Mitchel Square honors the memory of John Purroy Mitchel (1879-1918), the youngest mayor in the history of New York City, who was known for his uncompromising idealism and scrupulous honesty. Mitchel was born and raised in an Irish Catholic family in the Fordham section of the Bronx. His grandfather, John Mitchel, was a renowned writer and leader in the Irish independence movement. The younger Mitchel rose to prominence in 1906, just five years after his graduation from New York Law School, for leading the investigation of Manhattan Borough President John F. Ahern and Bronx Borough President Louis Haffen. Both of the Borough Presidents were ejected from their posts as a result of the investigation. The young politician’s reputation as a reformer garnered him the support of the anti-Tammany forces. In 1909, Mitchel was elected President of the Board of Alderman (an organization similar to the current City Council). Four years later, at the age of 34, Mitchel was elected M…
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