As we continue to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Bronx County and the 375th Anniversary of Jonas Broncks arrival as the first European settler, we continue our series of fun facts about our beloved borough.
1. Häagen-Dazs® was born in The Bronx in the early 1920s and was sold out of horse drawn wagons.
2. Real Estate tycoon Harry Helmsley was born in The Bronx in 1909 and went to Evander Childs HS. At one point in time, his company was one of the biggest property owners in the nation and even owned the Empire State Building. Unfortunately he fell to the dark side and was indicted for tax evasion along with his notoriously famous wife, Leona Helmsley. He is buried at the family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery.
3. The late Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, & Tony Winner Anne Bancroft was also born and raised in The Bronx. Born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano, Bancroft went to Columbus High School and a career that spanned over 50 years. She passed away in 2005.
4. The ‘Queen of Suspense’, author Mary Higgins Clark was also born and raised in the Bronx in 1927. The author has sold over 80 million copies of her books in the United States alone.
5. Sonia Manzano can tell you how to get to Sesame Street. Born in New Jersey but raised in the South Bronx, Manzano, known as Maria from Sesame Street to millions of kids has been a part of children’s lives since 1974 teaching us so much.
6. Known to millions as Olivia Pope from the hit show, ‘Scandal’, Kerry Washington was born in the Bronx in 1977 as well as raised in our borough. Oh and she she is also related to another famous Bronxite: Former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell is her cousin.
That’s all for now, make sure you check out our other facts if you haven’t done so already!
