Travel uptown on a WWI-era subway to mark the 100th anniversary of Woodlawn station
Via NY Transit Museum
Before the Woodlawn station opened a century ago, the surrounding area of Norwood in the Bronx was mostly rural with lots of farmland. While residential development began with the opening of the Woodlawn Cemetery, the neighborhood’s transformation really took off when the subway was extended to reach this part of the city. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first train pulling into the northern terminal of the IRT Jerome Avenue Line, the New York Transit Museum is giving guests the chance to travel on World War I-era cars to relive this important part of subway history.
Photo of IRT Jerome Avenue Line via Wikimedia
Built in 1917, Woodlawn station was designed by the subway’s chief architect, Squire Vickers. Vickers covered the station with ornamental concrete due to its location at the intersection of a major boulevard. It connects passengers to either side of the streets and the interior features classic ceramic tiles.
Woodlawn station, named after Woodlawn Road but more known for its association to the cemetery with the same name, officially opened on April 15, 1918. The subway extension spurred development and turned the former rural area into a suburban enclave.
Photo courtesy of Woodlawn CemeteryÂ
During its Nostalgia Ride on Sunday, April 15, the museum will take guests uptown to Woodlawn via Lo-V subway cars, the same method in which 19th-century New Yorkers traveled. The event includes a three-hour tour of the historic Woodlawn Cemetry, a designated city landmark, to learn about the famous residents buried there. Plus, the tour details how the arrival of the subway changed the demographics of both the neighborhood and the cemetery.
Tickets are $50 for adults and $25 for children. Museum members pay $35 for adults and $20 for children. Find more information about the event and buy tickets here.
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