The Science Barge

When in Downtown Yonkers, check out the Science Barge! Run by the Groundwork Hudson Valley, it is a floating learning center which models examples of sustainable methods of living. Some examples include sustainable agricultural methods and technology.

We were taken on a tour by Bob Walters, who is the director of the barge. He has some great stories about Yonkers including how Yonkers used to be the "pickle port" of America. Anyway, its a must visit! Check out their site, http://thesciencebarge.tumblr.com/

Check out a new blog on downtown Yonkers called "New Yonkers" It has a nice post on the Science Barge. http://newyonkers.tumblr.com/

Check out this site on Untermyer Park

We were sent this site last night by City Council President Chuck Lesnick. As you may know, Mr. Lesnick is running for mayor of Yonkers and as far as this Blog is concerned, is the only candidate that holds the values that Beautiful Yonkers holds: That we need to restore pride in Yonkers. If you go to his campaign site and read his biography you will see why he would be a perfect match for mayor of Yonkers.

Anyway, the site contains some great pictures of Untermyer Park and is operated by a well known architect who is working tirelessly to help restore Untermyer Park. Here is the link: http://www.untermyergardens.org/Gallery.html

Stained Glass Windows of St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist is located at the bottom of the hill from St. Joseph's Seminary, on Yonkers Ave. at the crossroads of Yonkers. I already took pictures of the exterior of the church (it was this blog's first post). The church was dedicated in the late 1920's, but was finished abruptly because of the Great Depression. It has a huge parish registry and offers many masses throughout the week. Under the leadership of Msgr. J. Christopher Maloney, St. John's is still thriving and is a favorite place for weddings. It also has a newly restored pipe organ which is the biggest in Yonkers. Here are pictures of the stained glass windows, which are highly regarded.

Two Sites along South Broadway many times just looked over

The first two pictures are of the old Freemason Temple located across the street from St. Joseph's Medical Center. Its in disrepair and no longer in use. It might be abandoned but we are not really sure. Back in its prime in the early part of the 20th Century and the late 19th Century, Yonkers was controlled by Protestants and many of them were Freemasons. Many of the decisions that made Yonkers what it is today happened in this large stone building. Hopefully the interior is still intact (if it is, it probably is magnificent). The third and last picture is of Abraham Lincoln. His statue is located in Lincoln Park which is at the intersection of Broadway and Mclean Ave.

Coming to Yonkers Raceway? Experience Yonkers! Some tips..

Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino is Yonkers' biggest tourist attraction. Each day, tens of thousands of people come to the casino and many take advantage of the Lincoln Park and Dunwoodie neighborhoods around them. Some things to do before you go to the raceway or after you go (the food and culture in Yonkers Raceway isn't that great):

Eating
Katie's Cottage: Best burger and wings in all of Yonkers! It is located right across the street from the raceway. Extremely friendly atmosphere with top class food for prices that everyone could afford. Also, it is certainly the most charming restaurant in all of Yonkers! Here is their website: http://www.katiesny.com/

Dunwoodie Pizza: Located down the block from the raceway on Yonkers Ave. It has been ranked best pizza in Yonkers many times.

Raceway Pizza: Nice little pizzaria. Very good pizza.

Clairmont Diner: Friendliest diner ever and it is super cheap. Do not get fooled by Raceway Diner across the street (I feel it is kind of a rip off). Clairmont has a large menu and is a good late night place.

Louie and Johnnies: If you are looking for high class Italian food for very reasonable prices, here is the place to go. Very good antipasti and entrees. During the summer they have an Italian ice stand. Located across the street from the raceway.

Morley's Supermarket: Best sandwiches you can get in Yonkers. Completely revamped, if you are looking for a cheap, quick lunch, go here.

Other
Paradise Lanes: Open until 2am. A bit divey, but if you are looking for a break from the casino, a fun place to go.

St. John the Baptist Church: If you want to check out the cultural center of the neighborhood, stop by St. John's. Open most of the day, its stained glass windows, Bavarian-style interior, beautiful facade, and its world class Casavant pipe organ make St. John's a great place to visit.

Nice View of St. Joseph's Seminary (and St. John the Baptist Church)

St. Joseph's Seminary is the college that trains priests for the Archdiocese of New York and for many other dioceses and orders across the country. It is considered the preeminent Seminary in the United Sates. The main building itself was built around 100 years ago. The picture shows thisIt is within a complex of around 5 buildings. We will have a full section on the Seminary coming soon. The other picture is of the slate roof of St. John's which could be seen all across Yonkers. The roof is rather pitched and very tall. We will have a section of the stained glass windows of St. John's which are probably the nicest in all of Yonkers. The quality of these pictures aren't that great. We took them from Dunwoodie Golf Course.

Biggest Shame in Yonkers

I alluded to this in a previous post, but the condition of staircase at Untermyer is an absolute shame. Governor Pataki was able to produce $100,000 to restore Untermyer Park. The garden was restored and it looks very nice. The rock area wasn't restored, but it did not really need restoration (the metal is rusted though). The staircase it self needs a lot of work. Nature has taken its toll and it is completely overgrown and its now a host to runoff stream. There is another garden right next to it at the bottom, but the pillars are practically hidden by overgrown weeds. The two pillars at the bottom of the staircase are covered with graffiti. There is also an abandoned house below the end of the staircase. We once went to it in the winter, but its very hard to get there from the staircase. Let us know what you think in the comments...

Hey Everyone!

We are getting a lot of emails from many people from Europe (Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom) and across the country who are requesting information about visiting Yonkers! Feel free to email us at: beautifulyonkers@gmail.com

Koennen Sie einen Nachrichten fuer interessanten Info schicken! Wir sprechen Deutsch!

We are also getting emails about weddings and wedding photography. Again feel free to contact us!

Thank you!
Rob and Samantha

Untermyer Park- Part 3: The Staircase

I do not know much about the history of this staircase, but I do know one thing: Its a masterpiece. Unfortunately, nature has taken over and the staircase, an artistic wonder, may in fact perish. There is no place this beautiful anywhere in Yonkers or possibly anywhere along the Hudson. You would never know that you are just 3 miles from New York City or even a mile or so from Downtown Yonkers. Its a staircase to the sun. There is just simply nothing quite as magnificent as this 1/4 mile long staircase to paradise...

Untermyer Park- Part 2: The Garden

Pictures of the Roman garden. Very nice place for wedding pictures, but beside that, it is built like a castle. The stones in the castle are from Italy. The gazebo is infamous for its fans: Neo-Druids. It is the perfect place for wedding photos as it was made specifically for Untermyer's daughter's wedding!

Untermyer Park- Part 1: The Rock

First part of the pictures from Untermyer. Untermyer Park is a state historic site (should be national) and is unlike any park in all of America. The park itself was the estate of governor of Samuel Tilden and later Samuel Untermyer. The architect of the garden was a neo-classicist, which contributed to the design. There are three unique areas. First, there is the gazzebo on the rock with great views of the Palisades. Second, there is the garden itself, which is a masterpiece. Third, there is the staircase which is around 1/4 of a mile long. I will have more to say about it when I post the pictures of it. Anyway, the park is the most mysterious place I have ever been to. Its impossible to describe the uneasiness apparant in the air.

This first part is of possibly the most creepy area of the park: The Rock

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for checking out our site! Within the next few weeks we are going to start showcasing the different neighborhoods of Yonkers! We are also going to have a special section for the most beautiful place in Yonkers- the Staircase at Untermyer Park. We took the pictures not to long ago and am going to fix them up and then post it. Once Ridge Hill opens we are going to have a feature on that. Over the summer, we are going to post a feature on the rivers of Yonkers and the Restaurants of Yonkers.

Over the summer we are going to be developing another site for Westchester County Parks! Included will be the Kensico Dam, Ward Pound Ridge, and many other places.

Lastly, you can like us on Facebook! Just press the link below!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#%21/pages/Beautiful-Yonkers/120473454678057?sk=wall

Thank You!