Product Details

Intricately engraved antique bond certificate from the City of Yonkers, New York dating back to the 1890's. This document, which is signed by the Mayor and City Clerk, was printed by Geo. W. Sackett and measures approximately 11 1/2" (w) by 15" (h).

This certificate's vignette features Yonkers' Manor Hall.

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Historical Context

Yonkers is located in Westchester County, New York. It is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York, behind New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester.

Yonkers is known as the "City of Seven Hills" which includes Park Hill, Nodine Hill, Ridge Hill, Cross Hill, Locust Hill, Glen Hill, and Church Hill.

The land on which the city is built was once part of a 24,000-acre land grant called Colen Donck that ran from the current Manhattan-Bronx border at Marble Hill northwards for 12 miles, and from the Hudson River eastwards to the Bronx River. In July 1645, this area was granted to Adriaen van der Donck, the patroon of Colendonck. Van der Donck was known locally as the Jonkheer or Jonker (etymologically, "young gentleman," derivation of old Dutch jong (young) and heer ("lord"); in effect, "Esquire"), a word from which the name "Yonkers" is directly derived. Van der Donck built a saw mill near where the Nepperhan Creek met the Hudson; the Nepperhan is now also known as the Saw Mill River. Van der Donck was killed in the Peach War. His wife, Mary Doughty, was taken captive and ransomed later.

Near the site of van der Donck's mill is Philipse Manor Hall, a Colonial-era manor house which today serves as a museum and archive, offering many glimpses into life before the American Revolution. The original structure (later enlarged) was built around 1682 by Frederick Philipse and his wife Margaret Hardenbroeck. Frederick was a wealthy Dutchman who by the time of his death had amassed an enormous estate, which encompassed the entire modern City of Yonkers, as well as several other Hudson River towns. Philipse's great-grandson, Frederick Philipse III, was a prominent Loyalist during the American Revolution, who, because of his political leanings, was forced to flee to England. All the lands that belonged to the Philipse family were confiscated and sold.