Huntington Free Library & Reading Room

04/19/2022

On behalf of the Huntington Free Library and Reading Room, I am honored to accept the 2022 Bronx A-List distinction for @schnepsmedia. Thanks for the acknowledgement. This is a very exciting time for the library and I am thankful that my board members elected me to be the person to see the institution thrive into the future. To all my friends and supporters, if you’d like to attend the awards ceremony on April 28th, please access the event link below. I would love to see you there!

https://www.schnepsmedia.com/events/bronx-alist/

04/05/2022

Huntington Free Library and Reading Room (HFL)

In celebration of Bronx Week 2022, the HFL will host a day of Bronx awesomeness. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 7th, and join us as we showcase some cool historic Bronx items, a lecture, followed by our backyard pop-up. We will have some Bronx businesses on hand to sell food and merch, along with @itsviceyvice spinning some classics. We still seek more Bronx vendors, so if you’d like to join us, please drop a note. No table fees, no percentage - kept it all. #bronxbusinesses #bronhistory #eastbronx #bronxweek2022 #huntingtonfreelibrary #westchestersquare

Established 1891

04/05/2022

Check out the HFL live this morning with Roger Clark to discuss the Bronx/Westchester border and how ordinary citizens living on it deal with it. Besides having two area codes and two addresses, Christopher here also has to pay double tax. Oy vey! Check us out at 9:50 this morning on @ny1. #TheBronx #bronxhistory #mountvernon #westchester #nyc #2021 #newyorkhistory

04/04/2022

Huntington Free Library and Reading Room (HFL)

In celebration of Bronx Week 2022, the HFL will host a day of Bronx awesomeness. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 7th, and join us as we showcase some cool historic Bronx items, a lecture, followed by our backyard pop-up. We will have some Bronx businesses on hand to sell food and merch, along with @itsviceyvice spinning some classics. We still seek more Bronx vendors, so if you’d like to join us, please drop a note. No table fees, no percentage - kept it all. #bronxbusinesses #bronhistory #eastbronx #bronxweek2022 #huntingtonfreelibrary #westchestersquare

Established 1891

04/01/2022

The daffodils are debuting quite nicely at the library. It’s been a while since we’ve seen some love flowers growing about. Look how peeerrrty. #dafadils #spring #huntingtonfreelibrary #flowers #thebronx #bronx #eastbronx #bronxhistory #beauty

03/25/2022

A couple of weeks ago the library hosted the talented @photo_by_hila and @mr.blavks for a special photo shoot. We witnessed the perfect opportunity of a masterpiece in the making. Please enjoy these wonderful images. #huntingtonfreelibrary #thebronx #bronxhistory #eastbronx #westchestersquare #photography #blackandwhite #nikon #nycfashion #history #antiques #librariesofinstagram

03/23/2022

As we celebrate women’s history month, I thought it would be nice to highlight a Bronxite whose face graced some of our country’s popular magazines, but never gained as much fame as she should have. Norma Arlene Riker lived at 1812 Arthur Avenue and graduated from Morris High School in 1933. She later became a model and landed on the front pages of Redbook, Serenade, and other popular titles of the time. Not so much information on her life, other than the random facts written behind these photographs. We do know that she’s originally from Connecticut, born in 1915 and died in 2002, and buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Troy, NY. Would anyone have more information? Either way, it’s enough to celebrate a beautiful Bronx woman whose face thousands have seen, but perhaps never knew. #bronxwomen #bronxhistory #huntingtonfreelibrary #eastbronx #thebronx #womanshistorymonth

03/22/2022

Hey all, please welcome Kimberly to Team Huntington! We’ve been going very hard on our digitization project and Kimberly comes at the perfect time. As we sift through The collections we are constantly coming across some valuable items that need to be digitized and put away. We are now nearing the process of looking for an online database where we can start sharing our collections to the world. Stay tuned for more awesomeness from the HFL. #huntingtonfreelibrary #westchestersquare #eastbronx #bronx #thebronx #bronxhistory #newyork

03/02/2022

Today we spent some time with our Bronx Borough President @ruben_diaz_jr at his office, where we went through some of his collections that are to be donated to our library archive. These collections demonstrate the BP’s political career, spanning over 25 years. This is important, as it not only demonstrates his political prowess through some of our borough toughest times, it also shows true creativity - the man designed and produced his own campaign flyers! Thank you Mr. President for choosing the HFL as the final home for your collections. There are so many academic nuggets here. #HFL #huntingtonfreelibrary #libraries #research #bronxhistory #nyc #thebronx #bronxboroughpresident

03/02/2022

The HFL has a great memorabilia collection from the Bronx borough president’s office dating back to its creation in 1897. Did you know that before the Bronx borough president position was created, it was called Commissioner of Street Improvements of the Annexed District? The first headquarters of this newly created office was the old Bronx Municipal Building, which sat atop the stone steps that lead from Third Avenue, south of East Tremont, into Walter Gladwin Park. #thebronx #bronx #bronxboroughpresident #bronxhistory #huntingtonfreelibrary #nyc

03/02/2022

Did you know that the Huntington Free Library Reading Series space was used for the filming of the popular HBO series Boardwalk Empire? The library was the perfect location for a 1920s town hall setting. The production company were so generous that they rebuilt our rear study room ceiling and donated other furnishings.

Check out video link for Season 3: Episode 9 Clip - Keep Sheriffin' here: https://youtu.be/Xz_Uw5Dd-xE.

#hfl #huntingtonfreelibrary #thebronx #westchestersquare #bronxhistory #hbo #boardwalk-empire

03/02/2022

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, let us reminisce a time when famed American educator and pioneer Booker T. Washington frequented the Huntington estate on Throggs Neck (now the administration building to Preston high school). Collis P. Huntington was a contributor to the newly establishing Tuskegee Institute, where in fact, today still stands an edifice dedicated to his name. Washington visited the village of Westchester when the HFL was erected. He visited the library a couple of times, and we are so fortunate to still have the guest book he signed on each occasion. #blackhistory #bronxhistory #americanhistory #huntingtonfreelibrary #eastbronx #bookertwashington

02/23/2022

Huntington Free Library & Reading Room updated their business hours.

Huntington Free Library & Reading Room updated their business hours.

02/14/2022

The HFL is pleased to announce a new partnership with @manhattanedu. Let’s welcome our new intern Charles onboard, who is in his senior year, lives in The Bronx, and has done good research work on borough demographics and history. Charles will be working on our digitization project and helping us get organized. We are excited about this new opportunity for students, and hopefully we can gain new partners as our digitization project grows. Special thanks to our supporters for helping us fund our digitization project and @mftanyc for the wonderful computer monitors. Because of your generosity, the library will embark on its very first digital project ever. Stay tuned. #huntingtonfreelibrary #huntingtonfreelibraryandreadingroom #thebronx #westchestersquare #eastbronx #bronxhistory #history #manhattancollege #collisphuntington

The HFL is pleased to announce a new partnership with @manhattanedu. Let’s welcome our new intern Charles onboard, who is in his senior year, lives in The Bronx, and has done good research work on borough demographics and history. Charles will be working on our digitization project and helping us get organized. We are excited about this new opportunity for students, and hopefully we can gain new partners as our digitization project grows. Special thanks to our supporters for helping us fund our digitization project and @mftanyc for the wonderful computer monitors. Because of your generosity, the library will embark on its very first digital project ever. Stay tuned. #huntingtonfreelibrary

https://instagram.com/p/CZ9-aLepwmx/

02/04/2022

As we reorganize the library shelves at the HFL, we frequently come across some Bronx history greatness. Here is a copy of “Washington Heights Manhattan: It’s Eventful Past,” written by noted historian Reginald Pelham Bolton, who personally autographed a copy for a J.C. Harrington. Either this individual is the famous archeologist Jean Carl Harrington (he went by JC), or someone who was related to the founders of the Harrington School for Boys that once sat on East Tremont and Harrington avenues, hence the name. Did you know that during the Civil War Draft Riots of 1863, the rioting mob was prevented from burning down the town of Westchester when Brainard Harrington ordered his cadet students to grab a rifle and kept aim on the perpetrators? From the porch of the school, peace prevailed, the town was saved, and this episode will never be forgotten in the annals of Bronx history. #bronxhistory #thebronx #huntingtonfreelibrary

02/02/2022

Important notes on Black history in the Bronx:

On September 25, 1866, Abe Hawkins won the first race at the famous racetrack before 20,000 fans, including US General Ulysses S. Grant. Abe, who lived an extraordinary life, demonstrated that Black horse jockeys were just as competitive in popular American past-times of the era as their White counterparts. Yet, in a time of fierce segregation and mistreatment in the sports world, it paints a picture of how African-Americans faced racial exclusions and discrimination in The Bronx during the mid 19th century. Other locations in The Bronx hold dark legacies as well.

Franz Sigel Park, that beautiful squared oasis just south of today's county courthouse was once part of land nicknamed "N****r Woods" at the turn of the 20th century, before it was renamed after the German Civil War hero shortly after. Although the origins of this nickname is unknown, it does lend to the possibility that it dates back to the Morris family slave legacy and those who escaped into the woods north of the estate to hideout. Either way, it would definitely have been a sheer insult to African-Americans living in the area at the time, including Cedar Jack Lyons, who operated in the 1890s a popular clam shack on the swampy shores of what's covered now by the Yankee Stadium area.

While contemporary historians may say that The Bronx has never seen any race riots, the New York Times offers us a different account, when in 1903 an actual riot broke out between Black and Irish men in Melrose over a bar stabbing. That day many Black people were chased down and beaten.

Today, we need to expand and share these stories because a mere mention in today's lexicon of Bronx history won't cut it. #blackhistory #bronxhistory #thebronx #abehawkins

02/01/2022

By the mid 1850s German breweries were being established in neighborhoods such as Melrose, East Morrisania, and Mott Haven. One of the very first breweries was founded by the Haffen family, who later on will give us our borough’s very first borough president louis Haffen. By the turn of the 20th century, breweries with names like Zeltners, Hupfel (still standing by the way,) Eblings and others graced Third Avenue, from Mott Haven all the way up to Crotona Park. At the HFL we still have beer bottles from those same breweries, with their street addresses embossed on the glass. Maybe you’ll find your own address. #thebronx #bronxbeer #bronxhistory #beer #breweries #germanbreweries

02/01/2022

The HFL has a great memorabilia collection from the Bronx borough president’s office dating back to its creation in 1897. Did you know that before the Bronx borough president position was created, it was called Commissioner of Street Improvements of the Annexed District? The first headquarters of this newly created office was the old Bronx Municipal Building, which sat atop the stone steps that lead from Third Avenue, south of East Tremont, into Walter Gladwin Park. #thebronx #bronx #bronxboroughpresident #bronxhistory #huntingtonfreelibrary #nyc

12/09/2021

The @huntington_free_library just picked up more items from the personal collection of Bronx Borough President @ruben_diaz_jr . Thank you for entrusting us with your memorabilia. #bronxhistory #huntingtonfreelibrary #thebronx #eastbronx #bronxcursions

11/30/2021

Celebrate this year’s holiday spirit by donating a new and unwrapped toy for a child of any age. Donations can be dropped off at the Huntington Free Library on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, between 9 AM and 1 PM. Last day to make donations is Monday, December 20th. On Wednesday, December 22nd we will have a toy giveaway from 4 to 7 PM. For more information please send us a note at [email protected]. #toydrive #holiday #huntingtonfreelibraryandreadingroom #huntingtonfreelibrary #christmas #presents #westchestersquare #catholiccharities #thebronx #bronxhistory #2021

11/22/2021

Changing light bulbs at the HFL could be fun, especially when you don’t have to climb a ladder. It’s the littlest things that brings joy the most. 💡💡💡 #huntingtonfreelibrary #hfl #thebronx #bronxhistory #westchestersquare #eastbronx

11/16/2021

Thank you @bronxtimes for covering our C.P. Huntington's birthday fundraiser on October 22nd. We were honored and humbled by the support we got from our friends and the community. With the proceeds, the HFL purchased computers, scanners, and other equipment to start the library's first comprehensive digitization project. Stay tuned for more news! #huntingtonfreelibrary #libraries #eastbronx #thebronx #bronxhistory #collispotterhuntington