Morris Park, Bronx
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Morris Park is a neighborhood geographically located in the east Bronx borough of New York City in the United States. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 11. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak/Metro-North tracks to the east and south, and Bronxdale-Muliner Avenues to the west. Williamsbridge Road is the primary thoroughfare through Morris Park. The local subway is the 5 line; operating along Esplanade Avenue. Zip codes include 10461 and 10462. The area is patrolled by the 49th Precinct located at 2121 Eastchester Road. The neighborhood has been known for its large Italian American population.
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[edit] History
Morris Park is named after Henry Lewis Morris (d. 1915), once a prominent land-owner in the Bronx and direct descendant of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was one of the last property owners of the Morris family of Morrisania whose estate once totaled 3,000 acres (12 km²). He is also the founder of one of America’s oldest and most prominent law firms, Morris & McVeigh, established in 1868.
[edit] Land Use And Terrain
Morris Park is dominated by one and two family homes of various types. The total land area is roughly one square mile. The area is low laying and flat.
[edit] Demographics
Morris Park has a population over 25,000. The neighborhood is majority Italian-American, although Morris Park is also home to Eastern European immigrants as well as a sizable amount of Hispanics. [1]
[edit] Italian-American Background
As an Italian American neighborhood, the residents have close ties to their heritage. With Italy’s World Cup victory in 2006, over 30,000 Italians flocked to the neighborhood for an all-day party. Since then, Morris Park has gained a rival reputation with Arthur Avenue for the true Bronx Italian-American, neighborhood. The Bronx Columbus Day Parade is held in Morris Park, an event that both former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have attended in recent years. The neighborhood has seen an influx of Albanian and Hispanic newcomers in recent years. Morris Park has one of the highest Italian populations in the city, along with Bensonhurst and Staten Island.[2]
[edit] The Neighborhood
[edit] Transportation
The neighborhood is served by the Morris Park station on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line (5) and the Bx8, Bx12 and Bx21 local bus lines, as well as the BxM10 Express Bus to Manhattan.
[edit] Food
Morris Park is known among New Yorkers for its pizza. Some popular Morris Park dining spots include: Ann Clair’s Salumeria, Frankie and Johnnie’s Pine Restaurant, Historic Conti’s Pastry Shop, Mamma Maria Ristorante, Enzo’s Restaurant, Emilio’s Pizza, Captain's Pizza, Patricia's Pizza and Pasta Restaurant, La Casa del Caffe, G&R Italian Deli, Enrico’s Pastry Shop, and Anthony's Pizza. Less crowded local favorites include Luciano's Pizza, Scaglione Bakery, Frankie & Johnnie’s Too (colloquially referred to as Pine II), Hawaii Sea, and Morris Park Bake Shop.
[edit] Notable Locations
Matthews Park, Loreto Park, Van Nest Lanes, The 24 Hour Store, Maestro’s Catering, St. Clare of Assisi School, St. Francis Xavier School, P.S. 83; whose Girls Varsity Basketball team won the Bronx championship in 2006-2007, and most notably P.S. 108 which has been rated as one of the top schools in the Bronx for its academic achievement and performance. It is the site of both Jacobi Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
[edit] Morris Park In The Media
Morris Park can be seen in the 1999 Spike Lee film Summer of Sam and in the 1980 Martin Scorsese classic Raging Bull. Award winning author Mary Higgins Clark.
[edit] Transportation
- Bx8: to 225th St station or Locust Point (via Williamsbridge Rd)
- Bx12: to Bay Plaza Shopping Center or Inwood-207th St station (via Fordham Road-Pelham Parkway)
- Bx21: to Westchester Square station or 3rd Av-138th St station (via Boston Rd / Morris Park Ave)
- Bx31: to Woodlawn or Westchester Square station (via Eastchester Rd)
- Morris Park station (IRT 5)
- Pelham Pkwy station (IRT 5
[edit] External links
- The Morris Park Information Network
- New York Times: Another Little Italy, With Scant Parking to Match
[edit] References
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