I have to admit, this one caught me by surprise after almost 25 years doing Forgotten New York. I was doing some Google Maps reconnaissance of Edgewater Park, a private enclave in the northeast end of Throg(g)s Neck in the Bronx. (I spell Throg(g)s Neck with the parentheses because while the Department of Transportation insists on one “g” in signage, the locals are just as adamant about two. The situation is different from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, where overnight it seems in the 2010s the decision was made to add a “z” based on old accounts.
I often joke about the “undefended border” of Queens and Nassau, but there are in fact borders in NYC that are indeed defended, such as Sea Gate at the west end of Coney Island. There’s only one way in and out, at Surf Avenue and West 37th Street, and a Checkpoint Charlie. Maybe they even have guns. I have entered only once and to this day, I don’t remember how I got in. It was on a very early ForgottenTour in 1999. Similarly, I’ve only been in Edgewater Park once, in 2000; like Sea Gate, there’s only one way in, on Meagher Avenue (locals: how is that pronounced, “meager” or “mar”?) I suspect that today if I was spotted skulking around with a camera in Edgewater Park, I’d be hustled out, pronto. Locals, what say you? Can I prowl around up there?
Anyway, while looking at the Google map, I spotted something I hadn’t seen before, an extra alley east of Reynolds Avenue between Miles and Wissman, marked “Washington Avenue.” I am unsure Google Maps had marked it before, and it’s completely absent from the paper Hagstroms and Geographias. Open Street Map has it, too.
This section of Washington Place dead ends at the border of Edgewater Park north of Miles Avenue and is the only section of the alley that has a proper pavement. The DOT has provided it with a street light, double-mast no less.
This is the sole street sign. While Google and OSM refer to it was “Washington Avenue” the DOT has it as Washington Place. This is likely because there’s a lengthy Washington Avenue in the western Bronx, running from Morrisania north to Bronx Park in Belmont.
Washington Place, between Miles and Wissman. There is one streetlamp and gravel pavement.
Washington Place, running north from Wissman. Here the lack of real pavement is especially obvious.
In History in Asphalt, the late Bronx historian John McNamara mentions that Washington Avenue is the former name of Reynolds, but doesn’t mention the alley.
Is there a clue in old maps of the area? Indeed. Here’s a map of the Edgewater Park/Throg(g)s Neck area in 1909 when the area was being deveoped from the George T. Adee (1804-1884) and Francis D. Wissman estates. Adee’s mansion was called Edgewater, as it was at the edge of Eastchester Bay. Smack in the center is Washington Avenue, which remains to this day though none of the other roads do, at least under their present names. Morgan Avenue became Wissman while Green became Miles.
This forgotten alley is forgotten no more. At least by me.
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12/14/23
18 comments
The Google Street View camera car never made it into Edgewater Park, so it’s safe to conclude that the area is off-limits to outsiders.
I once spoke with someone from that area on business and (guessing) I referred to it as “MAH-hurr” Avenue and was not corrected. So, either that’s how it’s pronounced, or the person was being overly polite and not correcting me.
I love your work.it takes me places I. The city I had never
Known existed. I grew up in Queens and took history
Classes in college about New York City. So thank you
For taking me along on your various jouneys
Re: “Meagher”, certainly not a common name but there was a hockey player named Rick Meagher back in the ’80’s. The pronunciation there was with the accent just ever-so-slightly on the second syllable.
My mother lived on Meagher Ave when first married (late
50’s early 60’s) and always referred to it as “Mar”.
Meagher — It looks Irish, and if that is the correct spelling it is pronounced like Mayor. “”M” as “M”, ea” as in Reagan (like ray), “gh” not pronounced but telling you there are two separate vowels, and “er” as indistinct vowel and “r”. ( digression: When I visited Ireland some years ago I wanted to pronounce correctly the names of places I was going to. One place was Dun Laoghaire, which looked challenging! spoiler: dune lee air uh.)
Irish spelling is totally perplexing. Letters stand for completely different sounds than they do in English, though ‘gh’ is one of the wildest of wild cards in English.
You would absolutely be confronted, questioned, and hustled out of there, especially depending on your skin color. I live in the neighboring country club, and used to pass it on the way to my daughters school. We would look at it from across the bay and say “so quaint, so racist”.
You mean safe quiet Country Club.
You must know what racist truly means. That are gives more to less privileged kids than anywhere. Next time you look in the mirror you will be looking at true racism.
It’s said “meager”.
The self-righteous “ANONYMOUS” lives in “the neighboring country club” & looks across the bay & passes judgment on his neighbors like the typical virtue signaller he is. Such a “meager” guy is he..
Eh. I’m not nuts about these gated communities, either.
Gated communities are not popular with delivery drivers for the Extremely Large Online Retailer and surely many others. While the company usually will have gate access codes for larger communities that is often not the case with smaller ones, and customers are constantly forgetting to include the codes when they place their orders. Invariably that results in a driver who is on a very strict schedule stuck outside the gate while trying to call the customer, who of course does not answer the call.
That figures. Has it ever occurred to you that gates, & borders are boundaries & boundaries are necessary to maintain stability & national security? Boundaries are also a critical element in all interpersonal relationships, especially the parent/child relationship, the foundation of civilization. Time for you New Yorkers to finally grow up & listen to this member of your City Council:
.https://nypost.com/2023/12/18/opinion/ultra-left-nyc-council-pretends-theres-no-migrant-crisis-and-unlimited-money/
“neighboring country club” likely refers to the adjoining neighborhood which is actually called Country Club.
Note that are apparently no Alternate Side Parking signs on Washington Place.
I used to pick up cigarettes and cold cuts at Sweeney’s for my mother when she lived on Miles avenue. And my sister would bring a roast there to have them slice it once in a while.