What secrets does Clason Point hold? Clason Point whispers tales of ancient settlements and vibrant amusement parks. Clason Point, a peninsula in the East Bronx, is bordered by Lafayette Avenue, White Plains Road, the East River, and the Bronx River. Soundview Avenue, the main road through Clason Point, was once called Clason’s Point Road. It stretched from Harding Park to Soundview-Bruckner before the construction of the Bronx River Parkway.
Long before the city’s hustle and bustle, Clason Point was known as “Snakapins” or “Land By The Two Waters” by the Siwanoys. This Native American tribe had a large settlement here, with over seventy dwellings. In the early 1600s, European settlers arrived. Thomas Cornell established the first permanent European settlement, and the area became known as Cornell’s Neck. A series of conflicts, known as the Pig Wars, erupted between the Cornells and the Siwanoys, led by Chief Wampage. The Cornells were forced to flee but returned the following year.
Later, Clason Point took its current name from Isaac Clason, a Scottish merchant and landowner. The 19th century brought development and resort seekers. Clason Point became a destination for amusement and entertainment. The Clason Point Military Academy operated here from 1883 to 1927. Despite poor drainage, the area boasted numerous farmhouses. Its seaside location drew visitors to resorts, dance halls, and amusement parks. A ferry connected Clason Point to College Point, Queens. A popular saloon, Kane’s, featured Helen Kane, the singer who popularized the phrase “Boop-oop-a-doop.”
In the early 20th century, trolley cars traversed Clason Point Road. The area was a mix of mansions, farmland, undeveloped fields, and swampland. Ferryboats and steamers offered excursions to Manhattan and College Point. Fairyland Park, located in the Harding Park section of Clason Point, was a local favorite. It offered dance halls, roller coasters, picnic groves, baseball games, and a saltwater pool known as “The Inkwell.” The area was even dubbed “The Coney Island of the Bronx.” Tragedy struck in 1922 when a windstorm toppled the Ferris wheel, resulting in at least seven deaths.
The Great Depression and the construction of the IRT Pelham Line marked the decline of the resort era in the 1930s. People began to live in Clason Point year-round, converting bungalows for permanent residence. After World War II, Robert Moses proposed slum clearance and public housing, but the community resisted. The old amusement park became the Shorehaven Beach Club in 1949. Later, in 1986, an investment group including Sylvester Stallone purchased the club, and it eventually became the Shorehaven Condominiums.
Clason Point continued to evolve. Soundview Park underwent renovations, adding pedestrian access and recreational areas. Harding Park, in the 21st century, became known as Little Puerto Rico. Clason Point stands as a testament to its layered past, from Native American settlements to amusement parks and evolving residential areas. It reflects the changing tides of the Bronx, retaining its unique character amidst the urban landscape.