CHAPTER XV 



FORDHAM MANOR 



THE manor of Fordham never constituted a township 

 by itself, having first been incorporated in the town- 

 ship of Westchester by the Act of 1788, and later, 

 within the township of West Farms when it was formed in 1846. 

 Still, for purposes of exploration, we may consider it as a sep- 

 arate entity ; though, as it lies so close to Kingsbridge, it is some- 

 times difficult to differentiate in describing the two. On the 

 Harlem River, Fordham extends as far south as Highbridge, 

 and on the Bronx, it lies between West Farms and Williams- 

 bridge. Within this area, there grew up a number of villages, 

 Fordham, South Fordham, Tremont, East Trcmont, Belmont, 

 South Belmont, Mount Hope, Mount Eden, Monterey, Ford- 

 ham Heights, Jerome Park, and Williamsbridge. The Harlem 

 Railroad traverses it to its northeast corner, and the Central 

 Railroad passes along its western boundary, the Harlem River. 

 Several trolley lines radiate from its different bridges. From 

 Kingsbridge, we may gain the top of the Fordham ridge by 

 means of the Boston Road, which passed through the manor 

 for the greater part of its length to Williamsbridge, or we may 

 take Bailey Avenue, running parallel to the railroad tracks, 

 and ascend to Sedgwick Avenue by means of the Highbridge 

 Road, or by means of Bailey Avenue itself to Fordham Cross- 

 road. 



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