Bill Twomey

East Bronx Bill Twomey

Using a collection of many never-before-seen
photographs, East Bronx: East of the Bronx River
celebrates the history of this group of neighborhoods. From
the late 1800s to the present day, the area has undergone
many dramatic changes. The most important factor in
the history of the east Bronx is the development of mass
transit. Its introduction to the Bronx brought a new age of
commuters, people seeking professions largely in Manhattan
as well as the comforts of suburbia and a more rural
atmosphere for raising families.
The elevated trains and the highway construction between
1910 and 1940 helped to triple the population. Property
values rose and new construction became commonplace
along the waterfront from Pelham Bay to Clason Point as
summer houses were built. Today, the area east of the river
is a community rich in history and diversity. Here we can
watch the changing landscape, as old modes of transportation
replace new ones, neighborhoods evolve, and the people of
the Bronx build communities full of pride.