St. Casimir's Church

Welcome to our favorite church in Yonkers, St. Casimir's! Very few people have really ventured into this large, Polish church on Nepperhan Ave, but those who have understand what we mean when we say: this church is extraordinarily unique and is unlike any other church in the area.

St. Casimir's is the center of Polish culture in Yonkers. The Polish people are not a large ethnic group in the Northeast United States, but Yonkers became home to many Polish immigrants. To this day, Polish-Americans are heavily involved in how Yonkers operates. Most of these people called St. Casimir's their community and religious center.

St. Casimir's is a type of gothic only found in Poland. The interior is very ornate, but also inviting. There are many pieces of art in the church including its ceiling and its windows. St. Casimir's also has a pulpit similar to the one at Immaculate Conception-St. Mary's which is extremely unique.

We were lucky enough to get into St. Casimir's. Its never really open and I have gone countless times to try to photograph it. I included a picture of a Polish deli located next to the church.

I apologize for the poor quality of some of the photos. Being ornate= impossible to photograph!

The Castle of Yonkers

Yes. There is a castle in Yonkers. It is very hidden and very few people know of its existance. There have been many recent news articles about the "Castle of Yonkers" as the current owner, Kohle Yohannan, is trying to sell it for $5 million.

The castle is very interesting. According to the New York Times, half of the castle's twenty rooms were imported from Europe (wall and all!)  The official name of the castle is Greystone Point and has an extraordinary view of the Hudson. It is an UNBELIEVABLE site...

Check out this article on it.. Article

In order to see the castle, you must be comfortable driving on a windy road. If you are, then turn onto Shonnard Terrace from N Broadway and then just go down and follow the road. You can also access Shonnard Terrace from Warburton Ave near the Hudson River Museum.

The "Visit Yonkers!" Campaign

We have recently began an advertising campaign for Yonkers. Our budget is extremely limited at the moment, BUT so far it has worked to a degree and we are getting many emails asking about coming to Yonkers.

We are looking to further our advertising campaign, but we need funding mainly from businesses. What Beautiful Yonkers is trying to do is capitalize on the very large tourist industry just south in NYC. As stated in previous posts, it is ridiculous that Yonkers is not getting its fair share of tourism. If you look to Europe and even across the United States you will see outer cities obtaining a large share of the tourist industry.

We believe that Yonkers has so much to offer. There is history, there are nice restaurants, there is natural beauty, and there is a unique culture.

We can no longer allow Yonkers' to not get its fair share in tourist revenue. We are committed to bringing Yonkers to new heights!

Some Predictions...

As you know, Yonkers has been doing a lot of "gentrification" projects.  Some of them include: 1. Chicken Island Ballpark   2.  "Daylighting" of the Saw Mill River  3.  Ridge Hill.  Besides the obviously shady dealings that got these initiatives approved, these three pet projects are due to fail.

 

Chicken Island Ballpark

• Other minor league teams in the NY Metro area have become white elephants and money holes.  They're impossible to get rid of and never bring in the money. One example is Camden, NJ. Camden, which is right next to Philadelphia, decided to destroy an area of its downtown and build a stadium. It is not doing well at all and it has become a constant headache for Camden while not solving any of Camden's problems (welcome to the most dangerous city in the country).
• Maybe we, at Beautiful Yonkers, haven't made this clear: Unfortunately, a lot of areas on the West side of Yonkers, are known for high-crime and poor socioeconomic standing.  Not the place to bring little Jimmy for a day at the ballpark.
• The ballpark would arrogantly ignore the area around it.  It would just be ugly and it would cost too much.

 

The "Daylighting"

• River fronts that attract people don't have the DMV on it.
• From the Hudson River, which is right there, you can see the skyline of Manhattan and the Palisades.  Again, Saw Mill = DMV.
• There is a reason why they covered it up in the first place.  Do not doubt the reasoning of the Freemasons.

 

Ridge Hill

• "The City of Parking Garages" actually, "High Priced Parking Garages"
• Not only is it opening during a recession (face it, we are in a recession again), it was approved AND built during a recession. Economic stupidity (shady dealing remember). This is not the worst of the economic news. Ever since the downturn, White Plains and even Cross County has taken the market of shoppers. How many shoppers with ZERO growth in the NY Metro area are going to flock to Ridge Hill from newish White Plains and brand newish Cross County.
• Face it, the money isn't going to pour in.  Westchester isn't the Upper East Side, whether the developers of Ridge Hill want to believe it or not.

 

Yonkers could do well if it took advantage of its own preexisting resources.  Yonkers has as much history as what millions of tourists pay to see in lower Manhattan.  In comparison to cities such as London, Paris, Rome, where the suburban areas get a large percentage of tourist visits, Yonkers has not capitalized on an economic base that would drive the city to new heights.  We are devoted to help Yonkers capitalize on its resources, whether the city is with us our not.  Unfortunately, gentrification will not address Yonkers' problems.

A Beautiful Home on Park Hill and the story of the tunnel

This house is by Sutherland Park. Its a very interesting area. A hotel was to be built at the top of Park Hill (right around where this house is) but it ended up just being ruins. Anyway, for quite some time, we have been trying to locate a mystery.

The hotel was going to have exclusive access via a railway tunnel. The tunnel was created and was abandoned with the rest of the site. However, the tunnel became a legendary site in Yonkers and many kids would travel there to explore it. Eventually the tunnel was filled in or was it? The forum on Yonkers, SoYo has some very interesting pictures of below Sutherland Park. It seems that the tunnel was only PARTIALLY filled. Stay tuned. We have some exploring to do...

The Herald Statesman Building- Larkin Plaza

The Herald Statesman used to be the newspaper of Yonkers. Unfortunately, given the unfair advantage of mass media, it was lost its place due to the Journal News which covers from Lower Westchester up to Orange County. Yonkers was essentially turned into just "another northern suburban community."

The media has always been harsh to Yonkers. It has given Yonkers an EXTRAORDINARILY unfair reputation as the "dump" north of the Bronx.

There are some Yonkers news sites on the internet, but they mainly cover Yonkers' messy politics which have done very little to improve Yonkers' name. The Herald Statesman was of Yonkers and was about the culture, people, and way of life in a unique city on the Hudson.

This post is a tribute to the Statesman... Its former headquarters, charming in the 1950's sense, sits majestically in Larkin Plaza. It is a cultural icon. Beautiful Yonkers is trying to recreate the pride that the Herald Statesman gave Yonkers and reverse the awful reputation the popular media has given Yonkers... Maybe some of those news moguls should check Yonkers out for themselves.

Fulton & Hudson Monument- Warburton Ave

The Fulton & Hudson Foundation Monument is to celebrate Henry Hudson and Robert Fulton for their achievements. The monument sits about 30 feet off of Waburton Ave up by Odell Ave and is magnificent because of a few reasons. First, the statues is well done. Secondly, the fact that the person depicted in the statue faces the Hudson River actually makes one feel chills. It is a forgotten statue for the most part, but there is just something about it that makes it extraordinarily special.

St. John's Episcopal Church- Underhill St.

One of the oldest buildings in Yonkers and certainly one of the oldest buildings in continuous use in the United States, St. John's Episcopal church is a hidden gem of Yonkers. Most people, even people who reside around it, hardly know it exists. The church was completed in 1798 and is considered of "Tuckahoe", but after changes to boundaries, St. John's has been located in Yonkers for over 100 years. The church itself is rarely open, but the graveyard can be visited at anytime.

After the Dutch left Yonkers, the English came in and took control of the area, specifically under the care of the Philipse Family. Anyway, the Anglican Church (which would become the American Episcopal Church after Independence) was the chief religious authority over the colony of New York. After Independence, it was Episcopalians who maintained prime influence over political and business affairs over Yonkers up until the large immigration waves that started in the late 19th Century.

Anyway, this church is historic because of the cultural significance it played for the City of Yonkers.

Axminster Street

Today's post is on Axminster Street. Located in the Saw Mill River Valley, Axminster is an oddity. There is NO OTHER street like it in America. It cuts through the industrial buildings which used to house the Alexander Smith Carpet Company. It looks like the perfect site to shoot a duel movie scene. But besides the basics, Axminster used to be called the "street without a name" and it was actually in the Guiness Book of World Records beause of this. There are no actual doors on Axminster so, therefore, it was not named for many years...

Blessed Sacrament Monastery Chapel

On Park Ave. over by the old Yonkers General Hospital sits a complex of buildings that used to be a monastery for the I believe the Sacred Heart Sisters. Behind the monastery itself is an old house which is private property. The chapel is built in neo-Romanesque style. Here are the pictures:

As you probably have noticed, Yonkers has many churches, specifically Roman Catholic churches. In the early part of the 20th Century an the late part of the 19th Century, many immigrants came to Yonkers from Ireland, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia, Poland, and elsewhere with high Catholic populations. Each community wanted to keep its unique liturgical customs alive so they built their own churches and many times brought their own priests to administor the Catholic faith to them.

All of these churches are very historic for a number of reasons. First, because of the architecture used. Every church is unique in this regard. Second, because they were (and some still are) cultural centers of Yonkers where ideas were discussed and people grew up. Every church is unique in this regard as well.

Unfortunately, with socio-economic changes, many of the churches west of the Saw Mill River parkway are in great danger of being shutdown because of the high cost of maintaining them within their tiny donation incomes. It our hope that by making people aware of these churches that people will start to visit them. They need our help more than ever at this moment. There were once many culturally rich and historic synagogues in Yonkers, but almost all of them have been lost. Let us not allow the same fate to happen to these historical churches in which Yonkers' cultural heritage lies.

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...