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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, NOVEMBER 2 BTR 9-DECEMBER 5, 2019 71
BRONX SCENE
Harry Nimphius,
renowned veterinarian,
very much in demand
Dr. Harry F. Nimphius was perhaps
the most noted New York veterinarian
of his generation. He served
as a veterinary surgeon in World
War I achieving the rank of captain
in the Fifty-second Field Artillery.
Returning to the Bronx after the
war, he ran a veterinary hospital
and a horseshoeing operation at 534
Bergen Avenue while also serving
as a consultant to the Central Park
Zoo, the Ringling Brothers, Barnum
and Bailey Circus and even to Frank
Buck, the award-winning author,
fi lm producer, and animal collector.
He was very much in demand and
many were the animals he treated
over the years. They included every
creature from elephants to canaries
and even the famed sheep from Central
Park.
Most readers know that Sheep
Meadow in Central Park was once
home to a good-size fl ock of Dorset
horned sheep who grazed there from
at least 1869 and were housed with
their shepherd, Frank Hoey, in the
old Victorian structure that gained
fame when converted to the Tavern
on the Green in 1934 when Robert
Moses moved the sheep out to Prospect
Park, Brooklyn.
One day in early June of 1921, a
group of picnickers failed to clean
up after themselves leaving a variety
of debris which the sheep decided to
dine upon. It is unknown what remnants
of the luncheon were left behind
but it poisoned a good number
of the sheep and at least eight died.
Dr. Nimphius was called in and managed
to save the rest. It should be
noted that the sheep were valuable
in that the wool from each sheep sold
for about $50 per year and the ewes
could also be sold. The 15-acre site
is still called sheep meadow but now
you know why.
Dr. Nimphius was born in 1885
and died of a heart attack on September
26, 1944 at the age of 57. By that
time he had been devoting most of his
time to the Central Park Zoo where
he was named director fi ve years
earlier. Much earlier, circa1914, he
was a race horse owner and even
raced his own trotters with a certain
amount of success. Even when
one of his trotters, Doris B., crashed
and pulled him along for about a hundred
feet, he managed to hold on and
get another wagon and he actually
won the race. He certainly knew his
This photo may appear to be an odd choice for a column about the Bronx since it shows
Sheep Meadow in Central Park. The selection, however, was purposeful because I have a
story to tell that I hope you’ll enjoy and I should add that the 15-acre meadow is where some
of the plot takes place.
horses and what they were capable of
achieving to say nothing of his own
self-confi dence.
If the many animals he successfully
treated and cared for in life
knew of his death, I’m sure many
would have mourned his passing
along with his family and the many
friends he made in life. He also left
behind his wife, Anna, his son Harry,
a master sergeant in the Army and a
sister, Mrs. Tillie C. Kalbacher. He
was residing here in the Bronx at 761
East 163rd Street off Tinton Avenue
at the time of his death. He left a
great void, especially in the animal
world and was very much missed at
the Central Park Zoo.
TN tree lighting
Assemblyman Michael R. Benedetto
and Councilman Mark Gjonaj offi
cially kick off the holiday season in
Throggs Neck with a Christmas tree
lighting ceremony on Sunday, December
8, at 5:00 p.m. The ceremony will
take place at DeRosa and O’Boyle Triangle
at the intersection of Tremont
Avenue and Dewey Avenue.
The event will be highlighted by
a visit from Santa, who will be transported
from the North Pole to the ceremony.
The Throggs Neck Merchants
Association will join the assemblyman
and councilman at the festivities
and distribute toys to the fi rst 500 children.
Also adding to the enjoyment of the
festivities will be Sister Anne Kelly
and the St. Benedict Children’s Choir
who will sing Christmas carols and
lead spectators in a sing-along.
“This will be a delightful start to
the holiday season, and I want to thank
everyone who is working so hard to
make it a success: Sister Anne and
the St. Benedict’s Choir, the Throggs
Neck Merchants Association, the NYC
Parks Department and, of course,
Santa Claus. The entire community is
invited to attend, and I look forward to
seeing everyone,” said Benedetto.
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