1956 Map of Yonkers

About this map

Yonkers and its surrounding suburbs along the Hudson River appear in transition during the mid-1950s, as the development of the Palisades Interstate Parkway and New York State Thruway begins to redefine the regional landscape. On the western bank, New Jersey communities like Tenafly, Cresskill, and Englewood are shown with their maturing street grids and numerous local schools such as Dwight Sch and Morrow High Sch. The massive Oradell Reservoir dominates the northwest, while the sheer cliffs of the Palisades drop toward several historic river landings including Huyler Landing and Twombly Landing. Across the water in the Bronx and Westchester, dense urban development is anchored by Van Cortlandt Park and established institutions like Manhattan College and the College of Mt St Vincent. This survey documents a critical era when the Erie RR and New York Central RR still served as primary transit corridors alongside the rising expressway network.