Riverdale is a residential

neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...

in the northwestern portion of the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. Riverdale, which had a population of 47,850 as of the 2000 United States Census, contains the city's northernmost point at the

College of Mount Saint Vincent The University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) is a Private university , private Catholic university in New York City, United States. It was founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity of New York. The university serves over 1,800 students with p ...

. Riverdale's boundaries are disputed, but it is commonly agreed to be bordered by

Yonkers Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...

to the north,

Van Cortlandt Park Van Cortlandt Park is a urban park, park located in the borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx in New York City. Owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, it is managed with assistance from the Van Cortlandt Park Al ...

and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

to the east, the

Kingsbridge Kingsbridge is a market town in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of 6,116 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Two electoral wards bear the name of ''Kingsbridge'' (East & North). Their combined population ...

neighborhood to the southeast, either the

Harlem River The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York City, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the United States mainland. The northern stretch, also called the Spuyten Duyvi ...

or the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood to the south, and the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

to the west. Riverdale Avenue is the primary north–south thoroughfare through Riverdale. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community District 8, and its ZIP Codes include 10463 and 10471. The area is patrolled by the 50th Precinct of the

New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

History

Legend states that in 1664,

Anthony Van Corlaer Anthony Van Corlaer is a fictional trumpeter of New Amsterdam, appearing in Washington Irving's 1809 '' A History of New York'', as well as derivative lore. The trumpeter is portrayed as a loyal follower to the real historical Peter Stuyvesant, ...

(later determined to be a fictional character) died while attempting to swim across the Harlem River from nearby Spuyten Duyvil. In the legend, a witness to Van Corlaer's death stated that "the devil" in the shape of a giant fish swam up and proceeded to "seize the sturdy Anthony by the leg and drag him beneath the waves." This fictional account may be a reference to the earliest recorded shark attack in the New World. In the late 17th century,

Frederick Philipse Frederick Philipse (born Frederick Flypsen;Appleton, W.S. ''The Heraldic Journal, Recording the Amorial Bearings and Genealogies of American Families'', Wiggen & Lunt, Boston, 1867 1626 in Bolsward, Netherlands – December 23, 1702), first Lord ...

, the lord of Philipse Manor in Westchester County, received permission to construct a bridge across

Spuyten Duyvil Creek Spuyten Duyvil Creek () is a short tidal estuary in New York City connecting the Hudson River to the Harlem River Ship Canal and then on to the Harlem River. The confluence of the three water bodies separate the island of Manhattan from ...

and charge tolls. "King's Bridge", located roughly south of and parallel to where West 230th Street lies today, opened in 1693. Early in its residential development, Riverdale was a 19th-century estate district where many of Manhattan's moguls built their country estates; for example, in northern Riverdale, what is now Fieldston was part of the estate of Major Joseph Delafield, who purchased in 1829, and named it after his family's estate in England. At the turn of the century, the new popularity of railroad commutes enabled wealthy businessmen to make Riverdale their year-round residence. Fieldston, owned by a private association, is a particularly intact example of a turn-of-the-century upper-class suburb. The Hudson Hill neighborhood retains many historic mansions. Riverdale's elite private schools and historic churches also reflect this past. Development of the neighborhood began in the latter half of the 19th century once the

New York Central and Hudson River Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Mid ...

came through.Ultan, Lloyd. "Riverdale" in . pp. 1108–09. The tracks originally crossed Spuyten Duyvil Creek and into Manhattan on the west side, but

Cornelius Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into lead ...

wanted to consolidate his railroad operations into one terminal. He had tracks laid along the north side of the Harlem River so that trains coming south from Albany could join with the Harlem and New Haven lines and come into Manhattan down the

Park Avenue main line The Park Avenue main line, which consists of the Park Avenue Tunnel and the Park Avenue Viaduct, is a railroad line in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan, running entirely along Park Avenue. The line carries four ...

, along modern-day

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a boulevard in New York City that carries north and southbound traffic in the borough (New York City), boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the wes ...

, into his new

Grand Central Depot Grand Central Terminal is a major commuter rail terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, serving the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem, Hudson and New Haven Lines, and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). It is the most recent of three function ...

. This is the route still used by the

Metro-North Railroad The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...

's Hudson Line. The Delafield family laid out lots in Fieldston in 1909 – the year after the

IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line The IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line (also known as the IRT Seventh Avenue Line or the IRT West Side Line) is a New York City Subway line. It is one of several lines that serves the A Division, stretching from South Ferry in Lower Manhatt ...

(present-day ) was extended to Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street, intending to develop the land, which at first was called "Delafield Woods". Rather than use a grid plan, civil engineer Albert E. Wheeler, following the suggestions made by

Frederick Law Olmsted Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, Social criticism, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the U ...

and James R. Croes in 1876, designed a street plan which followed the contours of the land and preserved as much of the wooded areas as possible. The first house was begun in 1910 and finished in 1911; by the beginning of the 21st century, Fieldston, a privately owned community, was one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in New York City.Hermalyn, Gary D. "Fieldston" in , p.441 Leland Weintraub, the commissioner who moved for the district's creation, noted that "most of the features commonly associated with the American romantic suburb of the mid-19th century", including "a picturesque site, landscaping and architecture; connection to the city by accessible transportation and a layout adapted to the topography" are present in the area. In 1928, Genevieve Ludlow Griscom, who was a member of a small religious group called the Outer Court of the Order of the Living Christ, built a mansion at 360 West 253rd Street – also addressed as 5200 Longview Place – for the express purpose of housing Jesus Christ when the

Second Coming The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is the Christianity, Christian and Islam, Islamic belief that Jesus, Jesus Christ will return to Earth after his Ascension of Jesus, ascension to Heaven (Christianity), Heav ...

occurred. After being derelict for a number of years under successive owners, the mansion was bought in 1987 by entrepreneur Jerry Galuten, who renovated it into an even more opulent 17 room home. After being on- and off-the market for eight years, with an asking price as high as $15 million, the house sold in January 2017 for $6.25 million. As the 20th century progressed, upscale apartment buildings and smaller houses were added to the neighborhood. To this day, Riverdale continues to maintain its character as an affluent enclave in the city of New York. The rich history of Riverdale has led to the creation of the Riverdale Historic District. In May 2009, the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

ran a sting operation to prevent a bombing plot in which two Riverdale

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

s were the suggested targets. This followed a

Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...

attack in 2000 on a different Riverdale synagogue and the

1989 firebombing of the Riverdale Press The 1989 firebombing of the ''Riverdale Press'' was an attack in which two firebombs were thrown at the offices of a weekly newspaper, the ''Riverdale Press'', in the Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale community of the Bronx, New York City on Februar ...

. On July 26, 2010, the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

confirmed that an EF1 tornado had hit Riverdale the day before. There were no fatalities, but seven people were injured. On December 1, 2013, a train derailment near

Spuyten Duyvil station Spuyten Duyvil station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, serving the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City. , daily commuter ridership was 913 and there were 100 parking spots. More than hal ...

resulted in four deaths and over 70 injuries, of which 11 were critical.

Geography

Riverdale covers about in area. It has one of the highest elevations in New York City, affording it views of the

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...

George Washington Bridge The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee in Bergen County, New Jersey, with the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It is named after George W ...

and

New Jersey Palisades The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson River Palisades, are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in Northeastern New Jersey and Southeastern New York in the United States. The cliffs s ...

. It is also noted for the numerous parks and expanses of greenery and original forest that complement its hilly landscape. The neighborhood is bordered on the north by the city of

Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...

, and on the west by the Hudson River, but its eastern and southern boundaries are frequently disputed. The ''

AIA Guide to New York City The ''AIA Guide to New York City'' by Norval White, Elliot Willensky, and Fran Leadon is an extensive catalogue with descriptions, critique and photographs of significant and noteworthy architecture throughout the five boroughs of New York City. ...

'' gives Broadway as the eastern boundary, and the

as the southern. There are several long-debated subsections of Riverdale: * Central Riverdale (the "

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

" area of Riverdale – from Manhattan College Parkway to West 232nd Street and from the

Henry Hudson Parkway The Henry Hudson Parkway is a controlled-access highway, controlled-access Parkways in New York, parkway in New York City. The southern terminus is in Manhattan at 72nd Street (Manhattan), 72nd Street, where the parkway continues south as the We ...

to Riverdale Avenue and Waldo Avenue) * Fieldston (Riverdale south of West 250th Street, east of the

, north of Manhattan College Parkway, and west of Tibbett Avenue) * Hudson Hill (Riverdale above West 246th Street and west of Henry Hudson Parkway) * North Riverdale (Riverdale above West 254th Street and west of Fieldston Road) * Mosholu (Riverdale East of Fieldston Road and above West 254th Street, includes Spencer Ave, Huxley Rd, Post Rd, and

) * Spuyten Duyvil / South Riverdale (the southernmost section of Riverdale, below West 232nd Street or West 239th Street by some definitions. Also included is the business, commercial and shopping district located at West 231st Street and Broadway) * Villanova Heights (a sub-division bounded by Fieldston Road on the east, 250th Street on the south, and the Henry Hudson Parkway on the west and north) The leafy, scenic enclave of Fieldston was designated a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

by the

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...

in 2006., pp.344–45 There is also a 15-acre Riverdale Historic District in the northwest of the neighborhood, designated in 1990.

Demographics

Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Riverdale was 27,860, a change of −153 (−0.5%) from the 28,013 counted in

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
, Population Division –

Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 67.5% (18,794)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 7.7% (2,136)

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.1% (26) Native American, 5.3% (1,468) Asian, 0% (4)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.3% (91) from other races, and 1.6% (446) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 17.6% (4,895) of the population.Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
, Population Division –

Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016. The neighborhood has a substantial

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

presence. In 2003, a majority of the Jewish population in the Bronx lived in Riverdale. The entirety of Community District 8, which comprises Riverdale, Fieldston, and Kingsbridge, had 102,927 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 80.9 years. This is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 20% are between the ages of between 0–17, 28% between 25–44, and 25% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 18% respectively. As of 2017, the median

household income Household income is a measure of income received by the household sector. It includes every form of cash income, e.g., salaries and wages, retirement income, investment income and cash transfers from the government. It may include near-cash gover ...

in Community District 8 was $53,986. In 2018, an estimated 15% of Riverdale residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eleven residents (9%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 52% in Riverdale, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Riverdale is considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not

gentrifying Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has been us ...

Housing

Riverdale is home to the modernist landmark Saul Victor house, designed by Ferdinand Gottlieb in 1967. Other famous mansions in the Hudson Hill neighborhood include: Greyston (1864), Alderbrook (1880), Stonehurst (1861) and Oaklawn (1863). Since 2005, Central Riverdale has experienced a building boom with the addition of many mid- and high-rise condominium buildings. With a median residence value of $579,196 as of 2013, Riverdale is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in New York City and is considered one of the most sought-after residential neighborhoods. Before the wider development of Riverdale, housing consisted of large, architecturally distinguished mansions built in the early 20th century, mostly in Georgian- and Tudor-revival styles, which recall scenes of "rural Connecticut" rather than the city. These are mostly concentrated in the Fieldston section of Riverdale, known as the estate area. In addition, more affordable pre-war buildings and smaller houses are scattered throughout Riverdale. The 1950s saw the construction of many low-rise (six-story) brick buildings. By the early to mid-1960s, a number of larger brick towers (10–20 stories) started popping up. Many of these full-service buildings featuring doormen were designed by architect

Philip Birnbaum Philip Birnbaum (; March 30, 1904 – March 19, 1988) was an American religious author and translator. He is best known for his work ''Ha-Siddur ha-Shalem'', a translation and annotation of the Siddur first published in 1949. Biography Birnbaum ...

, who designed more thn 300 buildings in the city, including Skyview, the Windsors and the Whitehall in Riverdale. In 1974, a large, fortress-like residential compound and school was established in North Riverdale by the Permanent Mission of the USSR to the United Nations (now the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN) to house diplomats and their families. The 20-story building was constructed from the top down, with the upper floors built first. By the 1980s, most of the apartment buildings that were owned by single landlords and rented, were converted into cooperatives. Unlike most of the Bronx, Riverdale is mostly owner-occupied housing. Spuyten Duyvil has the greatest concentration of high rises in Riverdale with the Century, 555 Kappock, and Winston Churchill next to one another. Since 2005, Central Riverdale has experienced a building boom with the addition of many mid- and high-rise condominium buildings that contrast with the older brick style.

Arbor

In August 2008,

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

purchased an almost-completed apartment building near Henry Hudson Parkway for use as faculty housing. This building would go on to be named the Arbor. The Arbor is located at 3260 Henry Hudson Parkway, at the corner of West 235th Street. It houses Columbia students who take classes at the CUIMC, Morningside, or Manhattanville campuses. Students sign one-year leases for apartments that have between one and three bedrooms. The Arbor Shuttle operates between Morningside, CUIMC, and the Arbor, using cutaway vans. It is billed as the main means of transport between the Arbor and Morningside, but it only operates on weekdays on an hourly schedule. The shuttle formerly also served the 231st Street station, but has since been cut back to only serve the Arbor.

Gallery

File:JFK House 5040 Independence Avenue.jpg, JFK house at 5040 Independence Avenue File:Lou Gehrig Home 5204 Delafield Avenue.jpg,

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig ( ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941), also known as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was ...

's house File:4695 Independ Av Riverdale jeh.jpg, A house on Independence Avenue File:5200 block of Palisade Avenue year 2006.jpg, Palisade Avenue

Media

A Pulitzer-Prize-winning weekly newspaper, the ''

Riverdale Press The ''Riverdale Press'' is a weekly newspaper that covers the Northwest Bronx neighborhoods of Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights and Van Cortlandt Village, as well as the Manhattan neighborhood of Marble Hill. It ...

'' brings news of interest to residents of the neighborhood.

Political representation

In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

, Riverdale is located within New York's 15th congressional district, which is represented by Democrat Ritchie Torres. Riverdale is part of 34th district of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...

, represented by a Democrat, and the 81st Assembly district, represented by Democrat Jeffrey Dinowitz. In the

New York City Council The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of New York City in the United States. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The council serves as a check against the mayor in a mayor-council government mod ...

, Riverdale is part of District 11, represented by Democrat Eric Dinowitz.

Police and crime

Riverdale is patrolled by the 50th Precinct of the

NYPD The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

, located at 3450 Kingsbridge Avenue. The 50th Precinct ranked 13th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. , with a non-fatal assault rate of 40 per 100,000 people, Riverdale's rate of

violent crime A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful Force (law), force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violence, vio ...

s per capita is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 225 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. Riverdale is known for having some of the lowest crime rates in New York City. The 50th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 69.9% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported three murders, 22 rapes, 185 robberies, 213 felony assaults, 126 burglaries, 695 grand larcenies, and 288 grand larcenies auto in 2022.

Fire safety

Riverdale contains a

New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fi ...

(FDNY) fire station, Engine Co. 52/Ladder Co. 52, at 4550 Henry Hudson Parkway East. Engine Co. 52/Ladder Co. 52 is the only firehouse in Riverdale and the northernmost fire station operated by the FDNY.

Health

preterm birth Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the Childbirth, birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks Gestational age (obstetrics), gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 ...

s are slightly more common in Riverdale than in other places citywide, though births to teenage mothers are less common. In Riverdale, there were 89 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 13.1 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Riverdale has a relatively average population of residents who are

uninsured Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to protect ...

. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16%, higher than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of

air pollutant Air pollution is the presence of substances in the air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be gases like ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles like soot and dust. It affects both outdoor ...

, in Riverdale is , more than the city average. Ten percent of Riverdale residents are smokers, which is lower than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Riverdale, 24% of residents are

obese Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classified as obese when ...

, 12% are

diabetic Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

, and 28% have

high blood pressure Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms itself. It is, however, a major ri ...

—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 21% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-six percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 83% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", higher than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Riverdale, there are 10 bodegas. The nearest hospitals are

James J. Peters VA Medical Center The James J. Peters VA Medical Center (also known as the Bronx Veterans Hospital) is a US Department of Veterans Affairs hospital complex located at 130 West Kingsbridge Road in West Fordham, Bronx, Fordham, The Bronx, Bronx, New York City. The ...

in Kingsbridge Heights, North Central Bronx Hospital and

Montefiore Medical Center Montefiore Einstein Medical Center is an academic medical center that is the primary teaching hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York City. Its main campus, the Henry and Lucy Moses Division, is in the Norwo ...

in Norwood.

Post offices and ZIP Codes

Riverdale is located within two ZIP Codes. The area north of Manhattan College Parkway and 239th Street is in 10471, while the area south of these two streets is in 10463. While 10471 is entirely in Riverdale, 10463 also covers the adjacent neighborhoods of

Kingsbridge, Bronx Kingsbridge is a residential neighborhood in the northwest portion of the Bronx, New York City. Kingsbridge's boundaries are Manhattan College Parkway to the north, the Major Deegan Expressway or Bailey Avenue to the east, West 230th Street to t ...

, and

Marble Hill, Manhattan Marble Hill is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Although once part of Manhattan Island, a large modern shipping canal was dug to its south over a small earlier canal in the late 19th century. The neighbor ...

. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates three post offices nearby: * Riverdale Station – 5951 Riverdale Avenue * Fieldston Station – 444 West 238th Street * Spuyten Duyvil Station – 562 Kappock Street

Education

Riverdale generally has a similar rate of college-educated residents to the rest of the city . While 45% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 18% have less than a high school education and 37% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Riverdale students excelling in math rose from 21% in 2000 to 48% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 28% to 33% during the same time period. Riverdale's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is about the same as the rest of New York City. In Riverdale, 20% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per

school year An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classes and do rel ...

, higher than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 78% of high school students in Riverdale graduate on time, higher than the citywide average of 75%.

Schools

Public schools

The public schools are a part of the

New York City Department of Education The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (more commonly known as New York City Publ ...

. The public elementary schools are the Spuyten Duyvil School (P.S. 24) and the Robert J. Christen School (P.S. 81). There is one zoned public middle and high school in Riverdale: M.S./H.S 141, the Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy. Nearby public high schools that serve the community include the

Bronx High School of Science The Bronx High School of Science is a State school, public Specialized high schools in New York City, specialized high school in the Bronx in New York City. It is operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission to Bronx Science ...

, a specialized high school; John F. Kennedy High School Campus, consisting of four separate high schools; and the IN-Tech Academy MS/HS 368, which also contains a middle school.

Private schools

Riverdale is home to three top-tier private schools:

Horace Mann Horace Mann (May 4, 1796August 2, 1859) was an American educational reformer, slavery abolitionist and Whig Party (United States), Whig politician known for his commitment to promoting public education, he is thus also known as ''The Father of A ...

, Riverdale Country, and Fieldston, all members of the

Ivy Preparatory School League The Ivy Preparatory School League is a high school athletic conference of preparatory schools in New York City and its suburbs. The Ivy Preparatory School League has no affiliation with the Ivy League universities. Members The league comprises t ...

; and two Roman Catholic colleges: The

University of Mount Saint Vincent The University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) is a private Catholic university in New York City, United States. It was founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity of New York. The university serves over 1,800 students with professional undergrad ...

and

Manhattan University Manhattan University (previously Manhattan College) is a private university, private, Catholic university in New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the De La Salle Brothers, De La Salle Christian Brothers (Institute of the Brothers o ...

. An increase in the Jewish population of the neighborhood in the late twentieth century led to Riverdale now being home to top-ranked

Jewish day school A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide children of Jews, Jewish parents with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full-time basis. The term "day school" is used to differentiat ...

s including the SAR Academy (an elementary school), the SAR High School, and Kinneret Day School (pre-K through 8th). Yeshivas include the Yeshiva of Telshe Alumni, Yeshiva Ohavei Torah,

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (YCT) is a Modern Orthodox yeshiva founded in 1999 by Rabbi Avi Weiss. Currently located in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York, YCT's declared mission is to educate and place rabbis who are ...

and

Yeshivat Maharat Yeshivat Maharat is a Jewish educational institution in The Bronx, New York, which is the first Orthodox-affiliated yeshiva in North America to ordain women. The word ''Maharat'' () is a Hebrew acronym for phrase ''manhiga hilkhatit rukhanit Tora ...

. Catholic elementary schools in the area are Visitation School, St. Gabriel's School, and St. Margaret of Cortona School, where President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

received his

Confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant (religion), covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. The ceremony typically involves laying on o ...

. The area also has several preschools including BedRock Preschool, Kinneret Day School's Nursery and Pre-K programs, the Riverdale Temple Nursery School, Spuyten Duyvil Preschool, SAR Academy (Early Learning Center), Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center, the Riverdale Presbyterian Church Nursery School, and Riverdale Montessori School. The Russian Mission School in New York is located in Riverdale,Deutsch, Claudia H.
WHEN DIPLOMACY BEGINS AT HOME
." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. May 28, 1986. Retrieved on April 14, 2015. "Soviet citizens who contacted Americans were primarily Russians based here – students from the Russian mission school in Riverdale meeting with American high school children, for example. " on the grounds of the Russian Mission Residency.

Libraries

The

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

(NYPL) operates three branches near Riverdale. * The Van Cortlandt branch is located at 3882 Cannon Place. The two-story, branch opened in 2019, replacing a smaller one-story branch a few blocks away, which opened in 1969 and consisted of a single room. * The Riverdale branch is located at 5540 Mosholu Avenue. The branch opened in 1967, replacing a smaller library, and is located in a one-story L-shaped brick building surrounded by a garden. * The Spuyten Duyvil branch is located at 650 West 235th Street. The one-story branch opened in 1971 and was designed by Giorgio Cavaglieri.

Transportation

Public transportation

The following

MTA Regional Bus Operations MTA Regional Bus Operations (RBO) is the Public transport bus service, bus operations division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City. The MTA operates local, limited-stop, express, and Select Bus Service (bus rapid transit ...

bus routes serve Riverdale: * Bx1: to Third Avenue–138th Street station (via Grand Concourse) * Bx7: to 168th Street station, Manhattan (via Riverdale Avenue, and Broadway) * Bx9: to West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue station (via Broadway) * Bx10: to Norwood–205th Street station (via Riverdale Avenue, Henry Hudson Parkway, and Johnson Avenue) * Bx20: to Inwood–207th Street station, Manhattan (via Henry Hudson Parkway, and Johnson Avenue) * : express to

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...

(via East Side) * : express to

Penn Station Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may refer to: Current train stations * Baltimore Penn Station * New York Penn Station ** Pennsylvania Station (1910–1963), the predecessor to the present New York City station * Newark Penn Station Train ...

(via West Side) * : express to Midtown Manhattan (via Major Deegan Expressway/East Side) * : express to

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan, also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York City, is the southernmost part of the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The neighborhood is History of New York City, the historical birthplace o ...

Columbia Transportation's Arbor Shuttle terminates at West 235th Street and Henry Hudson Pkwy. The Queens Riverdale Commuter Route terminates at West 238th Street and Riverdale Avenue. Riverdale is served by the 1 train of the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...

, at the following stations: * 231st Street station * 238th Street station * Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street station Riverdale is also served by the following

Bee-Line Bus System The Westchester County Bee-Line System, branded on the buses in lowercase as ''the bee-line system'', is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the county's Department of Public Works and Transportation. Histor ...

routes, which run to

: * Bee-Line 1: to

Tarrytown Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on th ...

Valhalla In Norse mythology, Valhalla ( , ; , )Orchard (1997:171–172) is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. There were five possible realms the soul could travel to after death. The first was Fólkvang ...

, White Plains, or

* Bee-Line 1X: express to

Westchester Community College Westchester Community College (WCC) is a public community college in Valhalla, New York, in Westchester County. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. History New York state opened five coed technical institutes in 194 ...

and

Westchester Medical Center Westchester Medical Center University Hospital (WMC), formerly Grasslands Hospital, is an 895-bed Regional Trauma Center providing health services to residents of the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and southern Connecticut. It is known for h ...

* Bee-Line 2: to South Westchester Executive Park or Yonkers * Bee-Line 3 Limited: to

Purchase Purchasing is the procurement process a business or organization uses to acquire goods or services to accomplish its goals. Although there are several organizations that attempt to set standards in the purchasing process, processes can vary g ...

* Bee-Line 8: to Tuckahoe station Metro-North

commuter railroad Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis, primarily for sh ...

service is available at two stations, both on the Hudson Line: the Spuyten Duyvil station at Edsall Avenue and the Riverdale station between West 254th and 255th Streets. Hudson Rail Link connects the Metro-North stations to the surrounding area, with Routes A, B, C, and D serving Riverdale station, and Routes J, K, L, and M serving Spuyten Duyvil station.

Road

By car, Riverdale is commonly reached by the Henry Hudson Parkway (

NY 9A New York State Route 9A (NY 9A) is a state highway in the vicinity of New York City in the United States. Its southern terminus is at Battery Place near the northern end of the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel in New York City, where it inte ...

) via the

Henry Hudson Bridge The Henry Hudson Bridge is a double-deck steel arch bridge, arch toll bridge in New York City across the Spuyten Duyvil Creek. It connects Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx with Inwood, Manhattan, Inwood in Manhattan to the sou ...

, and by

( US 9) via the Broadway Bridge.

Points of interest

Parks

* Bell Tower Park next to the Henry Hudson Parkway has the Riverdale Monument, a stone war memorial built in 1930. The Bell Tower was designed by architect Dwight James Baum. The plaque that sits on the Bell Tower lists the names of individuals from Riverdale and neighboring areas who served in World War I. * Brust Park, on fronting Manhattan College Parkway and Greystone Avenue, is maintained by Stewards of Brust Park and its volunteers from the community and

's Green Club. *

Gaelic Park Gaelic Park () is a multi-purpose outdoor athletics facility, located at West 240th Street and Broadway in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City, New York, United States. Since 1926 the grounds has been used as the venue ...

, located at West 240th Street, has been owned by

since 1991, and is the home field of many of its sports teams, including lacrosse, soccer and softball, as well as the school's intramural sports. Gaelic Park also is headquarters of the

New York GAA The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, or New York GAA is one of the three county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in North America, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area. The ...

, where

Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

and

hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...

are played in the New York metropolitan area. Gaelic Park is the home field for

Rugby New York Rugby New York, originally known as Rugby United New York and officially nicknamed the Ironworkers, was a professional rugby union team based in New York City that was a member of Major League Rugby (MLR). The team played an exhibition season in s ...

Major League Rugby Major League Rugby (MLR) is a professional rugby union competition in the United States. The league comprises 11 teams. While operating outside of the governance and oversight of the national governing body, the league is officially sanctioned ...

. * Riverdale Waterfront Promenade is a tiny sliver of land along the Hudson River immediately adjacent to the Riverdale Metro-North train station. Inaugurated in 2005 by mayor Michael Bloomberg, the park was created to improve riverside access to local residents. Access to the park is only through the station, crossing the railroad tracks on an elevated walkway. It provides the only local public access to unobstructed views of the Hudson River. Access to the river has been blocked for over 150 years, first by railroads, later by the

Major Deegan Expressway Interstate 87 (I-87) is a north–south Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of New York. I-87 is the main highway that connects New York City and Montreal. The highway begins at exit 47 off I-278 in the New Yor ...

. In 2023, plans were announced to expand the Harlem River Greenway north from Manhattan into the Bronx. * Seton Park, between 232nd and 235th Street on the west side of Henry Hudson Parkway, formerly the site of Seton Hospital, which was demolished in 1955. The park includes a large green space, tennis courts, two baseball fields, and playgrounds. *

Wave Hill Wave Hill is a estate in the Hudson Hill, Bronx, Hudson Hill section of Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes ov ...

, a combination botanical garden and outdoor art gallery, is located in the so-called Hudson Hill. Covering overlooking the Hudson River, the property was developed in the 1840s by William Lewis Morris. The property was used by

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

and

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

, and later owned by

George Walbridge Perkins George Walbridge Perkins I (January 31, 1862 – June 18, 1920) was an American politician and businessman. He was a leader of the Progressive Movement, especially Theodore Roosevelt's presidential candidacy for the Progressive Party in 1 ...

. The city parks department describes it as "one of New York City's most beautiful parks".

Houses of worship

* Chabad of Riverdale * Christ Church Riverdale * Church of the Visitation * Congregation Tehillah * Conservative synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale * Edgehill Church at Spuyten Duyvil *

Hebrew Institute of Riverdale The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, commonly called The Shalom bayit, Bayit, is a Modern Orthodoxy, Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue at 3700 Henry Hudson Parkway in the Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx in New ...

* Riverdale Jewish Center * Riverdale Presbyterian Church * Riverdale Temple * St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church * Saint Margaret of Cortona Church * St Peter's Greek Orthodox Church * Young Israel of Riverdale * Young Israel Ohab Tzedek * Kehilah of Riverdale

Community organizations

* Bronx Community Board 8 is a group of community members working under the mandate of the City Charter to monitor the delivery of city services, establish budget priorities, and influence land-use decisions. * Riverdale

Hatzalah Hatzalah, also spelled Hatzolah, (; ) is the title used by many Jewish volunteer emergency medical service (EMS) organizations serving mostly areas with Jewish communities around the world, giving medical service to patients regardless of the ...

Volunteer Ambulance Corp. is supported by community donations, and offers fast, reliable medical treatment and transport free of charge. * Riverdale YM-YWHA is a community center for youth, adult and senior activities. * Riverdale Children's Theater is a local theater company that has performed many pilot productions of musicals. This 501 c-3 theater arts program was founded in 2010 and offers a myriad of theater programs.

Museums

* Derfner Judaica Museum maintains a collection of approximately 1,400 objects used in traditional Jewish ceremonies and rituals, as well as Jewish art. *

, the former residence of

among others, is a botanical garden featuring two preserved historic mansions. It has exhibit spaces with a rotating series of art exhibitions, and performance spaces with a noted series of concerts.

Notable people

* Sean Altman (born 1961), musician, songwriter, and founder of Rockapella * Baron Ambrosia, real name Justin Fornal, film director * William Henry Appleton (1814–1899), publisher, lived at

* Hannelore Baron (1926–1987), artist known for the highly personal, book-sized, abstract collages and box constructions that she began exhibiting in the late 1960s. *

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

(1881–1945), composer * Mario Biaggi (1917–2015), decorated policeman and US Congressman *

Rudolf Bing Sir Rudolf Bing, KBE (January 9, 1902 – September 2, 1997) was an Austrian-born British opera impresario who worked in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, including as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City f ...

(1902–1997), former General Manager of the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

* Jonathan Brewster Bingham (1914–1986), member of the House of Representatives * June Bingham Birge (1919–2007), author and playwright *

Ron Blomberg Ronald Mark Blomberg (born August 23, 1948), nicknamed "Boomer", is an American former professional baseball player and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter, first baseman, and right fielder. He played ...

(born 1948), first

designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. Unlike other players in a team's lineup, they generally only play as an offensive player and usually do not play defense as ...

in baseball history * Ted Brown (1924–2005), radio personality *

Alexander Calder Alexander "Sandy" Calder (; July 22, 1898 – November 11, 1976) was an American sculptor known both for his innovative mobile (sculpture), mobiles (kinetic sculptures powered by motors or air currents) that embrace chance in their aesthetic, hi ...

(1898–1976), sculptor, lived in Spuyten Duyvil *

Alexander Stirling Calder Alexander Stirling Calder (January 11, 1870 – January 7, 1945) was an American sculpture, sculptor and teacher. He was the son of sculptor Alexander Milne Calder and the father of sculptor Alexander Calder, Alexander (Sandy) Calder. His best-kn ...

(1870–1945), sculptor, father of

Chris Chambliss Carroll Christopher Chambliss (born December 26, 1948) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball from to for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. He served as a coac ...

(born 1948), former first baseman and hitting coach *

Ronni Chasen Ronni Sue Chasen (October 17, 1946 – November 16, 2010) was an American publicist, who once represented such actors as Michael Douglas, as well as musicians such as Hans Zimmer and Mark Isham, among others. Chasen directed the Academy ...

(1946–2010), Hollywood publicist, murder victim * R. Inslee Clark Jr. (1935–1999), educator, administrator, and key player in the transition of the Ivy League into co-education in the 1960s. * Seth Farber, rabbi and historian *

Fernando Ferrer Fernando James Ferrer (born April 30, 1950) is an American politician who was the borough president of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001. Ferrer was a candidate for mayor of New York City in 1997 and 2001 and was the Democratic Party nominee for may ...

(born 1950), former Bronx Borough President *

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

(1917–1996), jazz singer * Sidney Frey (1920–1968),

Audio Fidelity Records Audio Fidelity Records was a record company based in New York City, most active during the 1950s and 1960s. They are best known for having produced the first mass-produced American stereophonic long-playing record in November 1957 (although this ...

, producer of the first stereo record * Fred W. Friendly (1915–1998), former president of

CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio broadcaster CBS. It is headquartered in New York City. CBS News television programs include ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs ''CBS News Sunday Morn ...

Julia Garner Julia Garner (born February 1, 1994) is an American actress. She gained recognition for playing Ruth Langmore in the Netflix crime drama series ''Ozark'' (2017–2022), for which she received critical acclaim and won three Primetime Emmy Awar ...

(born 1994), actress *

(1903–1941),

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

baseball player *

Jordan Gelber Jordan Gelber (born 1975) is an American actor and singer. He has performed on Broadway in the musical '' Avenue Q'', in ''All My Sons'' and in '' Elf the Musical'', among other shows. He has also performed in many off-Broadway productions. He ha ...

(born 1975), actor *

Mark Goodman Mark Goodman (born October 11, 1952) is an American radio host, TV personality and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJ (media personality), video jockeys (VJs), along with Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter (VJ), Alan Hunter, J. J. ...

(born 1952), one of the five original

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

VJs *

Blu Greenberg Blu Greenberg (; born January 21, 1936, Seattle) is an American Orthodox Jewish writer specializing in modern Judaism and women's issues. Her most noted books are ''On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition'' (1981), and ''Black Bread: Poems, A ...

(born 1936), writer specializing in

Modern Orthodox Judaism Modern Orthodox Judaism (also Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to Torah Umadda#Synthesis, synthesize Jewish principles of faith, Jewish values and the halakha, observance of Jewish law with t ...

and women's issues * Irving Greenberg (born 1933),

Modern Orthodox Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...

rabbi, Jewish-American scholar and author *

Nat Holman Nat Holman (born Nathan Helmanowich; October 19, 1896 – February 12, 1995) was an American professional basketball player and college coach. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and is the only coach to lead his team ...

(1896–1995), Hall of Fame basketball player and CCNY coach *

Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American politician, academic, and jurist who served as the 11th chief justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

, III (1915–1985), architect * H. Stuart Hughes (1916–1999), professor and activist *

Richard Joel Richard M. Joel is a Jewish scholar who was the fourth president of Yeshiva University (YU), a Modern Orthodox Jewish university in New York City. He has written on topics that include Jewish leadership, the BDS movement on college campuses, an ...

(born 1950), President of

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a Private university, private Modern Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.

Leatrice Joy Leatrice Joy (born Leatrice Johanna Zeidler; November 7, 1893 – May 13, 1985) was an American actress most prolific during the silent film era. Early life Joy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to dentist Edward Joseph Zeidler. She at ...

(1893–1985), actress *

Eric Kandel Eric Richard Kandel (; born Erich Richard Kandel, November 7, 1929) is an Austrian-born American medical doctor who specialized in psychiatry, a neuroscientist and a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the College of Physicians and Surgeo ...

(born 1929), Columbia University neuroscientist, Nobel laureate * Ida Keeling (born 1915), runner, World Record holder for 100 meter women ages 96–100 * Eunice Kennedy (1921–2009), founder of the

Special Olympics Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports partners in 172 countries. Special Ol ...

Joan Bennett Kennedy Virginia Joan Kennedy ( Bennett, born September 2, 1936) is an American socialite. She was the first wife of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy. Early life Virginia Joan Bennett was born at Mother Cabrini Hospital in New York City. She was raised in a ...

(born 1936), spouse of Senator

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...

(1917–1963), U.S. president, lived at 5040 Independence Avenue as a child * Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), patriarch of the

Kennedy Family The Kennedy family () is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from County Wexford, Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P ...

, US Ambassador to the UK, SEC Chairman *

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...

(1925–1968), U.S. Senator, Attorney General and Presidential candidate * Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish (1920–1948), Marchionness of Hartington, member of the

* Bernard Kerik (born 1955), former

New York City Police Commissioner The New York City police commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department and presiding member of the Board of Commissioners. The commissioner is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the mayor. The commissioner is responsibl ...

Shabbos Kestenbaum Shabbos Kestenbaum (born December 19, 1998) is an American Jewish activist and graduate of Harvard Divinity School. He is known for leading a lawsuit against Harvard University, filed in January 2024, which alleges that the university failed to ...

(born 1999), antisemitism activist * Theodore W. Kheel (1914–2010), labor lawyer * G. Oliver Koppell (born 1940), former New York State Attorney General, former member of the

* Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882–1947),

Mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...

during the 1930s and 1940sJackson, Nancy
"If You're Thinking of Living In/Fieldston; A Leafy Enclave in the Hills of the Bronx"
, ''

'', February 17, 2002. Accessed August 24, 2020. "Fiorello H. La Guardia, a three-time mayor of New York, lived and died at 5020 Goodridge Avenue.... After World War II, Richard Simon, founder of Simon & Schuster, bought a Georgian red-brick Baum house where he brought up his three musical daughters: Joanna, Lucy and Carly. Today, residents include United Nations ambassadors from Benin and Guinea; Jennifer J. Raab, president of Hunter College and former head of the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission; and G. Oliver Koppell, the former New York attorney general newly elected to the City Council. Theodore Kheel, the labor lawyer, has a house around the corner from Ruth Friendly..." * John L. Lahey (born 1946), president of

Quinnipiac University Quinnipiac University ( ) is a private university in Hamden, Connecticut, United States. The university grants undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. It also hosts the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. History What became ...

Christopher Lehmann-Haupt Christopher Lehmann-Haupt (June 14, 1934 – November 7, 2018) was an American journalist, editor of ''The New York Times Book Review'', critic, and novelist, based in New York City. He served as senior Daily Book Reviewer from 1969 to 1995. Bi ...

(1934–2018), journalist, critic, and novelist * Timothy "Speed" Levitch (born 1970), tour guide and voice actor *

Jack Lew Jacob Joseph Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and diplomat who served as the 28th United States ambassador to Israel from 2023 to 2025. He was the 76th United States secretary of the treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the ...

(born 1955),

United States Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

Chris Lighty Darrel Steven "Chris" Lighty (May 8, 1968 – August 30, 2012) was an American music manager and record producer. He co-founded Violator, a record label, management and marketing company, which represented hip hop and R&B artists such as Busta ...

(1968–2012), music industry executive and hip-hop artist manager *

Sal Maglie Salvatore Anthony Maglie (April 26, 1917 – December 28, 1992) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and later, a scout and a pitching coach. He played from 1945 to 1958 for the New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Dodgers, New ...

(1917–1992), pitcher, played for the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

, and

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of ...

(1931–2024), baseball star * Sister Margaret McEntee (born 1935), Catholic nun and inspiration for '' Doubt: A Parable'' *

Tim Morehouse Timothy Frank MorehouseElfman, Lois"Our Olympic Moment: Tim Morehouse Heads To London" ''Chutzpah'', July 25, 2012. Accessed July 26, 2012. ""Much of his sense of determination is inspired by his Jewish heritage. His maternal grandmother and two ...

(born 1978), Olympic fencer *

Tracy Morgan Tracy Jamal Morgan (born November 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy television series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1996 to 2003, and played Tracy Jordan in the NBC sitcom ''30 Ro ...

(born 1968), comedian and actor *

Elie Nadelman Elie Nadelman (born Eliasz Nadelman; February 20, 1882 – December 28, 1946) was a Polish-American sculptor, draughtsman of the School of Paris and a collector of folk art. Early years Nadelman was born into a Jewish family in Warsaw in 188 ...

(1882–1946), Polish/American sculptor * Hugh Panero (born 1956), CEO of

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from June 1998 to August 2007. *

(1862–1920), first president of the

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(born 1944),

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(born 1971), actor, television director, dancer and show host *

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Jonathan Rosenblatt Jonathan I. Rosenblatt (born August 31, 1956) is an American Modern Orthodox rabbi, teacher, lecturer, and counselor. Biography A native of Baltimore, Rosenblatt served for more than thirty years as the Senior Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Ce ...

(born 1956), former rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center * Herschel Schacter (1917–2013), Orthodox rabbi who was chairman of the

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* Kool Keith Thornton (born 1964), hip-hop artist and founding member of the

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and

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known for the music of

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In popular culture

Riverdale has often been cited in literature, film and television. Exteriors of many of Riverdale's locations have been used in both television and movie production. Literature * In ''

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'',

Horace Mann School Horace Mann School (also known as Horace Mann or HM) is an American private, independent college-preparatory school in the Bronx, founded in 1887. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from the New Yo ...

–educated

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian ...

writes about getting off at a subway stop in Riverdale: "Filled with dreams of what I'd do in Chicago, in Denver, and then finally in San Fran, I took the Seventh Avenue Subway to the end of the line at 242nd Street, and there took a trolley into Yonkers; in downtown Yonkers I transferred to an outgoing trolley and went to the city limits on the east bank of the Hudson River." Films * In the film ''

Once Upon a Time in America ''Once Upon a Time in America'' () is a 1984 epic crime film co-written and directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, and starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. The film is an Italian–American venture produced by The Ladd Company, Emb ...

'', the central character learns that the bodies of his three friends have been relocated to a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

in Riverdale. * In the 2013 remake of the film ''

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1939) is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in ''The New Yorker'' on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book ''My World and Welcome to It'' ( Ha ...

'', Windsor South, an apartment building along the

, is shown. Television * On television's ''

Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American historical drama, period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on cable network AMC (TV channel), AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, with seven seasons ...

'',

Joan Holloway Joan P. Holloway Harris is a fictional character on the AMC television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15). She is portrayed by Christina Hendricks. Hendricks has received six consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting ...

reveals that she and her husband are considering relocating to Riverdale, explaining, "It's close to Columbia Presbyterian. Plus, Greg wants a yard".

References

Notes Further reading *

External links

Riverdale Neighborhood House

Riverdale YM-YWHA
{{authority control Historic districts in the Bronx Irish-American neighborhoods Neighborhoods in the Bronx New York (state) populated places on the Hudson River New York City designated historic districts New York City Designated Landmarks in the Bronx Orthodox Judaism in New York City Jews and Judaism in the Bronx