ROOTED HERE
Beyond the waterfront.
Stories that shaped the neighborhoods.
Hudson River light, hillside gardens and neighborhood kitchens. Explore Yonkers from the downtown waterfront to its independent shops and cultural places.
People made the city.
Yonkers is a city in Westchester County, New York, on the Hudson River north of New York City. It incorporated as a city in 1872. Downtown and the waterfront, Getty Square, Ludlow and the Nepperhan corridor are distinct local areas. Untermyer Gardens and the Hudson River Museum are separate destinations north of downtown. Metro-North’s Hudson Line and Bee-Line buses serve the city; check current schedules. Read the city historical account.
- Before incorporation
A Hudson River settlement
Yonkers grew on the east bank of the Hudson, where river access and transport helped shape settlement and commerce.
City comprehensive plan ↗ - 1872
A city government
Yonkers incorporated as a city in 1872, during a period of industrial and population growth.
City comprehensive plan ↗ - Industrial era
Work along the river
Manufacturing, rail connections and the Hudson waterfront helped shape the city’s neighborhoods and employment.
City comprehensive plan ↗ - Today
Gardens, museums and neighborhoods
Untermyer Gardens and the Hudson River Museum offer distinct ways to experience the city’s landscape and culture. Check their current visiting information.
Untermyer Gardens Conservancy ↗
See the history for yourself.
Explore the city’s heritage through a museum visit, historic sites and walks on public streets. Confirm visiting arrangements and access directly.City comprehensive plan.
For deeper research, the Yonkers Public Library is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.