes up roughly the western half of the entire Bronx borough.
The West Bronx has more people living in it compared to the East Bronx. It is also closer to Upper Manhattan. For a long time, the West Bronx was not part of New York City. It included areas that were once towns like Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania.
In 1874, these towns officially became part of New York City. This was the first time New York City grew beyond Manhattan. This new area was called the "Annexed District." Later, in 1898, New York City grew even bigger. It added more areas like the rest of the Bronx, all of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. This created the huge city we know today!
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Exploring the West Bronx
The West Bronx has many hills. It has long, parallel ridges that run from south to north. You can find different kinds of homes here. There are older apartment buildings and public housing complexes. There are also larger family homes in wealthier areas like Riverdale.
The West Bronx is home to Van Cortlandt Park. This is New York City's third largest park. It stretches along the border between the Bronx and Westchester County. The Grand Concourse is a wide, main road that runs through the area. It goes from north to south along a ridgeline.
Street Names in the West Bronx
The West Bronx uses the same street numbering system as Manhattan. This can sometimes be a bit confusing! For example, a street called "East 161st Street" might actually be west of the Bronx River. This is because the line that divides "East" and "West" streets is Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In the Bronx, that dividing line is Jerome Avenue. Jerome Avenue is directly north of Fifth Avenue.
How People See the Bronx
Before the 1970s, people in New York usually thought of the Bronx as being split into two parts: the East Bronx and the West Bronx. However, in the 1960s, some areas in the southwestern Bronx faced tough times. Because of this, people started to see the borough differently. They began to think of it as "The South Bronx" and "everywhere else."
Neighborhoods of the West Bronx
The West Bronx is made up of many different neighborhoods. Here are some of them:
From the old Town of Kingsbridge (which was once the southern part of the Town of Yonkers):
- Kingsbridge Heights
- Kingsbridge
- Riverdale
- Spuyten Duyvil
- Woodlawn Heights
From the old Town of Morrisania (which includes areas now part of the South Bronx):
- Port Morris
- Mott Haven
- Melrose
- Morrisania
- Concourse
- East Morrisania
- Longwood
- Highbridge
From the old Town of West Farms:
- West Farms
- Hunts Point
- East Tremont
- Tremont
- Morris Heights
- University Heights
- Belmont
- Fordham
- Fordham-Bedford
- Bedford Park
- Mosholu Parkway
- Norwood
The West Bronx is also the home of Yankee Stadium, where the famous baseball team plays!
