For many around the world (and even in the United States), New York City is essentially synonymous with its central borough, the island of of Manhattan, which hogs much of the wealth, glamour, and attractions of this metropolis. And of course in recent years the borough of Brooklyn has also been winning a measure of reknown for its hipster, cultural, and dining scenes. But there are three other boroughs that have much to offer but are less well known, or known for the wrong reasons. The northernmost (and technically, the only one on the U.S. mainland) is the Bronx, founded in 1639 as part of the Dutch colony by settler Jonas Bronck.
Sadly, by the late 20th century, for various reasons including poor urban planning, much of the borough – particularly the South Bronx – decayed into a notorious icon of urban blight, poverty, and crime, and despite major revitalization in recent years, pockets of that blight remain. Nonetheless, these days the future looks brighter than it has in years, and there are some truly great attractions that merit grabbing the subway (Underground) uptown for a day or even two.
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