Focus: Education

Mario Medici is a new 26-Miler from Bergen County, NJ, a NJ hike leader, and frequent participant in our Walks & Tours. He kindly allowed us to reproduce his thoughts and lovely photographs for this blog entry.

The following are some random thoughts having just completed walking the 26-mile portion of the OCA.

As fellow hikers, my friend and I found no difficulty walking the entire distance in five outings averaging 5-6 miles per outing. More difficult, was determining where we would leave the second car and calculating the distance of our walk. One of the more humorous incidents was the day we walked past the second car and had to double back to find it. Picking up the OCA trail, at times, was challenging and added some unforeseen miles.

On our journey, we encountered a number of people who did not know of, or even hear of, the OCA, even those who live near the OCA. Living in Bergen County, NJ, even less people knew what I was talking about but nevertheless found it interesting as witnessed by their questions and desire to know more.

More interesting were the number of historic places and interesting sights along the OCA. Some that come to mind:

1. The reservoir and dam. Yes, the old dam is no longer there, as it it now submerged, but the new one is just as impressive.

2. Every mile or so the ventilators serve as sentries along the OCA

3. The weir holds its mysteries pending the reinstated tours.

4. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery – the final resting place of Washington Irving, Walter Chrysler, Andrew Carnegie, Civil War Memorial, Old Dutch Church and much, much more.

5. Views of the Hudson River and Palisades along with the fall colors can be breath taking…

6. My Ossining Favorites, the Double Arch Bridge and Sing Sing Correctional Facility

7. Philipse Manor built 1682 and the home to Frederick Philip owner of the western half of Westchester County before he fled to England.

8. Archville Bridge

9. The Keeper’s House built in 1857 and the only authentic keeper’s house that survived in its original location.

10. Captor’s Monument (Patriot’s Park) the place where the British spy, Major Andre, was captured. This place holds special significance for me as I live a few miles from where he was imprisoned (now a restaurant “The 76 House”), tried at the church across the street (church was since replaced with a newer church), and eventually executed (hung) a few blocks away.

11. The remains of Rockwood Hall at The Rockefeller Preserve built in 1849 and the home of William Rockefeller (John D.’s brother) and Lyndhurst make great stops along the way.

Remains of Rockwood Hall

photo by Steven Oakes

The Friends’ own Sara Kelsey is profiled in the NY State Park February 2021 newsletter! The following is reprinted with permission of State Parks.

For more information and to see the State Parks calendar of events, please go HERE.

“I was born in Michigan and raised in Seattle, with great opportunities to hike up mountains and along forest trails and spend time on the shores of the Great Lakes, Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. Both of my parents loved nature and got us out in it, as I have done with my three (now grown) children. My first job with a Park Department (in Seattle) was during high school when I was a counselor at an outdoor day camp in a park along the shore of Puget Sound for physically and mentally disabled children and their siblings. I still remember the great delight these children took in experiencing nature in this park setting.

At 73, I am a semi-retired bank regulatory attorney and professor. But when I was given the chance in 2008 to co-head Walks & Tours for the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, I jumped at the chance. This was despite the fact that at the time I was serving as the General Counsel of the FDIC during a financial crisis, dealing with failing banks, and only returning to NY from DC on occasional weekends. I believed and continue to believe that walks and tours along the 26 miles of the New York State Aqueduct State Historic Park and the 15 additional miles in New York City of the 41- mile long Aqueduct would be the best way to tell the story of the historic engineering feat, completed in five years in 1842, when fresh and wholesome water from Westchester County was provided to a thirsty New York City.

Walks & tours expose people to nature. The Aqueduct Trail, located over the Aqueduct, just 4-5 feet below, is a skinny dirt-covered, country trail through the woods and with Hudson River views. This sets the stage for adults and families to travel back in time to hear how John Jervis used his engineering skills and an immigrant work force from Ireland and African Americans from the Great Migration to solve a life-threatening lack of fresh water in New York City. The Trail wends its way through many towns and villages and residential backyards. It connects with State, County, City and Village parks. It provides the opportunity to forge partnerships with these parks and work with them to introduce their parks to Aqueduct travelers. Although the Aqueduct Trail is available to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk, tours provide guided access to sites of special interest, including the Weir in Ossining (which allows entry inside the Aqueduct) and visits to the Croton Dam in Cortlandt and the High Bridge in New York City. Other tours provide information about the construction of the Aqueduct and the history that was made along that portion of the Trail. Questions are asked and answered about how New York City’s multi-aqueduct water supply works today. I have enjoyed researching and telling these stories and I am very proud of our volunteer walk and tour leaders who are creating and leading tours of their own.

I have enjoyed participating in the many activities of the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, led for the last 20 years by Mavis Cain. The Friends work hand-in-hand on many Aqueduct projects with its Historic Site Manager, Steve Oakes, and NY State Parks, including: restoring the Keeper’s House in Dobbs Ferry and creating a Visitors Center with permanent and temporary exhibits and an office for the Historic Park Manager, staffed by volunteer docents; designing Westchester and New York City guides/maps of the Aqueduct trail; awarding 26- and 41-Miler certificates and patches for those (over 200 to-date) who have walked or run the Westchester portion or entire Aqueduct trail; clean-ups, vine cutting and invasive plant removal; and designing and installing wayfinding signs along the trail. Future projects include removal of graffiti from the iconic ventilators along the trail and restoring crumbling stone walls supporting the Aqueduct.”

Discover your next outdoor adventure with the NY State Parts Explorer App for info, updates and inspiration. Learn more about top destinations and stay connected to your favorite parks and historic sites.

Available for APPLE and ANDROID.

photo: Tom Tarnowsky

A Salute to the High Bridge on Fifth Anniversary of Its Re-opening

Time flies! June 9, 2015, was an unforgettable day for High Bridge and Croton Aqueduct fans. On that day five years ago a throng waited eagerly at the Manhattan end of the bridge for the signal to burst upon the gleaming, completely refurbished pedestrian bridge – the centerpiece of the original (“Old”) Croton Aqueduct. New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver presided over the joyous opening ceremonies.

Completed in 1848, the High Bridge is today the city’s oldest bridge and a city park. It carried pure, plentiful Croton water – the beginning of the city’s world-famed water supply – from the mainland to Manhattan Island at a time when New York City existed only at the south tip of the island. The water pipes are still there, beneath the deck where visitors stroll.

Long a popular destination for outings, the bridge was closed to the public in about 1970 and remained so for some 40 years. After a mainly city-financed, three-year restoration that included making it fully accessible, cleaning its multi-hued stonework for the first time ever, and revealing its masterful engineering, the 2015 festivities marked its return to public access.

What better way to escape pandemic-induced claustrophobia than to visit the High Bridge, learn its remarkable history from the beautifully designed bronze medallions set in the deck, and enjoy its airy views. The bridge is open daily from 7am to 8pm. It’s accessible from the Bronx side at W. 170th St. and University Ave., and from the Manhattan side at Edgecombe Ave. and W. 167th St., or from the lower Water Tower Terrace.

The High Bridge over the Harlem River; view southward. Credit: Gotham Parks XVX

One of the bronze medallions set in High Bridge walkway. Credit: S. Kelsey

The bridge and Harlem River Speedway, before the steel arch, c. 1902

Harlem River bridges. c. 1885

Above: Alligator relic

What is this world if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare”
– W H Davies

So many walkers have called or written to say how much they treasure the trail especially through this difficult time. Please take the time to look around you as you walk. A visual treasure is there!

Buttercups. “Do you like butter?”

Culvert in Sleepy Hollow section

Dancers in Blue

Mystery message in Sleepy Hollow section

Just north of Mercy College. Living art.

Old Estate Tree. Face or Elephant?

The stonewall story

Our newest member

Over several days during the holiday week of 2019-2020, I was inspired to achieve a goal that I have often thought about: walking the entire 41-mile length of the Old Croton Aqueduct historic trail. Although there are certain sections of the park that I frequently visit, large swaths were, up to this point, unknown to me. It was a real pleasure to finally get out and see what the rest of the Aqueduct trail has to offer! I was not disappointed by my discoveries!

Day 1: Bryant Park to Jerome Park Reservoir
I started my journey on Christmas Day. Planning to tackle the route from south to north, I headed down to Bryant Park on the subway from my home in Inwood (upper Manhattan). The streets of Midtown Manhattan were mercifully empty and I was able to catch a glimpse of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the giant menorah at Grand Army Plaza. I crossed Central Park at the height of the morning dog walker activity, which was delightful! Walking through the Upper West Side I was glad for all the notations on the Friends’ map of historical sites and points of interest that I had never taken notice of before. I continued through Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill passing through blocks of beautiful old townhouses that gave off an aura of bygone days. The High Bridge was the climax of the day’s journey– although I’ve crossed it many times already it always gives me a feeling of awe and gratitude that our organization and the City were able to restore this gem to serve as a public space once again. The “Aqueduct Walk” in the Bronx was surprisingly pleasant. I finished the day at the southern end of Jerome Park Reservoir, following Kingsbridge Road down the hill to return to my home.

Day 2: Jerome Park Reservoir to Tarrytown
On Saturday December 28th, I set out from home with the lofty goal of walking from 215th street in Upper Manhattan to Tarrytown. The Tappan Zee Bridge is a lovely backdrop to the views from Inwood Park, and being fond of long walks, I’ve been waiting to try hiking up to it, on one or the other side of the Hudson River. The 41-mile Aqueduct expedition provided the ideal opportunity!

The trail from Kingsbridge Road to Tibbetts Brook Park is familiar territory to me. I find the section in Van Cortlandt Park to be one of the nicest stretches of hiking path within New York City. North of Tibbetts Brook Park, though, was a new experience. The east-west transversal through Yonkers was a little depressing but after that, things rapidly improved. I was amazed by the views of the Palisades and the Hudson River that opened up through the bare tree branches. The villages and towns that I passed through were inviting, almost making me regret that I had a destination to reach, and could not explore the winding side streets.

I have been wanting to visit Untermyer Park for a long time, so when I finally reached the gate on the Aqueduct Trail, I knew I would sidetrack for a steep climb into its breathtaking gardens. The stone structures and artifacts were awe inspiring as was the view from the top of the hill! Wishing I could stay longer, I had a quick lunch under the trees and shouldered my pack. The Keeper’s House in Dobbs Ferry was well within my sights! Although it was not particularly planned, I was glad to finally have the chance to visit it following the progress of the restoration project. I spent about half an hour talking to the docent there and checking out the exhibit.  I thought the old architectural drawings were fascinating. They really brought to light the enormous effort, design and planning of the great Aqueduct beneath my feet. At the detour point around the NY State Thruway I took a premature turn and lost some ground. I decided to just follow Route 9 to the Tarrytown Metro North station and call it a day. The Tappan Zee bridge hovered over the river in the dusk like some other-worldly monument.

Day 3: Irvington to Ossining
Not wanting to “cheat” and skip any section of the trail, I opted to retrace my steps from Irvington to Tarrytown and continue on from there to Ossining for Day 3. I had rested for a couple of days since the previous leg of my walk – Day 2 covered almost 19 miles and left me utterly exhausted! The town was still sleeping when I disembarked from the Metro-North train and headed up Main Street to the OCA. This time I took the correct detour around the Thruway, making my way through Lyndhurst, Tarrytown, and Sleepy Hollow. I had been looking forward to checking out Rockefeller State Park Preserve; crossing into its boundaries felt almost surreal – I knew it was quite special. As I strode along I promised myself to return on another day, with the sole purpose of visiting the trails and roads that, for now, I had to leave unexplored in the interest of reaching my chosen destination.

The rustic landscape sparked my imagination and I tried to envision what things were like while the Aqueduct was being built.

Approaching the Village of Ossining from the south side was a new perspective. Tired but appreciative of the unfamiliar, I made my way down the steep sloping Main Street to the Metro-North station and headed home – one more day to go!

Day 4: New Croton Dam to Ossining
I opted to complete the final leg of my trek in mostly the opposite direction. I have done this particular section of the trail many times and it has been a favorite hike of mine for years. I begin in the town of Croton-on-Hudson, at the Metro-North Station, making my way through the quiet suburban streets to the beautiful Silver Lake Park. I always stop there for a few minutes at the small beach alongside the trail to listen to and admire the lively Croton River as it frolics and gushes among the rocks, stalling only briefly by the small dam to, perhaps, admire in turn the rustic frame wherein it has momentarily landed. I followed the well-traveled trail to the spur which leads down to the Quaker Bridge; there a steep but quick climb up Quaker Bridge Road brought me back to the Aqueduct. I enjoyed the feeling of remoteness on this section of the trail, walking the last miles to the end – to the beginning, really — of the OCA, to be rewarded with the grand view of the New Croton Reservoir and Dam. The assortment of hawks circling above the spillway was, and always is, impressive. I lingered in the area for some time, meditative in the winter landscape. After a while I returned to the Aqueduct trail and finished my mini-expedition with the familiar walk in Ossining. I had finally experienced the full length of the OCA, discovering a few more of its treasures and yet leaving many stones unturned for future exploration. Thanks to the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct for inspiring me to set this goal and accomplish it!

We regret to announce that the Old Croton Aqueduct Keepers House will be closed until further notice.  But don’t forget the Trail is always open! 

(Courtesy of our Friends at Teatown in Ossining)

With children staying home from school in the coming weeks, we wanted to share some family-friendly outdoor activities with our community as we practice social distancing:

1. Carefully roll over a log and look underneath. There is an entire world inside and under logs! Look for worms, beetles, ants, spiders, millipedes, and centipedes.

2. Nature scavenger hunt: Cut out shapes and colors and look for them in nature. For example, look for something red; try to find an object shaped like a circle, etc.

3. Bring toys like cars, trucks, dolls outdoors. Create an imaginary outdoor adventure for the characters. Scoop dirt, leaves, and seeds with trucks. Create ramps for the cars out of tree bark, rocks, and sticks.

4. Build an insect hotel using sticks, rocks, seeds, and leaves.

5. Find a small stream and make boats using leaves, and twigs. Float the boats down the stream.

6. Take an old egg carton and begin a rock collection. Put one rock in each slot.

7. Make nature soup: Gather sticks, rocks, leaves, etc. and stir them up in a bucket. Experiment with adding water or soil to the mixture to see how the “ingredients” change.

8. Make a shelter for an animal or fairy using sticks and mud.

9. Bird and squirrel count: Take a walk in the woods or in the neighborhood and count how many birds and squirrels you see.

10. Take a pad and pencil or crayons outside and draw what you see. It can be a tree, clouds, animals, or anything that looks interesting!

Photo by Janko Ferlič at Unsplash

Visitors to the Keeper’s House in Dobbs Ferry often provide stories as intriguing as the house itself. Here’s a few; providing a big reward for those of us who work as docents there.

Echoes of Downton Abbey

My first story will remind you of “Downton Abbey”: At four o’clock one winter afternoon, I was about to close up when a lone visitor arrived. When I learned that he had come all the way from Astoria, Queens, of course I said, “I’ll stay open for you.” And when I heard his German accent, I couldn’t resist a chat to practice my own German. I asked, “Was ist Ihr Beruf?”(What is your profession?). He answered, “Ich bin Haushalt Meiste.” I didn’t understand, so he helped me out: “Butler to you.” I asked,“You mean like Carson in ‘Downton Abbey’?” “Yes.”  
His name is Niklaus. He is now as far as I know, the only butler on our membership list.

The Bearded Santa Claus
In early December, a walker arrived who looked as if he was out of a story for children. He had a long straggly beard, carried a walking stick, backpack and was wearing sturdy boots and a heavy, well-worn jacket. He deposited himself on a chair, saying he needed a rest. Then to my astonishment he pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills saying, “I need some maps.” He needed $200 worth of maps! — “to give as Christmas presents.”   

“You must be Santa Claus!” I said. He answered, “I can’t be because I’m Jewish” — then handed me another hundred-dollar bill as a donation.    

I learned that he is a mathematician who, as he put it, “haunts the halls of MIT.”

How Many Walkers Come from Iceland?
So far only two. Recently, an attractive young couple arrived at the House and were fascinated by our story. Of course, I had to get their story. They were doing a short assignment of stem-cell research at Sloan Kettering. But how did they find the Keeper’s House?

The answer was interesting: “If you are Scandinavian, or European of any kind, you love to walk. And so you Google “Interesting walks.” And guess what? The Aqueduct pops up. Their explanation made sense, no wonder we get so many European tourists.

The Best Dressed Bikers in the World
 In the middle of one afternoon, a couple walked in the door and looked as if they’d stepped out of “Gentleman’s Quarterly” for international bikers. 

“I can tell you two are serious bikers,” I said. “You have the correct gloves, the correct shoes and gaiters, and matching vests and helmets.” Their story was a travelogue. Recently retired from the medical world in Bremen, Germany. They had flown, with their fancy bikes, to Toronto to bike the Lake Shore and then the Erie Canal. Someone on the Erie Canal route had recommended visiting the Keeper’s House on the Aqueduct. That’s a hop, skip and a jump!

While his wife was in the bathroom, the man said to another visitor (from Quebec, as it happens), “Don’t tell my wife, but I’m planning a tour of the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec next year.”

We’ll see.

The Trespassers of Decades Ago
Local teenagers had possessed the Keeper’s House long before we did. We called them our happy trespassers. When we started restoring the broken-down house, we were thrilled to discover, written on the wall of an upstairs room, “The Explorers’ Club”. There followed a list of rather childishly written names of neighborhood kids who had hung out in the abandoned house, perhaps climbing in through a cellar window. We took a photograph of the names on the wall before we painted over it. It was as much their house then, as it is ours now. I discovered, with a bit of sleuthing, that one of the “explorers” is still in the neighborhood. I asked if we could take a photo of her and her cousins — fellow “explorers”. She declined. She did not want to be labeled a trespasser.  But she understood our pleasure at finding the list before we painted the walls.

And Finally, the “Lazy Walkers”
One quiet afternoon, a group of 30 walkers straggled into the House.  A diverse group, of various ages, they obviously needed a rest, having walked almost all the way to Dobbs Ferry from Manhattan. I asked if they were a special group, and they said, “We call ourselves “The Lazy Walkers.” And to think they walked all the way from Manhattan. They said the name gives them permission to dawdle. But they left the house at a gallop.……..
 
I encourage every reader of this column to pay a visit to the Keeper’s House and leave a story behind.
 

If you’d  like to be a docent, call Mavis at 914 693 0529

As history would have it, some designers are broadly associated with their works, like Frederick Law Olmsted with Central Park or John B. Jervis with the Old Croton Aqueduct. John James Robertson Croes was not one of those, yet many of us live in a more beautiful environment because of his talents.

Croes was born in 1834 in Richmond, Virginia, son of a clergyman and grandson of a Revolutionary War veteran. He attended the College of St James in Hagerstown, Maryland, and studied civil engineering, graduating in 1853.

In 1860, Alfred W. Craven, Chief Engineer of the Croton Aqueduct, made Croes Principal Assistant to General George S. Greene for the design of the New Central Park Reservoir, the installation of the large pipe on the High Bridge, and other parts of the Croton Waterworks Extension. When General Greene joined the Union Army in the Civil War, Croes took over those projects.

In 1866, Croes worked on the first project of an ambitious plan of Craven’s to build a series of dams and storage reservoirs along the Croton River in northern Westchester and Putnam Counties. He assisted with the design of the Boyd’s Corners Dam, a pioneering high masonry dam. Soon Craven retired and General Greene took his place as chief engineer. Croes took over construction of the dam until it was nearly complete in 1870, the year the Tweed gang took over the Croton Aqueduct Department, incorporating it into the infamous Department of Public Works. Croes’s and Greene’s integrity made them incompatible with the Tweed gang, and they were pushed out.

Croes presented a paper to the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1872, entitled “Memoir of the Construction of a Masonry Dam,” which described the construction, including the sleazy shortcuts of the Department of Public Works. The society was so impressed by his whistleblowing candor that he was awarded a gold medal, and the society decided to make it annual and name it for him. Today’s engineers know the Croes Medal, but probably know little about its namesake.

In 1874, New York City annexed a portion of South Yonkers, which became the 23rd and 24th Wards, in what would later be the west Bronx. The Department of Public Parks appointed Croes as Civil and Topographical Engineer and Olmsted as Landscape Architect to design roads and parks for the area. By 1877, their drawings were adopted by the city.

Olmsted was propelled by his recent success at Central Park. Still, the city plan for the 23rd and 24th Wards collided with local interests, foundered, and finally was remembered mainly for muddy, unfinished roads. Croes and Olmsted complained in correspondence to each other about their “political masters,” and before long, Olmsted fled to Brookline, Massachusetts. Portions of the Olmsted and Croes city plan can be seen in the current roads of the Kingsbridge Heights, Fieldston, and Riverdale sections of the Bronx.

Croes was also one of the first Palisades Interstate Park Commissioners, and he advised and assisted tirelessly in the creation of the park. He also worked on the design of roads and parks in northern Manhattan. During the final years of his life he was a professor at Princeton University. When he died, in 1906, he was a leading civil engineer.

Croes did not produce one particular work that gave him lasting fame, but he was a brilliant, cultured engineer who contributed to the beauty of roads, parks, and civil engineering works that we admire on a daily basis. When you look across the Hudson River at the Palisades; or explore the beautiful roadscapes of Riverdale, Fieldston, and northern Manhattan; or admire the beauty of the Central Park Reservoir and High Bridge, remember that without the work of J. James R. Croes, it would all be different.

Read more at Riverjournalonline.

If you want to delve further into the history of the Old Croton Aqueduct, which lies just below the trail that winds through these river towns, head to a new exhibit that opened recently at the Keeper’s House Visitor Center on the trail in Dobbs Ferry.

The show features a trove of reproduced drawings not seen by the public in over 175 years. Focusing on important components of the original Croton system, it expands on a prior exhibit, “The Tunnel: A Passage Through History.” Early architectural drawings and renderings produced by draftsmen in the 1830’s are augmented by maps, illustrations, and current photos. These drawings have only recently been digitized, especially those from the Jervis Public Library in Rome, N.Y. The library houses the personal papers of the Chief Engineer, John B. Jervis, the man most responsible for making the Aqueduct a reality.

The displays, mounted on large Plexiglas panels in one room, divide the show into six parts: the original Croton Dam (now submerged), the Ossining Arched Bridge, the High Bridge, the Receiving Reservoir (beneath the site of Central Park’s Great Lawn), the Distributing Reservoir (replaced in the early 1900’s by the 42nd Street library), and a double panel featuring a miscellany of important construction elements. Three prominent items are a large reproduction of an 1851 map of Manhattan and two mid-19th-century bird’s-eye-view illustrations. A small digital frame on one table runs a series of mostly text blocks taken from contemporaneous reports, letters, and an 1855 diary of a nine-year-old girl named Catherine Elizabeth Havens. The diary describes her impressions of the Aqueduct at the High Bridge as well as stories from her family of the bygone days when Aaron Burr’s Manhattan Water Company provided the city with brackish water.

A letter from a Croton engineer, Fayette Bartholomew Tower (acquired courtesy of the Manuscripts and Archives Collection of the New York Public Library), describes, in gushing terms, watching water gush into the Receiving Reservoir for the first time on July 4, 1842:

“At an hour when the morning guns had aroused but few from their dreamy slumbers, and ere yet the rays of the sun had gilded the city domes, I stood upon the topmost wall of this reservoir and saw the first gush of the waters as they entered the bottom and wandered about as if each particle had consciousness and would choose for itself a resting place in this palace towards which it had made a pilgrimage.”

One purpose of the show is to demonstrate just how vital the Aqueduct, by providing desperately needed water, was in enabling New York City to grow so rapidly. In a mere 30 years after the water started flowing in 1842, the city surged northward, past the original reservoir on 42nd Street, up to the 90’s and beyond. And the population soared from 300,000 to one million, in part because of the availability of “pure and wholesome” water.

The result of this explosive growth was that within three decades that first Aqueduct simply couldn’t keep up. By 1890 a new aqueduct was built, capable of delivering three times the water. The Empire City soon outgrew the New Croton Aqueduct (which is still in service), with two more conduits built in the 20th century to bring water from west of the Hudson. But that is for another show.

You can see the show on weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. through the spring. And for maps, tours, walks, and more, go to aqueduct.org.

Read more at Riverjournalonline

Because the Old Croton Aqueduct was powered by gravity alone, the Aqueduct and the trail above it do not follow a straight line. Instead, to maintain the average 13.25-inches–per–mile downward slope of the tunnel on its journey from the Croton Reservoir, its path follows the ridges formed by ancient glaciers. Armed by the early and forceful exercise of eminent domain, New York City constructed its tunnel through public and private property in a single-minded quest to meet citizens’ urgent need for clean, abundant water.

The trail’s winding journey provides an unparalleled opportunity to explore not only the engineering feats of the Aqueduct, built in just five years from 1837 to 1842, but also the natural beauty and multilayered history of the Hudson River Valley and New York City.

Walks and tours along the Aqueduct feature many such discoveries. One walk follows the route of Tibbetts Brook, from its beginnings in H.F. Redmond Junior Park in Yonkers, named after a post-World War II Yonkers patriot. Tibbetts Brook was originally referred to as Mosholu by the Lenape Native Americans. The brook’s current name is an altered version of the name of a 17th century British settler of the land, George Tippett.

There are several points of access to Tibbetts Brook Park from South County Trailway, which runs north to south on the western side of the park. Redmond park provides easy access to South County Trailway, on the route of the old Putnam Railway, affectionately known as the “Old Put.” The park provides free parking near the access point to the rail trail. As you travel south on that trail, you can see a structure of the New Croton Aqueduct to the east.

In 1927, Westchester County opened Tibbetts Brook Park on land confiscated from the Tippett estate following the American Revolution. The county cleared the land and restored the purity of Tibbetts Brook, which had become polluted by a dump to the north. Within the park there is a varied network of trails. Crossing the northern section on one of these trails, you can connect with the Old Croton Aqueduct trailway, which runs through the park on its eastern side.

Here at Tibbetts Brook Park’s northeast corner, the Old Croton Aqueduct runs through the park, with the New Croton Aqueduct just to the east. Several old New York City waterworks structures can be seen along the trail. Nearby is one of the Aqueduct’s tall cylindrical stone ventilators, which originally served to freshen the water in the tunnel. Another ventilator can be seen on the trail just after it emerges from the park’s southern border.

You can reach Van Cortlandt Park to the south via either the Aqueduct trail or the rail trail. But do not do so before exploring the trails within Tibbetts Brook Park on the shores of two lakes, lined by trees and wildflowers, bisected by a waterfall and a wood–and–stone footbridge. You will discover a great variety of birds and other wildlife. North of the lakes, there is an elaborate water park, attracting families like a magnet but leaving Tibbetts Brook and the lakes in relative isolation.

Tibbetts Brook continues south to Van Cortlandt Park, where it crosses America’s oldest public golf course and forms Van Cortlandt Lake, before it disappears somewhat ignominiously into a large sewer at the lake’s southwestern corner. There are proposals to daylight Tibbetts Brook so that its fresh water can flow into the Harlem River.

Read more at Riverjournalonline

Middle School 15 is 2 blocks from Aqueduct Avenue in The Bronx. Teachers Shawanda Weems, along with co-teacher Mr. Mozoub, discovered The Friends Of The Old Croton Aqueduct 4 years ago; ever since they’ve brought their summer class to Washington Heights.

This year her kids crossed the High Bridge to learn the history of the rooftop water towers, and the Old Croton Aqueduct. They stepped on Rucker Park’s basketball court, toured Morris Jumel Mansion and Sugar Hill Museum Of Art & Storytelling, and paid respects at Mayor Ed Koch’s and John J Audubon’s graves.

Inside Precinct 33 a police detective and sergeant always answer questions. Ms. Weems, who was born at Rangel Houses on Harlem River Drive, also makes sure her students walk by nearby Polo Grounds, to hear the story of NY baseball.

Guide Lesley Walter loves taking Ms Shawanda’s class around…even if the tour starts at 8am. Those kids are always curious about what they see! And they love a bacon picnic inside Highbridge Park— which is what an 8am meetup deserves!

On July 13, excited neighbors, youth groups, “parkies,” and city and state officials attended a groundbreaking for the NYC Parks Department’s $10 million project to renovate Adventure and Sunken playgrounds in Manhattan’s Highbridge Park. Adventure Playground is where the paved path to the Manhattan end of the High Bridge begins; adjacent Sunken Playground provides ADA-compatible access to that path.

New York Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver presided at the event, consisting of speeches and symbolic shoveling; Borough President Gale Brewer was among the speakers. Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct were represented by Board members Lesley Walter and Charlotte Fahn. Sharing the spotlight was Lesley’s remarkable, one-of-a kind Aqueduct hat, greeted by calls of “look at that!”  (See photos.)

High Bridge fans will be happy to know improvements will include a public restroom (!) and lighting for the bridge access path, as well as a soccer field and other amenities (learn more at https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/8749). The two playgrounds are at Edgecombe Ave. between W. 163^rd and 166^th Streets.

Photo: Suzy Allman

As co-head of Walks & Tours for the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct and a docent at the Keeper’s House Visitor Center in Dobbs Ferry, I am frequently asked the same question: What would be a good walk or tour along the 26-mile trail that runs through these Rivertowns (the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park)? Or perhaps along the 15-mile New York City route, which ends at the main New York Public Library (former site of the Murray Hill Distributing Reservoir)?

I answer with a question: What is it about the Aqueduct that most interests you? Is it Westchester or New York City history? Engineering innovation? Water as a resource? Adventurous rambles? Parks, gardens, and nature preserves? Historic houses, mansions, and museums? Birds, botany, and beauty? Sweeping views of the Hudson? Walking or running to earn a 26- or 41-Miler Patch and Certificate? Or just enjoying off-street walking, running, or bicycling in nature in your backyard or beyond?

The Aqueduct offers an answer to all of these interests. You could, of course, visit the Keeper’s House on a Saturday or Sunday between 1 and 4 pm and ask questions of the docents, and view the exhibits, short films, and interactive trail map. Or, if you live on or near the trail, just get out there! You could begin with a $5 map of the Westchester and/or the New York City sections published by the Friends. Not just maps, they are guides to your experience on the trail, each including a full-color map, which points out major Aqueduct structures and places of note along the way and helps you navigate tricky sections. On the reverse side is a brief history of the Aqueduct and short descriptions of some 50 nearby natural, cultural, and historic sites. The maps may be purchased at the Keeper’s House, on our website (aqueduct.org), on a walk or tour conducted by the Friends, or at one of the locations listed on the website (click on Planning a Visit/Maps and Access). Or you could begin with the website. A current list is available (Walks & Tours & Events/downloadable current schedule or /calendar). Of course, there are the favorite tours: the scenic 200-foot-high Croton Dam at the trailhead; the Weir in Ossining, where a tour will lead you down into the original 1842 Aqueduct tunnel, through which fresh water flowed to a thirsty New York City; and the High Bridge, which was built to carry the Aqueduct over the Harlem River into Manhattan. But there are so many other things to see and do along the Aqueduct! Self-guided walks (with text and pictures) may be found under Plan a Visit. You can browse the website’s calendar feature to come up with many ideas of walks to do on your own. The calendar goes back to 2014, listing a great variety of walks. If you click on an interesting one, you will reach a description of it, along with mileage and tips on how to get there. With map in hand, you can do these walks yourself or with family or friends. A tip: the Hudson Line parallels much of the trail, so trains can be used as a quick way to get back to your starting point. A journey along the Old Croton Aqueduct, for whatever reason, can be enjoyed in all seasons. 2 Comments

Read more at Riverjournalonline

On this joint walk with the Lenoir Nature Preserve’s Curator, Sara Cavanaugh, along the Old Croton Aqueduct met at the Lenoir Nature Preserve, 19 Dudley St., Yonkers, and enjoyed an easy 6-mile loop walk along the Aqueduct Trail, with time spent in the Preserve and on the Trail, exploring history and nature. Observations of participants: “We had no idea of the many sights along the Aqueduct trail!” “The Lenoir Nature Preserve provides great bird and butterfly watching and the trails within the Nature Preserve are beautiful” “The Quarry Park trail under the Aqueduct is amazing!” “the film clips at the Keeper’s House gave me a deep understanding for the first time about the Aqueduct and what it did for NYC!” Much thanks to Lenoir and Sara Cavanaugh, photos courtesy of Lenoir Preserve

photos: Diane Alden

6+ hours, 200+ visitors. Some amazing highlights:  many participants were local Ossining residents who had never been in the weir and did not even know its purpose. Sometimes they did not even know about the Old Croton Aqueduct.  A number of them were Spanish speaking-only.  Learning that the Old Croton Aqueduct (as well as successive aqueducts in the NYC system) was built by immigrant labor really resonated with them.  We had several Spanish speakers assisting throughout the event — Jean, Diane and Michael — who were a great help in attracting these people into the weir tours and communicating the story of the Aqueduct to them.  Jean Horkans prepared a handout in Spanish that also was very helpful in communicating with visitors and passers-by who only spoke Spanish and were very happy to be able to learn the story of the Old Croton Aqueduct and the mysterious weir structure in their midst. Visitors included: people hiking and biking though the Aqueduct trail (including a large meet-up group); locals attracted by the Fair (including families with young children and babes in arms); and people from Westchester, NYC, NJ and CT, who has seen the tour on our website and in local media.

Thanks to all of our violunteers who helped make this event a success!

Everyone has favorite spots on the Aqueduct trail, like Irvington’s Octagon House, or near the dam, or over Ossining’s Double Arch Bridge. But to a true wanderer, the Ossining section offers real variety. Take the Sing Sing Kill Greenway, a charming dash of watery nature right downtown. It’s a good reason to explore Ossining on foot, via the main Aqueduct trail and connecting links like the Greenway. Startling echoes of old aqueduct lives linger nearby. Native American oysterers, the newly freed, bygone gentry, and rowdy immigrants all jostle for attention as you explore old Sing Sing (the name changed to Ossining in 1901). And the convenient north-south axis lets you look around without getting lost. 

Read more at Riverjournalonline

From the River Journal Blog

Let’s look this time at the tunnel half of the equation. After all, if there were no tunnel, there’d be no trail. But first it should be noted that the Old Croton Aqueduct, for much of its length, is basically “cut and cover” construction. No sweaty sandhogs bored tunnels hundreds of feet underground, as with the New Croton Aqueduct. No, when you walk or bike the Aqueduct trail today, the stone and brick conduit is just underfoot.  

Read more HERE

From the River Journal Blog

You might not realize it, but the trail that slices through many of these river towns sits atop a rich vein of history. Just below the surface lies the Old Croton Aqueduct, one of the engineering marvels of the 19th century. It’s no exaggeration to say that New York City’s explosive growth would have been impossible without this gravity-fed tunnel, completed in 1842. Before the Aqueduct, water in the city was so scarce and foul that cholera raged, fires burned unchecked, and the safest quaff was beer. All that changed when fresh water started flowing through a 41-mile brick-lined masonry tunnel from the Croton Dam to a reservoir on 42d Street (now the site of the main city library).  

READ MORE HERE in the RIVER JOURNAL

Hardy Aqueduct walkers and nature lovers gathered at the Keeper’s House Visitor Center on a chill and rainy January 5 to meet Sara Cavanaugh, the new curator at Westchester County’s Lenoir Preserve in northwest Yonkers, just south of the Hastings border and directly accessible from the Aqueduct (Facebook page@LenoirPreserve).  

This serene, 40-acre green space, formerly home to two estates, features terraced lawns, walking paths, a nature center, butterfly garden, and big views of the Hudson and Palisades. Sara, a credentialed and experienced environmental educator, outlined Lenoir’s history and her plans for a variety of programs, including a family-friendly maple sap-tapping session and a children’s summer camp. Lenoir is also home to the Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester (www.hras.org).

The audience learned from Sara that the uncommon Lincoln sparrow had been spotted at Lenoir just that morning. Plan a visit!

The opening reception for the The Tunnel: A Passage Through History at the Keeper’s House was a huge success, notwithstanding a little rain!   If you weren’t able to be there, do come by to see the show in the weeks ahead – the KH will be open over the holidays and the exhibit will be up through the winter. Both are a great destination for visiting friends and family members and Friends alike.

Many thanks again to all who made the show and the opening possible, including the FOCA board, loyal volunteers, and particularly, exhibit designer L. Brandon Krall.   Brandon’s creativity was responsible for transforming the individual images into a fascinating exhibit that demonstrates how the engineering behind the aqueduct evolved between concept and construction, and how some of those early designs are in use to this day.

Thank you for your support of FOCA. and we hope to see you at the Keeper’s House soon!

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct present an important new exhibit at the Keeper’s House. 

THE TUNNEL: A PASSAGE THROUGH HISTORY

It answers  the question, “ How did the engineering miracle of the Aqueduct actually happen 175 years ago?”

Early engineering drawings and plans and how they evolved  will be highlighted and explained by Architect/engineer, Robert Kornfeld at  the opening reception on December 16, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.

The event and the exhibit is of particular interest to those who know the importance  of STEM ( science, technology, engineering and math ) in our schools.

But all who love the Aqueduct and are proud to have a National Historic Landtmark in the neighborhood will be intrigued with the personalities and credentials of the brilliant people who made it happen. 

Contact for information:   Mavis Cain.  914 693 0529.

On Sunday afternoon, June 3rd, Cornelia Cotton, long time member of the Friends shared with a standing room only audience her own perspective of the story of the Old Croton Aqueduct.  

Cornelia grew up in Germany in a family of artists and musicians.  Her father, a violinist, played in a string quartet with the great painter, Paul Klee, an excellent musician.  When Cornelia immigrated to the U.S., she brought her love of the arts with her, which she shared with her husband, Bill Cotton.  After the couple settled in Croton, they raised three daughters and built their house, which they designed themselves and built with their own hands.  

When Cornelia opened her gallery in Croton, she hoped to combine her love of history and art in her shows.  After discovering the Old Croton Aqueduct, she began to collect and exhibit old prints, maps, and other material of the OCA.  She became enthusiastic about the engineering genius of this 19th century marvel as well of the beauty and dignity of its design.  It has become a favorite subject of research and of her talks to historical groups in Westchester.

The audience on Sunday loved her warm delivery and came away with a new understanding of why so many river town residents love the Old Croton Aqueduct.

Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct stalwarts Mavis Cain, Eddie Jabbour, Michael Ambrozek and Angelica Campoverde braved a chill, drizzly day to represent the Friends at the May 12 “Highbridge Rocks Community Festival” in Manhattan’s Highbridge Park, organized by NYC Parks & Recreation. Our contingent took turns introducing local residents to the Aqueduct story at the Friends’ table or leading walks on the High Bridge and the area near the fabled Coogan’s Bluff. Many local residents were totally unaware of the Aqueduct trail and its link with the bridge. The park’s geology was a feature of the event, which launched bouldering as one of the park’s activities.

One of the most satisfying aspects of the event was forming a new friendship with two of the New York City Park Rangers who were on duty: Jill Lim and Yvonne So. Both are eager to visit part of the Aqueduct trail in Westchester and to go inside the Aqueduct itself in Ossining. We look forward to solidifying the link between all parts of the Aqueduct from the Croton Dam right down to 42nd street. -Charlotte Fahn and Mavis Cain

Before a packed crowd at the Friends’ annual meeting on April 29, Adam Bosch, a spokesman for the New York City DEP and a natural storyteller, gave a fascinating overview of the city’s water supply, with an up-close look at a huge repair project now underway: tunneling, yet again, under the Hudson to create a bypass so that a leaky tunnel can be closed off. His vivid presentation offered many memorable images, especially of the giant space-age machines boring that tunnel.

With the completion of the Croton Reservoir and Aqueduct in 1842 the City of New York held what had been called the largest celebration in its history. Part of that celebration included the presentation of silver medals, engraved and struck by New York City medalist Robert Lovett Sr., to individuals involved in the project and the celebration. Exactly how many were awarded is not known but they were awarded to the 17 Alderman as well as other dignitaries. And how many still exist is unknown as they appear very rarely in the numismatic marketplace. But this March I was able to obtain a silver, engraved example that had been unknown to collectors.

A gentleman in Florida contacted me when he found a silver medal among his late father’s belongings. An online search yielded my website and he was looking for more information. His first email did not contain an image so I did not know for sure whether he had a silver piece. Subsequent emails did verify it was an engraved piece, presented to John Stewart, Alderman of the 14th Ward. In our conversations he said his father was not a collector and this was the only medal among the belongings, and John Stewart was not a family member as far as he knew. But he did tell me that his father was a life-long resident of New York City. He had no idea when or how his father became the owner of the medal but here it was.

After a few emails back and forth he did ask what I thought the value was and was I interested in it. Of course I was! After settling on a price I made arrangements for a dealer who was going to be in Orlando to pick it up and was surprised to learn that it came in the original case of issue which the seller had said nothing about. With the addition of this piece to my collection I now know of the existence of six examples of this very scarce medal by Robert Lovett Sr. The New York Historical Society has the piece awarded to “Stephen Allen, 1st Prest. Comrs.”, the example awarded to “R.F. Carmane, Ald. 12th Ward” is in a private numismatic collection, the one engraved to “H.W. Bonnell, Ald. 13th Ward” is still in the possession of a great, great granddaughter, and I own the silver pieces awarded to “George P. Morris, author of the Croton Ode” and “General Hopkins, Grand Marshall”.

Dave Baldwin, lovetttokensmedals.com

On Sunday, October 8, the Friends hosted a party on the lawns of the Keeper’s House to commemorate the October day 175 years ago when Croton water first arrived in New York City.  The rain stopped on cue, and we were able to celebrate the flow of water without any flowing over us. 

There was music: bagpipers from Iona College, madrigal singers performing the original, 1842 Croton Ode, old-time folk tunes with Jim Keyes and blue-grass with Dan O’Dea and Eagle Ridge. 

With some Chinese food containers, some tape and lots of laughter, ArchforKids had children making arches strong enough to support a road. (An example of their work is on view in the Keeper’s House). 

We had baked goods donated by big-F Friends and small-f friends, organic pizza by local foodie Coco Zordan and her daughter Sofia. We served apples fresh from Concklin Orchards, freshly squeezed lemonade (aka Croton Cocktails) and Penny Lick Ice Cream.  

Illustrious political types showed up, too:  State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, New York Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, County Legislator Mary Jane Shimsky, and candidate for Dobbs Board of Trustees Sandra Olson Merrow. Clearly the OCA remains a lifeline for our communities.

The Public Affairs Director of the NYC DEP, Adam Bosch, gave a rousing speech about the importance of water-supply infrastructure past and present. Really! And the Friends VP Bob Kornfeld reminded us that clean water and clean living go hand in hand. 

Sunday also marked the opening day for an exhibit of photographs by Fred Charles. Over 40 of his images now fill Room II of the Keeper’s House and will stay up through the end of 2017. The images capture the conditions he observed on the trail about 20 years ago: leaves changing, stone walls, some graffiti and enduring beauty. Fred spoke passionately to dozens of visitors in the Keeper’s House. The show can been seen between 11am to 4pm on weekends. You can order prints of the images at the Keeper’s House.

A hearty thank you to the Friends, docents and other volunteers who made the event possible and to Steve Oakes, State Parks’ Historic Site Manager for the Aqueduct.  

See you in 2034 for the 200^th!

A lovely Spring day was had by all. Some of us went on to Dia Beacon, while others came early for breakfast on Main Street before the boat ride to sunny Pollopel Island. A band of docents shepherded us through the ruins and showed off old photos of the castle home and arsenal. This was a wonderful way to get to know more about our group …. it turned out that 3 participants knew each other from high school. And Jane Reed’s description of Dobbs Ferry 54 years ago was a stitch! Back then short Italian ladies of indeterminate age walked everywhere, wearing knotted head kerchiefs with black dresses. Cedar and Main streets were quiet, almost empty of cars, and everyone knew everyone. Thank you docents for all you do at the Keeper’s House!

SUNDAY APRIL 23, 2PM

The story of Burr’s maneuverings to found a bank (now JP Morgan Chase) by pretending to meet New York City’s urgent need for clean water is one of the more colorful sidebars of our water supply history. In this 175th anniversary year of the Old Croton Aqueduct, learn how Burr pulled it off, Alexander Hamilton’s ambiguous role, and the consequences of Burr’s ruse for the emerging metropolis.

GERARD KOEPPEL has written widely about aspects of New York history and infrastructure and is a popular speaker and panelist on these topics. His books include the highly regarded account of the Old Croton Aqueduct, Water for Gotham: A History, and, most recently, City on a Grid: How New York Became New York.

• The talk will be preceded by a brief business meeting.
• Free and open to the public
• Light refreshments

THE WARNER LIBRARY
121 North Broadway, Tarrytown
BY TRAIN:
Metro-North’s Tarrytown Station
Additional parking in nearby public lot, south of library on Rte. 9. Turn up McKeel
Ave., enter on your left. Free on Sundays.
Inquiries? 914.693.0529
www.aqueduct.org