Westchester Square

On my last day in NYC, I found myself traveling further uptown to Westchester Square.
My Metro Card still had some residual funds left on it, so what better way to use it up than taking my last train ride.

Westchester Square is another little shopping area in the center of Westchester, East Tremont and Lane Avenues.
Leaving the train station you come upon a nice little park known as the Owen F. Dolen Park which is the home of two interesting items.

 Owen F. Dolen Park

 In 1925, Owen F. Dolen, a well-respected educator in his community was asked to speak at a ceremony in the park to unveil a new monument dedicated to the neighbourhood soldiers who died in World war I. The park was then known as Westchester Square.
He had spearheaded the campaign to have the memorial monument placed at the square.
After a rousing 25 minute speech, he bowed to the crowd, sat down and died of a heart attack.
The park was renamed the Owen F. Dolen park in his memory.

The 15 foot  granite pylon honouring the Westchester residents who served in World War I.

The inscription on the memorial states thus: "To perpetuate in grateful remembrance the sacrifice, heroism and devotion of the men and women of the old town of Westchester who in the World War answered the call of their country that justice and righteousness should not perish." 
The inscription on the north and south sides states: "They died in the service of their country" followed by an alphabetical list of those who died in World War I.
The west side of the memorial lists the battles at which those being remembered lost their lives.
Read more here.

A beautiful green space in the middle of a busy town

An interesting sculpture also resides in the park.

The Seat

"The Seat" is a sculpture made by New York City artist David Saunders and erected in 1987.
This sculpture is a 4-foot high bronze chair, decorated with a laurel wreath and stars and stripes on the back.
Under the chair is an open dictionary with a page depicting "Common Birds of America."
It is mounted on a boulder engraved with wild  boars.

You may read more about The Seat here.

The stores were already filled with Halloween decorations.  I made the acquaintance of the chap below as I entered the pharmacy to purchase some of my daughter's favorite candy.

He tried to scare me as I walked by with a howl of laughter, but it didn't phase me at all....sorry old chap.

Miniature pumpkins and gourds in all shapes and sizes for Fall decor

It was getting late in the day, and I needed to finish off my packing.  Time to leave Westchester Square.

The train tracks and the station are above ground, and while waiting for the train back downtown, I had the opportunity to look around the town from up on high.
 I also found myself wondering about the train tracks and how much work must have gone into forging the pieces back in the olden days....what a feat.

Here it comes

A few stops later, I was entering my favourite West Indian Market.

A necessary stop to purchase the last of my items to travel home with me.
I then spent the evening laughing, talking, eating, watching tv, packing, weighing my suitcase, and generally gearing up for my trip back to Barbados.