Takings: A History of Land Disputes Along the Aqueduct

When the first Croton Aqueduct was built, the exercise of eminent domain disrupted many longstanding working farms and estates in Westchester, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Although local landowners were powerless to stop the project, they did win significant concessions, including tunnels, ramps, small route diversions, and even the glorious Highbridge.

In this special lecture, historian Keith Doherty will document how the aqueduct affected the local landscape and how property owners, in turn, shaped the OCA we know.