The Bronx not in New York City?
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In reply to:
Looking for a building
Joan McAllister 6/24/06
As is the case for the majority of places in New York City that have other than a "New York, NY" mailing address, all places in the Bronx, regardless of their mailing address, are in New York City and have been so since January 1, 1896.
The Bronx County is the youngest county in New York State, being created in 1914.
The area that is today's Bronx County was originally part of Westchester County, one of the original 12 counties created in 1683 when the General Assembly of Freeholders reorganized the governmental structure in all of the province of New York into 12 counties, each of which was sub-divided into towns.(The original counties were Albany, Cornwall, Dukes, Dutchess, Kings, New York, Orange, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester.)
1873
The "western" Bronx (all or parts of the Town of Kingsbridge, the Town of West Farms and the Town/Village of Morrisania; or, in other words, the area west of the Bronx River and south of the City of Yonkers) annexed by the City and County of New York from Westchester County.This annexed area was initially called the "Northern Annex".
1895
The "eastern" Bronx (most of the Town of Westchester and portions of the Town of Eastchester and the Town of Pelham) annexed by the City and County of New York from Westchester County.
1896
City Island in the Town of Pelham annexed by the City and County of New York from Westchester County.
1898
The Borough of the Bronx is formed and, together with Borough of Manhattan, is coterminous with New York County following the consolidation of the City and County of New York, the City of Brooklyn/Kings County, Richmond County (Staten Island) and the western-quarter of Queens County (the City of Long Island City, the Towns of Newtown, Flushing and Jamaica and the Rockaway peninsula of the Town of Hempstead) are into the new New York City.
1914
The Bronx County separates from New York County.(Thus, for 16 years, from 1898 to 1914, New York City was made up of 5 boroughs, but only 4 counties.)
I'm including after my name a NYS Geographic Glossary with the NYS definitions of county, city, town, village, hamlet and postal zone.
I hope this information is useful or, at least, interesting.
Sincerely,
Walter Greenspan
Great Falls, MT & Jericho, NY
Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets and Postal Zones in New York State
New York State is divided into counties.
County
A county is a municipal corporation, a subdivision of the state, created to perform state functions; a "regional" government.All counties are divided into cities, towns and Indian reservations.
City
A city is a unique governmental entity with its own special charter.Cities are not sub-divided, except into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.
Town
A town is a municipal corporation and encompasses all territory within the state except that within cities or Indian reservations.Towns can be sub-divided into villages and hamlets.
Village
A village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns to provide themselves with municipal services.The pattern of village organization is similar to those of a city.A village is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.
Hamlet
A hamlet is an unincorporated area in one or more towns that is governed at-large by the town(s) it is in.A hamlet is divided into neighborhoods, which are informal geographic areas.
Postal Zone "City" and "Town"
A postal zone "City" and "Town" is an administrative district established by the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail.Postal zone "City" and "Town" may not (but are encouraged to) conform to municipal or community borders.Thus, postal zone location does not always determine city, village or hamlet location.
Please be aware:In many areas of New York State, the problem of non-conforming postal zones leads to a situation where the majority of places have a different community name in their mailing address than the community where that place is actually located.