Ep 09 - Spuyten Duyvil, The Bronx - STREETS BY AIR

Tucked away in a corner of The Bronx, across from the top of Manhattan, sits the residential neighborhood of Spuyten Duyvil. Not quite as visited by the average New Yorker, this place is a diamond in the rough. From classic suburban homes, to tall standing condos, it is an enchanting place to visit/live. Located south of Riverdale to the Harlem River, Spuyten Duyvil rests between the Hudson River and Kingsbridge. The area gets it's name from the Spuyten Duyvil Creek (known to the Lenape Natives as "Shorakapok"). The Dutch origin, "Spuitende Duivel", has a debated definition. Some translations call it "Spouting Devil", "Devil's Whirlpool", or "In spite of the Devil". A popularized story speaks of a man named Antony Van Corlear, who attempted to warn of a British invasion. He swam across the Harlem River, where strong and intense tidal currents, common of the waters there, pulled him under to his death. From the mid-1800s through the 1920s, once the New York Central and Hudson River railroads connected, development of the neighborhood grew too. Still used today, the lines allowed trains from Albany to connect with the Harlem line into Grand Central Terminal down "4th Avenue", or what is today known as Park Avenue. The 1950s-80s saw the rise of large condos and co-ops. This brought in a larger affluent demographic, marking the neighborhood as mostly "upper middle class". Spuyten Duyvil's relaxed and peaceful atmosphere located on the water is a major draw. From Half Moon Overlook, to parks like Henry Hudson, Ewen, or Shorefront Park, there are many places to enjoy. The most popular image of Spuyten Duyvil, is a photogenic Bronx staple located along the western cliffside. The Villa Charlotte Bronte apartment houses, is a 17-unit co-op built in 1926 and designed by Robert Gardner. This mix of river cottage and Amalfi-Coast-esque homes, which overlooks both rivers, is a classic work of art. Spuyten Duyvil remains one of the Bronx's most interesting and beautiful neighborhoods. A nice escape from the rest of the city, this quaint area has been largely encapsulated, and seems to want to remain that way. 🗽 #knowyorkcity