The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room is pleased to announce The East Bronx History Forum will hold its first meeting of 2017 on Wednesday, January 18th. at 7:30pm. The East Bronx History Forum meets to discuss Bronx History and held its first meeting June 2005, we therefore start our 13th year.
It is very interesting how one event many years ago has impacted and affected directly another community on the other side of the Bronx River. This is the case with the Morris Park community. The great fire in New York City of 1835, led to construction in 1837 of the Croton Aqueduct system and its expansion resulted in the closing of the Jerome Park Racetrack. The great race started in 1867, known as the Belmont Stakes would continue at the newly built Morris Park Racetrack in 1890, until residential expansion caused the final move to Long Island, NY.
The history of the Morris Park community gets its name and start from the racetrack founded by John A. Morris, but the story continues, long after the last horse race in 1904. The East Bronx History Forum is pleased to present two of our own, President Richard Vitacco and Vice President Tom Vasti with a “Tour of Morris Park”. Vitacco and Vasti have not only researched the history of the Morris Park Racetrack, but have lived on the site all their lives. Not to be forgotten, founding East Bronx History Forum member Nicholas Di Brino wrote the book, “The History of the Morris Park Racecourse and the Morris Family” and is at the ready to clear up any mysteries.
Part of the presentation tour leads right into the elaborate and expensive rooms of the racetrack club house and into the former Morris Park station and waiting room. The highly styled rail station by renowned architect Cass Gilbert, famous for the land marked Woolworth building has been re-purposed with a long term lease from the NY, NH & Hartford Railroad and Tom Vasti has the key! Many of the images in the presentation, will be viewed by the public for the first time, so get to the Huntington early.
All meetings are free and open to the public at The Huntington Free Library and Reading Room, located next to Apple Bank at 9 Westchester Square Bronx, NY. Parking is free after 7 pm.
Please view the East Bronx History Forum web page at BronxNYC.com for details, follow us on Facebook
and join us Wednesday January 18th at 7:30 p.m.
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