The Bronx Journal/October-November 2001 A2 L O C A L

The Long and Winding Road Boston Road is a trail of history that’s unfortunately forgotten

NATALIE MCCREA Bronx Journal Staff Reporter

“I don’t know anything about Boston because it is too busy and there are too monthly from New York City to Boston and any resi- Road. All I know is that it is very busy,” many stoplights.” Stewart doesn’t like back. In 1673, it became the first road offi- says Rosemarie Davis, a 46 year-old nurse waiting at stoplights, especially when he is cially used to deliver mail in North dents who who drives along Boston Road. Davis com- going somewhere very important to him. America. Boston Road, once known as the mutes weekly to the Victory Seventh Day K i n g ’s Highway and the Great Road, live near Adventist Church, which is located off became one of the major routes used by Boston Road are igno- Boston Road on East GunHill Road. She “Boston Post Road” was individuals to get to and from New thinks that the road is a very convenient created in 1672 when England. rant of the history of way to travel through the Bronx. During the colonial period, Boston Post Boston Road passes through the Governor Lovelace of Road served as a link between Boston and the road and are B a y c h e s t e r, Olinville, Laconia and New York City. The road followed the Williamsbridge neighborhoods located in New York issued an order course of a well-defined path, once an shocked and proud to the northeastern section of the Bronx. The for a postal service to Indian trail that existed prior to European businesses on Boston Road, especially settlement. It ran from lower New York to learn that the road those off GunHill Road on up towards travel monthly from New Kingsbridge, across the northern Bronx and Baychester Avenue ranges from supermar- York City to Boston up into Westchester County. played a significant kets, to beauty salons, from shoe stores to The American colonial soldiers in the restaurants, from fruit and vegetable mar- and back Battle of New York used Boston Road as a role in the history of kets to ice-cream stores. means of retreat. Some residents travel along Boston Road In 1789, it was chosen for the inaugural the United States. without thinking about its history, or where “Boston Post Road” was created in 1672 the road got its name. Rassine Stewart, a 21 when Governor Lovelace of New Yo r k y e a r-old student says, “I don’t like it issued an order for a postal service to travel Continued on next page