It's hard to miss the 50-foot-high structure at 239th Street and Riverdale Avenue, whether passing by on the Henry Hudson Parkway or taking a stroll through the neighborhood. Longtime Riverdale resident Marc Molomot said it's a staple of the community.
"It is quintessentially Riverdale, it's very beautiful," Molomot said.
What You Need To Know
- The Riverdale Bell Tower is located on 239th Street at Riverdale Avenue and the Henry Hudson Parkway in the Bronx
- It officially opened on July 4, 1931, paying tribute to those who served during World War I from Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil and Kingsbridge in the Bronx
- The bell in the tower was cast in Spain in 1762 for a Mexican monastery, captured during the Mexican-American War by General Winfield Scott and brought to New York City
- Before it was placed in the bell tower, the bell was also at Jefferson Market and a Riverdale firehouse
Commissioned by the Riverdale American Legion Post, the monument pays tribute to the 700 residents of the Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil and Kingsbridge neighborhoods who served in World War I, 29 of whom died.
It was designed by noted architect Dwight James Baum, and opened to great fanfare on July 4, 1931.
“At the time it was dedicated, there were planes that circled the building dropping flowers on the crowd below and they let pigeons free from the belfry,” said Jennifer Lantzas, deputy director of art and antiquities for the New York City Parks Department.
The bell tower was originally located about 700 feet north of its current location as the centerpiece of a traffic circle. It was moved in 1936 to make way for the Henry Hudson Parkway.
Inside is, of course, the bell, which was cast in Spain in 1762 for a Mexican monastery, captured by General Winfield Scott during the Mexican-American War and brought to New York City. It was previously at the Jefferson Market and a Riverdale Firehouse.
The parks department has been caring for the tower since 1938, including a partial renovation in 2007 and yearly visits from the monuments crew at the department’s art and antiquities office. The bell has not been operational for years, but that’s something the department would like to change.
“We would really love to be able to have the bell working again, but at select times. Ideally, I think we would be able to work with the community when they have special events,” Lantzas said.
Marc Molomot agreed it would be nice to hear the bell again.
“That would be wonderful and very meaningful,” Molomot said.
Molomot added that the bell tower is truly a focal point in the neighborhood.
“When you’re arriving here on the express bus and see it, you know it’s your stop and you are home,” Molomot said.