What is May Day?
Photo by A. Warner
By Staff
May 2, 2024: Yesterday was May 1st, also known as May Day.
May Day is a public holiday observed on May 1 in many countries around the world. May Day, sometimes called "International Workers Day, "commemorates the historical struggles of workers and the labor movement."
In the United States and Canada, Labor Day is the official US holiday in honor of workers. It is observed on the first Monday of September.
May Day also has earlier origins. According to NPR.org, before it became associated with the labor movement, May Day was a springtime tradition "celebrating the Earth's flowering season.....When the first Europeans came to North America and erected a maypole in Quincy, Mass., they imbibed copious amounts of beer and danced with the Indigenous people." Unfortunately, the Puritans "put an end to it by military force."
Nevertheless, according to NPR.org, "this tradition of May Day as a time of dancing and play and pleasure persisted right into many parts of the U.S. today."
According to Almanac.com, today you sometimes see the "maypole dance' celebrated as a fun spring activity in schools. Also, some people create "May Baskets" filled with flowers and give them as gifts.
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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