LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Bronx
County

WHEREAS, Each and every city, town, village, and hamlet within its
borders proudly resonates with the rich and noble history of the State
of New York; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commemorate the anniversary of the founding of municipalities throughout
the State, noting in turn their contributions to the fabric and progres-
sion of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 100th Anniversary of Bronx County, the 62nd and last county in
New York State; and
WHEREAS, The Bronx first assumed a distinct legal identity when it
became a borough of Greater New York in 1898; on January 1, 1914, Bronx
County, which has the same boundaries as the borough, was officially
incorporated as the last of New York State's 62 counties; and
WHEREAS, Over its 100 year history, the development of Bronx County
has reflected the development of the State and the United States of
America, as home to countless thousands of immigrants from around the
world, as an early hub of manufacturing and transportation for the
region, and as an iconic figure in the American cultural imagination;
and
WHEREAS, In 1914 the Kingsbridge Armory, reputedly the largest in the
world at five acres, was completed; by 1920 the population within the
county had reached 732,016 people, and in 1923 Yankee Stadium opened
with Babe Ruth hitting a home run, giving it the nickname "The House
That Ruth Built"; the Yankees went on to win its very first World Series
title that same year; and
WHEREAS, James Monroe High School, the first public institution of
secondary education to open east of the Bronx River opened in 1925;
Morris High School was Bronx County's first public high school; and
WHEREAS, In 1930 the population of The Bronx reached 1,265,258, with
almost 49% of its residents of Jewish heritage; the explosion in popu-
lation was accompanied by the expansion of mass transit as a subway line
was built under the Grand Concourse from 161st Street and Yankee Stadium
to Norwood/205th Street in 1933; the borough's only full underground
line, it is known today as the B and D train lines; and
WHEREAS, Dramatic changes in transportation continued over the next
decade; the Henry Hudson Bridge, the Henry Hudson Parkway and the
Triborough Bridge all opened to traffic in 1936, and the Bronx-White-
stone Bridge opined to traffic in 1939; and
WHEREAS, Important developments in housing also took place as the
population continued to expand; in 1938, Parkchester, a development of
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, began construction, becoming
the largest integral housing complex in the nation when completed; and
WHEREAS, By 1950 the population of Bronx County had reached 1,451,277,
and African-American migration from Harlem and the American South
reached record-breaking numbers at almost 98,000; in 1953, New York City
saw the highest influx of Puerto Rican migrants from the island, with
The Bronx absorbing the bulk of the migration; and
WHEREAS, Aware of the significance of The Bronx in New York State and
national history, in 1955 the Bronx County Historical Society was found-
ed, dedicated to the mission of preserving Bronx history for years to
come; and

WHEREAS, In the 1960s the demands brought on by population growth
resulted in significant infrastructure development; the Throgs Neck
Bridge opened in 1961 to relieve traffic on the Whitestone Bridge,
enhancing the link between Bronx County and Queens County, and facili-
tating connection to New Jersey, upstate New York and Connecticut; Co-op
City, the largest cooperative housing development in the world, was
completed in 1967-68; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the 1960s decade also ushered in important
cultural changes reflective of Bronx County's diversity and pride of
heritage; in 1966, Herman Badillo became the 8th Borough President of
The Bronx, the first Puerto Rican to hold that office, and his 1970
successor, Robert Abrams, was the county's first Jewish Borough Presi-
dent; in 1968, the Museum of Bronx History, operated by the Bronx
Historical Society, opened in the 1758 historic landmark Valentine-Vari-
an House; and
WHEREAS, During the 1970s, Bronx County's impact on popular culture
found expression in 1973 when DJ Kool Herc created the musical movement
known as hip-hop and The Bronx address of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue became
the birthplace of the genre; in 1976 the Bronx County Historical Society
began to operate the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage as a historic house museum,
and, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter's visit to The Bronx, projected a
powerful, negative image of The Bronx across the nation and around the
world as the news media displayed the urban decay and devastation of
parts of the county; and
WHEREAS, Despite its urban challenges and a steep decline in resi-
dents, Bronx County experienced other growth in the 1980s; in 1982 the
Bronx Museum of the Arts moved to its permanent home, a former synagogue
on East 165th Street and the Grand Concourse; in 1986, Fordham Plaza was
built; in 1990 the population decline began to reverse itself, climbing
up to 1,203,789; and
WHEREAS, In 1997, The Bronx was designated an "All-America City" by
the National Civic League in recognition of the county's work to identi-
fy and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon results;
the success of those efforts were reflected in continued population
growth as the year 2000 saw 1,332,666 people living in the county; and
WHEREAS, The new millennium brought exciting new changes in and
national attention to Bronx County; in 2006, City Lore's award-winning
documentary, "From Mambo to Hip Hop: A South Bronx Tale," premiered on
PBS; on April 2, 2009, the new Yankee Stadium opened, hosting a work-out
day in front of fans from the community, and also in 2009, Bronx-born
and raised Sonia Sotomayor was nominated and confirmed an Associate
.SO DOC A R1051 RESO TEXT 2013
Justice of the United States Supreme Court; and
WHEREAS, By the end of the 21st century's first decade, the population
of The Bronx had jumped to 1,385,108; just two years later, in 2012, the
number reached 1,408,473; and
WHEREAS, Bronx County's future looks bright, fueled by the energy,
vitality, and creativity of its residents; the 2013 agreement to convert
the Kingsbridge Armory into Kingsbridge National Ice Center is just one
example of the potential growth the next century will bring; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of Bronx County's rich history and enduring
contribution to the heritage of the State of New York, it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to join in the celebration of this auspicious
Centennial, so that present and future generations may come to appreci-
ate the unique significance which its history plays in the progression
of our State and Nation's evolution; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Bronx County; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Ruben Diaz Jr., President of the Borough of the
Bronx; Bronx Centennial Commission; Bronx Historical Society; and Bronx
Chamber of Commerce.