Credit: New York Public Library Digital Collections
New York, 1855. From the Latting Observatory looking south from 42nd St. towards the Battery. Foreground shows Distribution Reservoir of the Croton Aqueduct on 5th Avenue next to the Crystal Palace Exposition. At this time the city was growing rapidly. Site is now occupied by The New York Public Library and Bryant Park.
Credit: Jervis Public Library-Rome, NY
Mid 19th century watercolor rendering of the 5th Ave. façade of the Croton Distribution Reservoir, done for planning purposes, possibly by James Renwick, Jr.
Credit: Jervis Public Library, Rome, NY
Cutaway drawing showing interior contours of the 2 storage basins and dividing wall within the Croton Distribution Reservoir as well as the heavy exterior and interior stone walls of its perimeter.
Credit: Library of Congress
View showing masonry arch structures adding strength between exterior and interior walls of Distribution Reservoir. Center shows pipe vaults where water entered .
Credit: Jervis Public Library, Rome, NY
Alternate design plans for the cornice of the Distribution Reservoir. The original plan was square cut stonework. The plan was changed to have a more elaborate cornice in the “Egyptian” style at a cost of “say $10,000” as noted on drawing. It was a rare instance of spending more on an aqueduct component, rather than less.
A Sept. 1899 edition of Scientific American featured an article on the demolition of the Distribution Reservoir as well as a good description of its history and the growth of the city. It is shown here after it was emptied, soon to become the site of the New York Public Library on 42St. and 5th Ave.
Credit: H.N. Tiemann & Co. Collection – New York Historical Society
Demolition of the Distribution Reservoir, circa 1900, revealed the internal arched supports within its walls. View is on 42nd St. where water entered in buried pipes through the two larger arches to fill each of two basins separated by a dividing wall.
Credit: New York Public Library Digital Collections
The 42nd St. Distribution Reservoir circa 1890’s, clearly showing its “Egyptian” cornice and the accessible fenced promenade around the top of the walls from which viewers could see miles in all directions before the advent of buildings taller than five stories.
Credit: Library of Congress
An isometric birds eye view of the Distribution Reservoir as found in F.B. Tower’s 1843 book, Illustrations of the Croton Aqueduct. The reservoir was 420 feet long on each side with a maximum height of about 40 feet. The current New York Public Library building would have fit within its walls.
Credit: The Museum of the City of New York/ image# MNY5325
Circa 1850 view shows pedestrians on graded but as yet unpaved 5th Ave. near the Distribution Reservoir. Visitors can be seen on the accessible promenade above. The city would grow northward to surround the structure as the street grid filled in at a rapid pace.
This transcription of a letter excerpt is from the Manuscripts and Archives Collection of the New York Public Library
Credit: Library of Congress
A drawing by Theophilus Schramke, a Croton Project draftsman, from his book, Description of the New York Croton Aqueduct, showing a cross section of the interior construction of the influent gateway of the Distribution Reservoir, including hollow walls braced by masonry arches and heavy embankments of masonry lined clay on the interior perimeter of each basin.