Hybrid talk - Keskeskick and the First Land Deals

Hybrid Talk:

Keskeskick and The First Land Deals: What do historical records reveal about local Lenape people and their dealings with colonists in the 17th and 18th centuries?

Thursday, November 20, 2025 6 PM (onsite and online)

People have been living in our part of The Bronx for thousands of years but the oldest records we have about the area are from the 17th century, less than 400 years ago. For this reason, historic documents only reveal a limited amount of information about the history of local indigenous people. But despite this limitation, documents from the colonial period are one of the only sources of Lenape names for people and places in the neighborhood. And they also provide insights into the relationship between the colonists and the Native population even if they were written exclusively from a European perspective. Taking another look at these early records, we see that some of the stories often repeated by local historians are in need of revision.

Join us at Van Cortlandt House Museum for a presentation by local historian, Nick Dembowski, who will show and discuss the earliest written records related to Kingsbridge, Riverdale, and Spuyten Duyvil.

The presentation will take place both in-person and on Zoom on November 20th at Van Cortlandt House Museum at 6:00 PM. 

Registration is NOT required to join us in person at the museum, but IS required to receive a Zoom link for the online presentation. 

To register for the ONLINE presentation, click here. 

Onsite Accessibility: This talk will be held with an audience in the basement educational space of the museum, which at this time can only be accessed using stairs. This is a hybrid talk and will also be broadcast live online. To register for the online presentation, click here.

Language: this talk will be delivered in English.

Getting here and parking:
Address for GPS: 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY

Van Cortlandt House Museum is located inside Van Cortlandt Park at Broadway and West 246th Street in The Bronx. There is a paved tree-lined pedestrian path leading from Broadway to the museum.

Public Transportation:

• Subway: #1 to 242nd Street Station, then walk north on Broadway to the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
• Bus: Bx9 to West 246th Street and Broadway, then walk into the park on the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
• BxM3 Express Bus to 246th Street and Broadway, then walk into the park on the tree-lined pedestrian path leading into the park.
• Metro-North Hudson River Line to Marble Hill Station, transfer to the Bx9 bus or #1 subway as above.
   

By Car:
You can park in Van Cortlandt Park's free parking lot, which is a 5 minute walk on park trails from the museum (GPS Link) or you can pay for metered street-parking on Broadway (GPS Link).

From Queens and Long Island:
Take the Tri-Boro Bridge to the Major Deegan Expressway North (87). Take the 230th St. Exit. Make a right at the top of the exit, followed by a quick left onto Bailey Avenue. Take Bailey Avenue to the end. Follow the Major Deegan North/VanCortlandt Golf Course signs. Bear to your left and go underneath the overpass. After the overpass take a sharp left into the public parking lot.

From Manhattan:
East Side: Take FDR Drive to Willis Avenue Bridge. Go over bridge and bear left for the Major Deegan Expressway North (87). Get off at the 230th Street Exit. Make a right at the top of the exit, followed by a quick left onto Bailey Avenue. Take Bailey Avenue to the end. Follow the Major Deegan North/Van Cortlandt Golf Course signs. Bear to your left and go underneath the overpass. After the overpass take a sharp left into the public parking lot.

West Side: Take West Side Highway North to Cross Bronx Expressway East.
Take Cross Bronx Expressway to Major Deegan North (87). Take the 230th St. Exit. Make a right at the top of the exit, followed by a quick left onto Bailey Avenue. Take Bailey Avenue to the end. Follow the Major Deegan North/Van Cortlandt Golf Course signs. Bear to your left and go underneath the overpass. After the overpass take a sharp left into the public parking lot.

From New Jersey:
Take the G.W. Bridge to Major Deegan Expressway North (87). Take the 230th St. Exit. Make a right at the top of the exit, followed by a quick left onto Bailey Avenue. Take Bailey Avenue to the end. Follow the Major Deegan North/Van Cortlandt Golf Course signs. Bear to your left and go underneath the overpass. After the overpass take a sharp left into the public parking lot.

From Westchester County & Points North:
Take 87 South to Van Cortlandt Park South Exit. At top of the exit, make a left. At next light, make another left and follow the signs to golf course, bear to your left and go underneath the overpass. After the overpass take a sharp left into the public parking lot.