The Beautiful Bronx 1920-1950 — Ultan Photographic History

📸 The Beautiful Bronx (1920-1950) by Lloyd Ultan (1979, Arlington House Publishers) — A photographic history documenting 30 years of Bronx streetscapes, neighborhoods, parks, and daily life through over 200 archival photographs. Written in collaboration with The Bronx County Historical Society. This copy is from the 7th printing, with an unclipped dust jacket and clean, sharp photographs throughout.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Lloyd Ultan (associate professor of history, former president of The Bronx County Historical Society)
• Publisher: Arlington House Publishers, New York (distributed by Crown Publishers, Inc.)
• Year: 1979 (7th printing — number line 10 9 8 7)
• Format: Oversized hardcover, 11" × 9", in dust jacket (design by One Plus One Studio)
• Pages: ~270+ | ISBN: 0-517-54800-3
• Condition: Book VG+ / Dust Jacket VG — full report below

THE BOOK

Published in 1979, The Beautiful Bronx (1920-1950) captures the borough during a transformative era — from the Roaring Twenties through the postwar years. Lloyd Ultan, Bronx borough historian and founder of The Bronx County Historical Society Journal, assembled over two hundred black-and-white photographs documenting streetscapes, architectural landmarks, transit infrastructure, parks, public events, and everyday neighborhood life. The book’s 19 chapters are organized geographically, covering Bronx Park, Williamsbridge, Van Cortlandt, Mott Haven, Morrisania, Pelham, Riverdale, Wakefield, Throgs Neck, University Heights, The Concourse, Fordham, City Island, Soundview, Ferry Point, Morris Park, and Bedford Park, plus dedicated chapters on transportation, the Bronx Zoo, and Riverdale’s estates.

The Library of Congress cataloged the work under Bronx social life and customs and New York City description (LCCN 79-15011, Dewey 974.7’275’03), reflecting its value as a historical record rather than merely a picture book.

THIS EDITION

Arlington House Publishers was known for regional history titles in the 1970s. This copy carries the number line “10 9 8 7,” indicating the 7th printing — evidence of sustained demand. The jacket was designed by One Plus One Studio, with a bold black-and-cream layout featuring four archival photographs on the front cover. The dust jacket bears the original $18.95 price on the flap — unclipped.

PHOTOGRAPHS & CONTENT

The interior spreads feature full-page and two-page black-and-white photographs, each with descriptive captions and source credits (primarily The Bronx County Historical Society, New York City, and the Astor Sales Collection). Representative images include:

• White Plains Road at 241st Street (1947) — the elevated subway line’s terminus with trolleys and thriving shops
• The Quadrangle of Fort Schuyler at Throgs Neck (1934) — the historic stone fortification overlooking the East River and Long Island Sound
• The New York, Westchester & Boston Railroad headquarters on Morris Park Street (1930s) — Spanish colonial-style building with streetcar
• Morris Park Avenue between Mathews and Barnes Avenues (1922) — Texaco station and frame houses of the Morris Park neighborhood
• Clason Point Amusement Park pool “the Inkwell” and the Clason Point Ferry line (early 1920s)
• The Van Cortlandt Mansion and Dutch Gardens in full tulip bloom (May 1937)
• Parade ground behind the Mansion with a spirited soccer game (1937)
• The Bronx Zoo tractor-train (early 1940s), crowds on summer Sundays, and the children’s animal rides (10 cents at the booth)
• Schurz Avenue in Ferry Point (1948) — rowboats along the East River waterfront
• Tremont Avenue looking toward Parkchester under construction (1930)
• Dyre Avenue trolley near Boston Road (about 1930) — the short trolley pitch[ing] “forward and backward as if at sea”

WHY IT MATTERS

• One of the definitive photographic records of the Bronx during its most dynamic decades — documenting neighborhoods, streets, and landmarks many of which have since been altered or lost
• Authored by Lloyd Ultan, the “Bronx historian” whose scholarship with The Bronx County Historical Society established the foundation for borough-level historical documentation
• Photographs sourced from The Bronx County Historical Society archives and private collections (including the Saul Weber and Astor Sales Collections) — images rarely available outside specialized research
• Essential reference for NYC historians, genealogists, urban planners, and anyone tracing Bronx neighborhood history from the 1920s through 1950

FROM THE CHAPTERS

The book’s structure mirrors the Bronx’s geographic diversity — from the yacht clubs of Riverdale to the industrial waterfronts, from Fort Schuyler’s quadrangle to the borough’s transit network including the White Plains Road elevated line, trolley routes, and the Clason Point Ferry. Each chapter pairs historical narrative with contemporary photographs, offering context for the images that make this volume particularly valuable for researchers and collectors.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What printing is this? The 7th printing, indicated by the number line “10 9 8 7” on the copyright page.

How many photographs does it contain? Over 200 archival black-and-white photographs across approximately 270 pages.

Is the dust jacket original and intact? Yes — original jacket present and unclipped ($18.95 price intact), with minor edge wear and a horizontal spine crease.

What condition is it in? Book is Very Good+; dust jacket is Very Good — full condition report below.

FOR COLLECTORS

An unclipped copy of a 7th printing of a 1979 photographic history — increasingly desirable for NYC local history collections, Bronx genealogy research, and transit enthusiasts. Ultan’s authorship and the archival provenance of the photographs (Bronx County Historical Society) make this a well-sourced volume.

Book Details
* Author: Lloyd Ultan
* Illustrator: Illustrated with archival photographs
* Publisher: Arlington House Publishers
* Binding: Hardcover
* Edition Points: Copyright 1979. ISBN 0-517-54800-3. Includes number line (10 9 8 7). Dust jacket intact with original $18.95 price printed on flap.

Condition Report
* Overall Grade: Book: Very Good+ (VG+) / Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
* Cover & Spine: Two-tone beige cloth spine and dark paper-wrapped boards are clean with sharp corners, front board lower corner has a chip in the paper at the tip.. Minimal wear to spine ends. Some light surfaces rubs on boards.

* Dust Jacket: Original jacket present and unclipped ($18.95 price intact). Minor rubbing to the edges and corners with slight surface scuffing to dark areas. Horizontal crease across the spine “The” in the spine title.
* Text Block & Pages: Pages are clean and unmarked with sharp black-and-white photos. Cream paper throughout text block.
* Binding: Square and tight. No loose, torn or folded pages.

See accompanying images for full condition details.

Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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