YONKERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Places of Interest in Yonkers

Yonkers is the fourth largest city in the State of NY. There are many wonderful locations to visit and beautiful sites to see, as well as great activities in which to take part. Listed here are just a few key locations crucial to the growing culture and historic value of our city. Please, take the time to visit these locations in person. 

Blue Door Art Center

The Blue Door Art Center is located at 13 Riverdale Avenue. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the arts to communities throughout Westchester County that are sadly underserved by their current art programs. Since 2009, they have successfully exhibited hundreds of exhibitions throughout Westchester featuring many talented local artists. 

Website: ​https://bluedoorartcenter.org/
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Exhibits on display in 2017. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Exhibits on display in 2017. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Exhibits on display in 2017. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Exhibits on display in 2017. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Blue Door Art Center in October of 2020 by Jason Medina.
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Hudson River Museum
​(Glenview Mansion aka
Trevor Mansion)

Located at 511 Warburton Avenue, this fascinating location went from Victorian home to a modern museum. Built from May 1876 to the summer of 1877, it was the home of John Bond Trevor and his family. It served as the family home, until 1922.

Two years later, the house was converted into a museum known as the Museum of Science and Art. Sometime between 1939 and 1948, the name was changed to the Hudson River Museum.

During the 1950s the Yonkers Historical Society had its office here, until it was relocated several times, eventually settling at the Grinton I. Will Yonkers Public Library in 2003.

In 1969 the mansion was restored to its original grandeur with most of its original furnishings, while a modern museum was added in front of the mansion, which included the addition of the Andrus Space Transit Planetarium.

​Today the museum hosts new exhibits each month with planetarium shows on the weekends. 

Website: https://www.hrm.org/
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Historic image of the Hudson River Museum from YHS archives.
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The Hudson River Museum. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Glenview Mansion aka Trevor Mansion. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Historic image of Glenview Mansion from YHS archives.
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Philipse Manor Hall

Located at 29 Warburton Avenue, Philipse Manor Hall is the oldest building in Yonkers and in all of Westchester County. Built in 1682, it served as the Philipse family home for several generations and as the seat of Philipsburg Manor, until the end of the Revolutionary War.

​It later became the first city hall of the Village of Yonkers from 1868-1908.

In 1912, it was converted into a museum. Today, it continues to serve in that purpose. Throughout the year fabulous events take place on the grounds or within the building, most notably in the gallery or Gothic Chamber.  

It closed for over a year in the early 2020s for the addition of an elevator, gender neutral restrooms, and many new modernized historic exhibits. Be sure to check out their website, listed below, for a wonderful virtual tour!

Open from Wed-Sun, 10 AM - 5 PM 
Closed on Mon & Tue
Guided tours available four times a day at:
10:30 AM, 12 PM, 1:30 PM, 3 PM

Admission: $6 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+),
$3 for students (must have student ID),
​FREE for children under 13 and for members of the Friends of PMH. 

Websites: www.PhilipseManorHall.com

https://FriendsofPhilipseManorHall.org

​https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/37/details.aspx

http://philipsemanorhall.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
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One of the newly improved exhibit rooms can be seen in this photo by Jason Medina.
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The Gothic Chamber on the second floor is where events and meetings are held. This photo by Jason Medina shows how it appeared prior to recent renovations.
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Historic image of Philipse Manor Hall in 1891 from the YHS archives, soon after the Civil War Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument dedication.
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Philipse Manor Hall in 2015. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Photo taken by Jason Medina at the grand re-opening in November of 2022.
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A new exhibit showing the evolution of the manor. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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The Gothic Chamber, after renovations in the early 2020s. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Untermyer Park

Established in 1946, Untermyer Park was formerly a vast estate belonging to a wealthy lawyer by the name of Samuel Untermyer. Despite falling through hard times throughout the years, it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful locations in the city of Yonkers. Located at 945 North Broadway, it boasts beautiful vistas of the Hudson River and Palisades, while also having a number of gardens, gazebos, and trails. 

In 1974 the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places marking its place on the map. 

From June through September the Untermyer Performing Arts Council holds many wonderful cultural events at the park, which are free to all park visitors. To learn more about the current events you can check out their website: ​http://www.untermyerperformingarts.org/
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The Pavilion in 2013. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Historic image of Greystone, former home to Samuel Untermyer, from YHS archives.
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The Temple of Love atop the Eagle's Nest has been a popular location for visitors for decades. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Looking up the "1000 Steps" in this photo by Jason Medina from 2021.
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A pergola in the garden. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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Looking toward the entrance of the walled garden. (Photo by Jason Medina).
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This area, which was once a swamp, has been greatly improved, as seen in this photo by Jason Medina.
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The old gatehouse and overlook, as seen from the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail in this photo by Jason Medina.
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Westchester County Historical Society 

While this location is not in Yonkers, it is worthy of mentioning. The Yonkers Historical Society actually began as a chapter of the Westchester County Historical Society, before evolving into its own organization. It would be a shame to not mention them, as well.

The office for the Westchester County Historical Society is located at 2199 Saw Mill River Road in Elmsford, NY. It is both a library and a research center complete with an impressive temperature controlled archive vault. Here you can not only find a very extensive general history of Westchester County, which includes historic maps, photos, books, and documents, but also copies of several smaller collections from a few towns within the county. Currently, the reading room and archives are open by appointment only one day a week on Wednesdays with two sessions from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM. 

Westchester County Historical Society (westchesterhistory.com)
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The County of Westchester Records Center. (Photo by Jason Medina).
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Sherwood House
  • Programs and Events
    • Upcoming Events >
      • 2023 Patricia Mangold Scholarship
      • 2023 Spring Flea Market
      • Annual Dinner
      • Candlelight Tours
      • Library Book Sale
      • Uncommon Valor at Iwo Jima
      • Women of NY
      • Yonkers 1st Comic Con
    • Recent Events >
      • Annual Membership Meeting
      • Discover Revolutionary Yonkers
      • Eagle Scout Project
      • Exploring 18th Century Westchester
      • Halloween at Sherwood House
      • Halloween Book Signing
      • History of Croton Point Park
      • Holiday Boutique
      • Mary Calvi Book Signing
      • Online Auctions
      • Sherwood House Clean-up
      • Spirits of 76
      • Westchester County in the Revolutionary War
      • Yonkers History Awards
    • Ongoing Events >
      • Sherwood House E-Archiving Project
      • Sherwood House Tours
  • Places of Interest
  • Historic Videos of Yonkers
  • Yonkers Newsletters
  • Want to Help?
    • Become a Member
    • Become a Docent
    • Make a Donation
    • Volunteer
  • Contact Us