Old Croton Aqueduct Trail

Built between 1837 and 1842, the Croton Aqueduct profoundly changed New York City by providing abundant clean water from the Croton River in northern Westchester County. Local wells, springs, and ponds had gradually become polluted from lack of sewers and the unchecked growth of industry. Investing in a new water supply became a priority after a devastating Cholera Epidemic in 1832 and the Great Fire of 1835. Designed by John B. Jervis, the aqueduct was one of the most ambitious public works projects ever undertaken in the United States and a magnificent example of 19th century engineering. The system used gravity alone to carry water through an enclosed masonry structure for 41 miles through varied terrain and over streams, roads, and rivers. Construction of the aqueduct allowed New York City to grow and prosper, and it remained in use until 1955, when it was taken out of service. As indoor plumbing became commonplace, water use increased, and this system became known as the old Croton Aqueduct when the New Croton Aqueduct was built in the late 1880s. Later, the water supply system was supplemented by the Catskill System in 1915 and the Delaware System in 1944. The section of the old Croton Aqueduct in the Bronx, and the High Bridge over the Harlem River, are National Historic Landmarks. In this area, the aqueduct carried water from Westchester County to Manhattan, jogging west of this location to avoid steep slopes. South of 151st Street, its route runs straight along Amsterdam Avenue on flatter and softer ground. Depending on the terrain, the aqueduct was level with the ground, set on embankments, tunneled under ground or rock, or carried over arched bridges, including High Bridge over the Harlem River, for which Highbridge Park is named.

New York, New York · United States