Yorkville Sunset Along The River

Walking along the East River in Yorkville at sunset I thought of Nick Drake's River Man, and how the whole stretch from 59th to 78th Street was brimming with fishing, nautical, recreational and commercial activity 100 years ago. The land speculation triggered by the northward growth of the East Side subway opened a period of construction that filled nearly every wooded and vacant lot in Yorkville along with the destruction of most single family homes. Tenements flew up all over, Jones Wood gone.

I still feel the pirates scheming at the rocky cove at 72nd Street where it was rumored they stored their plundered bounty. Right on top of the rocks at 72nd Street George Plimpton ran the Paris Review in his apartment for many years, and Sinatra had a penthouse across the street.

Here are a few pictures and a link to 75 photographs of the sunset along the East River, and a story about Yorkville Bread Wars.


Our next City Stories: Stoops to Nuts storytelling show is Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at the Cornelia Street Café.

Our sensational line-up: Slash Coleman, Kurt Gertsmann, Dave Lester, Susan Neuffer, Sherryl Marshall and Thomas Pryor.

Admission is $7 and includes a free drink. I guarantee a good time.