11 Things You Didn't Know About THE BRONX

Many people here of the Bronx and immediately think of Jay Lowe, Yankee Stadium or the Bronx Zoo. And unless you're up for a game of baseball or a day at the zoo, it's not typically the borough that most New Yorkers and tourists will flock to. But did you know that this highly underrated borough is rich in history with much beauty and cultural sight are bound?

Today we're here to talk about the Bronx and all the things that make it so special. So sit back, relax, and be ready to be amazed by what New York's most Northern Borough has to offer. Without further ado, here are 11 things you didn't know about the Bronx.

Number one, it's called the Bronx. I had to get that out of the way first. For the many out of towners who often don't realize it, out of the five New York City boroughs, the Bronx is the only borough that starts with an article. As we all know, Manhattan is just called Manhattan. It's not the Manhattan.

Brooklyn is just plain Brooklyn. The Brooklyn, but when it comes to the Bronx, you have to include the in front of it. So in New York City, we don't say Bronx. We say the Bronx. On a side note, when you're writing an address, you don't include the in front of it. I know this can be somewhat confusing at first, but trust me, you'll get the hang of it after a while.

Number two, Riverdale is a part of the Bronx. I just wanted to make that clear. Riverdale is an upper middle class neighborhood in the northwest part of the Bronx overlooking the Hudson. There you'll find some of the most beautiful homes and mansions in a lush suburban setting. I can't tell you how many times I've been corrected by a Riverdale resident when asked if they lived in the Bronx.

Their common reply is, no, not the Bronx Riverdale. The last time I checked, Riverdale was still part of the borough. It hasn't seceded yet. Sorry folks from Riverdale, but your fancy neighborhood is still part of the Bronx. Whether you like it or not.

Number three, it's home to Little Italy. If you thought Little Italy was in downtown Manhattan, think again because it's actually in the Belmont section of the Bronx. Just a few blocks from the zoo is where you'll find the real little Italy, and with so much more to offer, it quite simply blows all other little Italys out of the park.

On Arthur Avenue, you will find all the best offerings of imported Italian delicacies restaurants and. The businesses are all privately owned and run by generations of Italian families who endow each venue with their own unique touch foodies and those in the know all flock here to take part in the friendly old world Italian atmosphere.

However, for most New Yorkers, this little Italy has remained unheard of and has become one of the Bronx's. Secrets

number four, it's home to the new Fulton Fish market. Remember the open air Fulton fish market that existed for decades in lower Manhattan? They haven't closed down. They simply relocated to the Bronx. The new Fulton Dish market is now an amazing 400,000 square foot indoor refrigerated facility. The 37 seafood businesses who now call the Hunts Point Facility Home, offer New York, the freshest and most diverse selection of seafood you'll find in the entire city.

Number five. It's on the mainland of the five boroughs in New York City. The Bronx is the northern most and the only one that actually exists on the mainland United States. All of the boroughs of small islands in themselves, or they sit on a larger island. Number six. It's the birthplace of hip hop and South, south.

Yes, you heard it. In fact, they have the actual South Bronx address as 1520 Cedgwick Avenue for the birthplace of hip hop. This is where DJ Kher introduced his breakbeats DJing technique in 1973. Legend has it that he also began wrapping during the breakbeats, which led to the rise of other new techniques and dances, including break dancing.

Elsa has its roots in Cuba. The South Bronx takes all the credit for its rise to fame in the United States during the 1960s and seventies. This led to an entire movement for generations to come.

Number seven, it's New York City's greenest borough. Out of the five boroughs, the Bronx happens to be the least developed with 25% of its land acreages dedicated to Parkland. Fellen Bay Park on the Northeastern coast is not only the largest park in the Bronx, but the largest park in all of New York City.

Yeah, but I thought Central Park was the largest. Nope. Pelham Bay Park is even larger. Boasting nearly 3000 acres of natural forest. You also have other large green spaces such as the New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx Zoo fan, Cortland Park, Soundview Park, and Cortona Park.

Number eight, orchard Beach. I know. I know. When it's time to go to the beach, everyone flocks to Coney Island. The Rockaways for Long Island. But so many failed to realize that the Bronx has its own beach. Orchard Beach is a crescent Shake Beach tucked away in Pelham Bay Park. It features a boardwalk, a picnic area.

A bandstand and a handful of concession stands. It's a small beach compared to other New York beaches, so it can get pretty crowded. Now, if you wanted some more breathing room, I would recommend going only on the weekdays.

Number nine, tour the Bronx. Every year in October, the Bronx hosts a free bicycle event as a means to promote a healthy lifestyle and to tour the Bronx landscape in its unique neighborhoods. The tour is not a race, but strictly for leisure. It got its start in 1994 and allows cyclists to choose from two different touring options of 25 or 40 miles.

Over the years, the tour of the Bronx has gained a lot of Noto. And now over 10,000 cyclists from all over the world come out to participate in this fun-filled event.

Number 10. It's the birthplace of the Capitol Dome In the mid 18 hundreds, the area known as the Bronx today was home to some of the best iron foundries in the country. It's no wonder that the Foundry of James Fowler, Kirkland and Company were awarded the contract to build the US Capitol Building's Iron Dome.

Other notable Iron Works hailing from the Bronx are the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial and the Lions at the New York Public Library.

Number 11, it has the oldest bridge in New York City, and all this time I thought the oldest bridge was the Brooklyn Bridge.

The high bridge was completed in 1848, which makes it the oldest standing bridge in all of New York City. This pedestrian only bridge arches over the Harlem. And connects the Washington Heights section of Manhattan to the Highbridge neighborhood in the southwest part of the Bronx. The Highbridge was built to carry and conceal the early Croton aqueduct, which brought water to the multitudes in New York City at the time.

Today, the original Aqueduct pipe still lies directly under the Bridge's walkway. The bridge had been closed to the public for more than 40 years, but recently reopened in 2015. Pedestrians and bikers can now enjoy leisurely strolls and panoramic views along the newly restored hybrid bridge.

Video By: ALL NYC