Alexander's Alley: Park, Bronx, NYC

While the park bears the name of the Alexander family, its history is bound to Jordan L. Mott, the inventor who shaped the local landscape. In 1841, the creator of the coal-burning stove and various household fixtures purchased the land west of Third Avenue. He established an ironworks near the East River and developed the rest of the tract into a suburban neighborhood for industrial workers, carving out the community that still defines the area today.