NEW ROCHELLE DOWNTOWN BID

HISTORY HOP

A Self-Guided Mobile Tour through 325 Years of Americana

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Evidence of nearly every stage of New Rochelle’s remarkable 325+ year heritage and American history can be experienced in the city’s downtown business district. The area that seems to physically radiate from the train station was actually settled nearly two centuries before the first train roared into town in 1848, making this downtown one of the country’s earliest.

But the period most reflected in the exceptional architecture and building materials is the era straddling the turn of the 20th century—from late 1890s to just beyond the Depression. That time period, and the most recent years that have brought a regained glory to many of the buildings, resonates all along Main Street, particularly in the great number of Art Deco details.

Built by immigrants, beginning with the 17th century French Huguenot settlers to newcomers of modern times, downtown New Rochelle brims with compelling stories. Hear the tales, see snapshots of the past, and soak up the delicious tidbits about New Rochelle’s fascinating path into the 21st Century.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE SIGN

Made possible by the Downtown Business Improvement District in conjunction with the City of New Rochelle and New Rochelle Public Library. Created by Barbara Davis, City Historian, with technical support from Sarah Papa and graphics by Susan Nagib. Images and audio clips are from the collection of the New Rochelle Public Library.