From The Peopling of New York City
Katherine Mateo
The Peopling of NYC
Professor Lobel
Walking Tour
Due Date: March 18, 2008
Strolling Down the Boogie Down Bronx
Growing up in the Bronx, I have never taken the time to look around and learn the history of the borough. Riding on the crowded city buses I do not take time out to stare at the buildings that
line our streets. Going on the walking tour of the south Bronx, I was extremely excited to learn the history behind the area.
First off, I was extremely surprised to find out that the Bronx has the greatest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Looking around the Grand Concourse, I was not surprised to know
that the rich chose this location to live in. The buildings were extremely beautiful and it made me even happier to see how blown away the other students were at the Bronx and how their
misconceptions of the Boogie down were struck down. The Grand Concourse is designed in a way that is wide enough to support mass traffic. Every year, Yankee fans drive to the Stadium, on the
infamous (but forgotten) Grand Concourse and do not even notice that they are cruising down an area that is sprinkled with key remnants of our history.
I was most surprised by two landmarks of the tour, the factory looking laundromat and the antique railroad tracks. I had passed by these locations many times and never noticed them. To see
these tokens of the past just makes me notice that the Bronx is enriched with deep history that is becoming lost through the generations. Areas like this are being ripped out and abandoned, with no
one to care for their appearance.
Our tour guide was amazing and truly knew and was interested in the history of the Bronx. I am extremely inspired now to take an interest in the Bronx, because it’s worth the attention.
