Is anyone from or familiar with the Bronx?

[Aristocath]

I'll be leaving Friday for my annual trip to New York with my mother. We go at least once every year for the theater, to shop, and to visit family. My mother was born in the Bronx and lived there until she was fourteen.
June 1st will be the 50th anniversary of my grandfather's death so this visit will be special. I've hired a car to take us to Woodlawn Cemetery where my grandfather is buried and for a little trip down memory lane. My mom wants to see the apartment building where they lived and the store where my grandfather's florist shop was. We realize these buildings may no longer exist but if they are there, we'd like to see the outside of them. Mostly, I'd like to know if this area is safe or what we are getting into. The apartment was in the 800 block of Bryant Avenue and the store was in the 1000 block of E. 163rd street.
Thanks for any help you can give.

Cathy

 

[Kimberle]

Yes, as long as you go during the day, you'll be fine. Just use your common sense.

Eat on Arthur Ave. My IL's are from the Bronx & eat there all the time. They live in Weschester now.

Happy walking down memory lane.

That cemetery is extremely large. I hope she has a map or you'll never find the grave.

I wouldn't be at all suprised if the building is still there!

 

[Mary Anne]

If she's not sure where the grave is, stop at the cemetary office and they can give you the plot # and where it is located. You are going to need the exaxt spelling of the name (don't laugh, over the years people can change these things and if you have the date and year of his birth and death that would help too!

I agree as long as it is daylight you'll be fine.

I often wonder if I ever will see the apartment building on E220th street in the Bronx that I was raised on. It's been over 40 years but I'd love it see it again.

 

[Princess Dot]

Since you said you have hired a car, I assume you mean that you will have a car service and a driver to take you, which is a good idea. Woodlawn Cemetary is in a fairly nice area so I would not worry about going there. However, Bryant and E163rd are in a bit of a rougher area and I would not want to see you getting lost on your own anywhere near Hunts Point. But as long as the driver knows where he is going you should be fine. The area you are talking about is off the Bruckner Expressway. I would agree though with a daytime trip. I am not that familiar with that exact area, but I would not necessarily recomend a stroll around the neighborhood!

I hope that it won't be hard on your mom to see the changes that I'm sure have taken place since she was 14.

Don't get me wrong, the Bronx can be a very beautiful place in many ways and I don't want you to think its like those movies from the 70's like Fort Apache. For the most part it is still a borough of working class people. It is full of wonderful architecture, beautiful parks (Bronx Zoo, NY Botanical Gardens), wide avenues(Grand Concourse with very cool Art Deco buildings), great food (Arthur Ave in the Bronx's Little Italy as mentioned is wonderful and a nice area to walk around in to look in the food shops) and great people, not to mention the winningest team in Major League Sports, my NY Yankees! Maybe you could fit in a trip to the Stadium! Its at the end of 161st st, not too far from your planned trip!

Have fun! If you have any other questions, just ask!

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I was born and lived the first 23 years of my life in the Bronx, actually on the other side of the Bronx River Parkway from where Woodlawn Cemetary is. I agree with others that if you go there during the day, you'll be fine. Also, like Kimberle said, the cemetery is quite large, so a map might come in handy. A lot of famous people are supposedly buried in there. I believe Lindburgh's baby is one of them, but who knows that could have been an urban legend that was going around the neighborhood. If you have time, the Bronx Zoo or the Botanical Gardens are really great places to go to. I take my kids there a few times a year.

Have fun

 

[Aristocath]

I've actually been to the cemetery many times over the years so I know where the grave is. Woodlawn is a fascinating place, isn't it.
Yes, we have a driver. I have driven to Woodlawn before but since we are going other places with which I am unfamiliar, I decided not to take any chances.
And Princess Dot, I am a little worried too, about my mother's reaction after fifty years. It was her idea to go see these places and she figures if we don't go now, she'll never see them. (She has macular degeneration.) Just facing the fiftieth anniversary of her father's death is a big deal so I hope this all put together isn't too much.
Thank you again for your responses and kind thoughts. I'll let you know how the trip down memory lane goes.

Cathy