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A Timeline and Modern History of Yonkers, NY

yonkers personal injury attorney near sarah lawrence college

The personal injury attorneys in Yonkers, NY, present this article to offer readers an insightful, informative excerpt about the neighborhood.

Yonkers is a city in Westchester County, New York. The neighborhood is developed along the Hudson River and is the fourth most populous city in New York. Yonkers spans 20.29 square miles and hosts an approximate population of 200,370 with a population density of 11,127.96 per square mile. The city belongs to ZIP codes 10701, 10702, 10703–10705, 10707, and 10710.

History

The land that the city of Yonkers stands upon was once a part of s Dutch 24,000-acre (97-square-kilometer) land grant called Colen Donck. In July 1645, the land was granted to Adriaen van der Donck, the patroon of Colendonck.

Adriaen Van der Donck was known as the Jonkheer or Jonker, a word from which the name "Yonkers" is directly derived.

Van der Donck built a sawmill near where the confluence of Nepperhan Creek and the Hudson. The Nepperhan is now also known as the Saw Mill River. Near the site of Adriaen Van Der Donck's mill is Philipse Manor Hall, a Colonial-era manor house owned by Dutch colonists.

The manor still stands today and is preserved and operated as a museum. The museum offers visitors many glimpses into life before the American Revolution.

The original building was built around 1682 by workmen and enslaved people for Frederick Philipse, a wealthy Dutchman who had amassed an estate that would encompass the entire modern City of Yonkers and his wife, Margaret Hardenbroeck de Vries.

Eventually, the American colonists in New York state confiscated all the lands and property that belonged to the Philipse family and sold them.

In the beginning, Yonkers was a small farming town that was known to produce peaches, apples, potatoes, oats, wheat, and other agricultural goods. For many years, Yonker's growth was dependent on the growth of the industry.

In 1854, the community of Yonkers was incorporated as a village and then as a city in 1872.

During the American Civil War, 254 Yonkers residents joined the US Army and Navy. In total, 17 Yonkers residents were killed during the War.

In the 20th century, during World War I, a total of 6,909 Yonkers residents entered military service, which was approximately seven percent of the population at the time.

On January 4, 1940, Yonkers made history when resident Edwin Howard Armstrong transmitted the first FM radio broadcast from the Yonkers home of C.R. Runyon, a co-experimenter.

Throughout the latter end of the 20th century, the city struggled with racial discrimination, and segregation was highlighted in a decades-long federal lawsuit. By the 1980s and 1990s, Yonkers gained a national reputation for racial tension due to the long-term battle between the city and the NAACP over subsidized low-income housing projects in the city.

In the 2000s, Yonkers saw an influx of Orthodox Jews, and subsequently, Riverdale Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Service began serving some neighborhoods in the southwest section of the city. The neighborhood is also home to the Sherwood Park Cemetery, a small Jewish cemetery.

Education

Growing into the fourth most populous city in New York has brought many growing families to Yonkers. Subsequently, education opportunities have expanded throughout the city. Some of the city's most notable schools are,

Sarah Lawrence College

  • A private liberal-arts college. Sarah Lawrence emphasizes scholarship, particularly in the humanities, performing arts, and writing, and places high value on independent study.

The Japanese School of New York

  • Also known as The Greenwich Japanese School, the school is one of the two Japanese day schools of the Japanese Educational Institute of New York. It is a non-profit organization that also operates two Japanese weekend schools in the New York City area.

Want to learn more? Continue reading: A Guide to Nodine Hill, NY

Our Local Office

Have you or a loved one sustained personal damages from an accident? You may be entitled to financial compensation. Trust the experienced Yonkers, NY, personal injury attorneys to help you get the justice you deserve. Contact our legal team today for a free consultation.

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11 W Prospect Ave #37,
Mt Vernon, NY 10550, USA
(914) 825-4117

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Laurence P. Banville
Date Published: June 8, 2021
Laurence P. Banville is the managing partner of Banville Law. As an experienced personal injury attorney, Mr. Banville helps clients recover compensation from those responsible for his clients' injuries. Our firm is located in New York City, serving clients from the five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.
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