he East Bronx History Forum’s 209th Meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 18th at 7:30pm.

 

Dear East Bronx History Forum Member,

America’s 250th anniversary has wrapped up with a symposium, ceremonies, lectures and reenactments that have filled the past few months. Moreover, the development of the Westchester Square neighborhood plays prominently in the development of our rich east Bronx history. The battle of Westchester Creek for instance in October 1776 comes to mind, but the Square’s history dates even further back to 1654.

Known as Oostdorp, or “East Village,” to designate its geographic relationship to New Amsterdam at the tip of Manhattan, was started as a Dutch area. When the English took over the area, they renamed Nieuw Amsterdam “New York,” after the Duke of York, and Oostdorp was renamed “West Chester,” in recognition of its location west of the New England colonies. In 1683, a few decades after the English takeover, the Province of New York created Westchester, one of the twelve original counties in the state, and identified the Village of Westchester as its seat.

Our lecturer this month is Sandi Lusk, founder and director of the Westchester Square Zerega Improvement Organization (WSZIO) in 1990. Professionally, Sandi works as a freelance managing medical publications editor. Sandi will delve into the history of Westchester Square through photos, stories and her own personal experiences of the neighborhood. Whether pushing for an increased neighborhood safety presence, park preservation, youth enrichment programs or creating vibrant art and craft programs for Bronx children, Sandi remains an essential voice for positive change in her borough.

So, join us for our 209th meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, November 18th at 7:30 pm in the lower level of St. Clare of Assisi Church, located at 1027 Rhinelander Avenue. There is ample parking just north of the entrance on Paulding Avenue. As in the past, all of our meetings are free and open to the public and of course, bring a friend. Please remember to follow us at Bronxnyc.com and as well on our social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Vimeo.

Looking forward to seeing you.

Dorothy A. Krynicki  

Photo Caption: Parish House St. Peter's Church-August 20, 1949

Photo Credit: Josephine Barry, Museum of the City of New York.