Two historic properties have been singled out for recognition in the City of New Rochelle’s Heritage Awards Program. The awards will be presented on Saturday, June 11 at 2PM at the Ruby Dee Park at Library Green, followed by a launch of the “New Rochelle Downtown History Hop” self-guided Mobile Walking Tour.

This year’s Heritage Awards recipients are 170 Broadview Avenue, longtime home of internationally acclaimed author E.L. Doctorow; and the former Thanhouser Film Corporation Studio at 320 Main Street, one of the largest film complexes of the early 20th century. This is the sixth annual Heritage Award presentation since the program’s formation in 2007 by the Heritage Task Force committee, created by Mayor Noam Bramson. The committee, comprised of residents qualified in historic preservation, local history and landscape design, developed the Heritage Award program to recognize the scores of New Rochelle properties that are important to the community’s extraordinary history which spans over three centuries.

Immediately following the awards presentation will be the launch of the “New Rochelle Downtown History Hop” self-guided Mobile Walking Tour. Created by the Downtown Business Improvement District, in conjunction with the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Public Library, this unique tour uses technology supplied by “Guide by Cell” to explore our community’s extraordinary past. Blue signs mounted at thirty three downtown locations will invite participants to scan a specific QR code or enter a web address to access archival photos, audio clips, and further information.