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I've noticed that a lot of people in The Bronx don't use their neighborhood names. While people in every other borough do.
People in Wakefield will often say they live in "Gun Hill". And any South Bronx neighborhood might just be the South Bronx or a thoroughfare from their neighborhood like "Brook Ave".
I talked to a girl who lived in Mott Haven her whole life and she didn't even seem to know what Mott Haven was.
There are exceptions to this, like Parkchester and the more upscale neighborhoods on the far West and East of the borough.
I don't like this because I think the Bronx has some nice neighborhood names.
The only thing I can think of is that the street grid for the Bronx is a little weird and not that consistent, resulting in a lot of grey area.
Oh I don't know about that. If one lives in say Riverdale and has money, will certainly say *I live in Riverdale", since living in Riverdale vs. *living in the Bronx* means I've made it or was always upper middle to upper class and don't live in the ghetto. In fact they'll use *Riverdale, NY* for mailing, and seem to have their own separate real estate section separate from the Bronx, though that is changing as more people know where Riverdale is and that it is an upscale neighborhood, so will mention neighborhood and then put *Bronx, NY*.
Oh I don't know about that. If one lives in say Riverdale and has money, will certainly say *I live in Riverdale", since living in Riverdale vs. *living in the Bronx* means I've made it or was always upper middle to upper class and don't live in the ghetto. In fact they'll use *Riverdale, NY* for mailing, and seem to have their own separate real estate section separate from the Bronx, though that is changing as more people know where Riverdale is and that it is an upscale neighborhood, so will mention neighborhood and then put *Bronx, NY*.
Read my post again. I mentioned that an exception would be the more upscale neighborhoods on the far West and East of the Borough, meaning places like Riverdale, Throggs Neck, Country Club, etc.
Read my post again. I mentioned that an exception would be the more upscale neighborhoods on the far West and East of the Borough, meaning places like Riverdale, Throggs Neck, Country Club, etc.
Thing is some use their names almost exclusively. Was making a point. For the others, the issue of boundaries come into play. For example, Baychester and Eastchester don't seem clearly defined. Even in Riverdale, there are subsections that aren't clearly defined, but since the names are either hard to pronounce for some (try saying Spuyten Duyvil five times - easier to just say Riverdale - better known and a subsection of Riverdale anyway) or not well know outside the area, may just use whatever they're used to hearing or whatever.
Am not sure why but there are a lot of subsections in numerous neighborhoods. Can look at areas like Pelham Parkway and Morris Park.
Many neighborhoods are artificial and don't have distinct separate identity from adjacent areas. For instance there's not much difference betweeen Williamsbridge, Wakefield, Baychester and olinville and they are all right next to each other. Other areas are mired in so much poverty and despair and are real desperate places that the people living there don't want to be there and don't have a neighborhood pride. There are exceptions to this though. As previously mention the more stable and Middle to upper income neighborhoods will have people identitfy from those areas. Also people Fromm hunts point and castle hill for instance will always shout out their neighborhood because those areas have a kind of distinct identity
I agree that it has to do with valuing where you live. Many Bronx residents have little appreciation and pride of their community and probably would leave it in a heartbeat if they could. Probably why residents treat their streets like a toilet. People don't name toilets...
The neighborhoods where people care are more often the ones that retain their identities. It's no surprise Woodlawn, Riverdale, Pelham Parkway are the most familiar Bronx areas.
I agree that it has to do with valuing where you live. Many Bronx residents have little appreciation and pride of their community and probably would leave it in a heartbeat if they could. Probably why residents treat their streets like a toilet. People don't name toilets...
The neighborhoods where people care are more often the ones that retain their identities. It's no surprise Woodlawn, Riverdale, Pelham Parkway are the most familiar Bronx areas.
It has nothing to do with whether residents value the area or not. If thats the case other boroughs would suffer from the same identity crisis problem. I think this situation is unique to the Bronx itself. I'm not sure what the answer is, but its mostly South Bronx neighborhoods that suffer from this (Foxhurst, Woodstock, etc).
For example, what would one call the neighborhood around East 167th Street and Findlay Avenue? Morrisania? I'm terrible with Bronx neighborhoods. We need some BX natives to chime in.
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