Origin of The Bronx?

[NoyokA]

What is the origin of "The Bronx"?

Why is it "The Bronx"

Why is it never simply Bronx?

[JCMAN320]

It is called the Bronx because there was once a very wealthy prominent family that owned alot land and a huge mansion in that borough in the mid to late 19th century and they were the Bronck and there property was called Bronck's Farms, Swedish immigrant Jonas Bronck owned the farm with his family that layed near the Harlem River and there wasn't much up there at the time except for small towns so people use to say we are going to see the Bronx today. So the borough adopted their name and called it the Bronx after the family. That is why it is called "the" Bronx and not just Bronx although the county itself is just Bronx.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Do we call it Hudson or The Hudson?

Jonas Bronck did purchase 500 acres of land in what is now "The Bronx," but the explanation that people would "go up to see The Broncks" on their estate was made up.

Jonas Bronck attached his name to various geographical features in the area - the most notable was the Bronx River. The X is a Dutch possessive case. So instead of Bronck's River, it was shortened into The Bronx.

The name The Bronx did not refer to the entire area until the 1870s. In 1874, 20 sq miles of Westchester was annexed to NYC, and it was called the Annexed District of the Bronx, referring to the Bronx River, which was the eastern boundary at that time.

In 1898, the Annexed District became part of the borough of The Bronx, still referring to the river. Over time, the river was forgotten, and the entire land area was called The Bronx.

[JCMAN320]

Thanks for the clearification with the going to see the Broncks part. Damm parents its all lies they tell us LIES!!!! lol

[robster]

The dutch founded the bronx and New York.

[stache]

I read somewhere that Marble Hill used to be part of Manhattan but the channel was recut for shipping so now it's on the Bronx side.

[Schadenfrau]

Marble Hill is physically located in the Bronx, but still technically remains in Manhattan:

http://www.answers.com/topic/marble-...attan-new-york

[ZippyTheChimp]

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/sh...hlight=spuyten

[Excel2078]

Yes, indeed, this part of New York city was named after Jonas Bronck, and it's now spelled with an "X" at the end to show Dutch grammer possessiveness. But do you know why it's " The" Bronx? Just like we have "The Hamptons" and such, The Bronx served as some type of get away-one day vacation spot for the lower Manhattan residents. So in part, people did refer to this lower part of the main land as "The Bronx", as an homage to the famous Dutch family who owned it in the first place. Its like saying, "lets go to the The Johnsons, or The Jonses.

[Ninjahedge]

XL, appreciate the response, but read all the responses in the thread.

JC already said something like that, but that seems to be a false conjecture (although a salient and believable one).

read zippy's post, I believe it is #3

[BrooklynRider]

The dutch founded the bronx and New York.

And Brooklyn... and Staten Island... and Yonkers...

New York City and State were much more dutch than they were British.

Read "Island at the Center of the World".

[Excel2078]

Many years ago there was a piece of land on the very tip of Manhattan, approximately where Broadway is cutoff by the East river, and it actually jutted towards The Bronx side of the river. Because ship navigation proved to be a little difficult around this piece of land, someone decided to detatch it from Manhattan, leaving it as a small island in the middle of the river between Upper Manhattan and the panhandle part of the northern Bronx. Two bridges crossed into this Island, I believe they were both called Kingsbridge, not sure. Anyway, this tiny island served as a vacation spot for Bronx and Manhattan residents and fishing was very popular. I remember the Indian name for it, Parapenemo, I believe. (maybe mispelled). Around the early mid 30's or 40's, not sure, the island was reattatched but this time to The Bronx, and Landfill was placed around the island, making way for the developement of the Marbel Hill housing projects. But, to everyone3s amazement, it maintained it's Manhattan status since the beginning.

[Excel2078]

Hey NinjaHedge. Yes, Zippy is right but the term "The" was used as a reference to the Bronks family farm. This farm only streted to present day St.Annes avenue whcich is just a very small piece of the Bronx. Sometimes, people would say "The Bronck's farm" but that started to sound a little weird. Another famous Bronx family was The Pells. When refered to, people would say The Pelhams. Back in England, "ham" referred to an estate or home. So Pelhan New york was home of the Pells.