The History of Highbridge

Highbridge Before and After the American Independence

The Siwanoy were an Indigenous American tribe of Wappinger people, who lived in Long Island Sound along the coasts of what are now The Bronx, Westchester County, New York, and Fairfield County, Connecticut. By 1640, their territory (Wykagyl) extended from Hell Gate to Norwalk, Connecticut, and as far inland as White Plains. Iit became hotly contested between Dutch and English colonial interests. The name Siwanoy may be a corruption of Siwanak, "salt people". The Siwanoy were at war with the Dutch from 1640 to 1645. Part of this period is often referred to as Kieft's War. Tensions between the colonizers and the indigenous people of the area were extremely high during this time.

It is believed that the first European to see the Bronx was Henry Hudson when, in 1609, he pulled his vessel Halve Maen (Half Moon) into Spuyten Duyvil creek during a storm. Over time, European colonizers converted the area into farmlands. In 1639, the Dutch West India Company purchased from the Indians a tract of land called Keskeskeck that included what would centuries later become Highbridge. Ultimately, the Native Americans began to move to areas where they felt less threatened by colonizers. By 1710, there was no significant Indigenous presence in the area.

In the meantime, the British occupied New Amsterdam in 1664, changed its name to New York and Dutch influence decreased. One of the first settlers in the area was a man named Daniel Turneur. In 1671, Turneur purchased an 8-acre strip of Keskeskeck south on what is now 167th Street between the Harlem River and a creek called Mentipathe, Maenippis Kill or later Cromwell’s Creek. The creek became the route of Jerome Avenue from 178th St. south to the Harlem River.

Another landowner, named Bickley, owned the other piece of Highbridge south of 167th St. Later a man named Devoe married Turner's daughter and bought the Bickley land, so that the whole of what is now Highbridge south of West 167th Street became known as Devoe’s Point or Devoe’s Neck. The portion of Highbridge north of 167th Street belonged to a man named John Archer. It is interesting to note that West 167th Street was originally named Woolf Street after a Hessian soldier who stayed after the war and bought property in the surrounding area. Similarly, Sedgwick Avenue was originally known as Emmerick Place after another Hessian soldier named Emmerich.

In 1794, James Anderson purchased 60 acres from an Englishman named Medcef Edin and later in 1820, he purchased an additional tract located at what is now 164 th Street and Anderson Avenue. The property was called “Woody Crest” due to its high ground and thick woods. From the close of the Revolution until the middle of the nineteenth century there was little change to the region. The area would primarily be farmland with some properties built by wealthy New Yorkers.

The Bridge

In Manhattan, the insufficient water supply became an issue, especially after the Great Fire of 1835. The Croton River was chosen as the water supply, and in 1837, work began with the construction to carry water to New York. The aqueduct was completed by 1842, but construction continued the bridge until 1848. The Highbridge walkway was completed in 1864, making it a popular spot to promenade on a nice day. The bridge achieved fame as an attraction for New Yorkers and tourists, a sort of 19th century High Line. The walkway’s popularity led to the building of hotels, restaurants, and amusement parks in the vicinity, and Highbridge became a major tourist attraction.

Edgar Allen Poe enjoyed walking on the High Bridge when he lived in Fordham, in an excerpt from his article in Harper’s Weekly of 1880, he said: “Nothing can be pleasanter, for those who have only a short time at their disposal, than an afternoon trip to Highbridge, where the scenery is delightful, and where one can enjoy the sight of the great structure over which rushes the supply of water for New York, take a walk over the high banks, or sit on shaded benches to watch the rowers on Harlem River.” Use of the structure to deliver water to Manhattan ceased in 1949.

The bridge completely closed in 1970 after a decline in public use. The High Bridge was restored and reopened on June 9, 2015, under former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative. The High Bridge water tower followed, and it reopened on October 27, 2021. The bridge is open to pedestrians and bicyclists. For residents of the Bronx, the restored bridge provides a faster route into Washington Heights.

The Other Side of Highbridge

The workers who built the bridge and the nearby railroads were mostly Irish, who settled in a little town that took its name from the bridge, Highbridgeville. Highbridgeville was centered about 167th St. and Highbridge Avenue, later renamed Ogden Avenue. Irish immigration to the area increased dramatically during and after the Potato Famine in Ireland.

Most residents of Highbridgeville worked on the aqueduct or the railroads, while others were employed by local families, and others set up businesses to serve the community. Many bought property and built homes. But none of the Croton water came to the area, it had no gas, paved streets, sewers, or service stations. They did have apples, cherry orchards, and farm animals roaming the area. 167th Street and Ogden Avenue was the commercial center of the neighborhood. In 1874, Highbridgeville was officially annexed to New York City along with the nearby neighborhoods of Morrisania, West Farms and Kingsbridge.The Bronx was a mostly rural area for many generations, with small farms supplying the city markets. In the late 19th century, however, it grew into a railroad suburb, and many estates were subdivided for urban development. Faster transportation enabled the population to grow, the area was reshaped by the change from horse drawn street cars to elevated railways and the subway system, which linked to Manhattan by 1904.

The mid to late 20st century were hard times, as the Bronx changed during the 1950s from a predominantly moderate-income borough to a predominantly lower income area with high rates of violent crime and poverty. Up until the late 1960s, the residents of Highbridge were predominantly of Irish, Italian, and Eastern European Jewish descent. These left to the suburbs and surrounding areas, and they have since been replaced by large numbers of Hispanics and African Americans. Over time, more Hispanic groups have migrated to the Bronx, most notably Mexicans and Ecuadorians. This migration to the Bronx has pushed Whites and Blacks, the previous majorities, into smaller sections of the Bronx while the remainder of the borough is widespread with Latinos residents.

References:

Gregor, Alison. “Name to Get Its Meaning Back.” The New York Times, Mar. 2013, https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/realestate/high-bridge-the-bronx-name-to-get-its-meaning-back.html

O'Reilly, Kevin T. “The Story of Sacred Heart & Highbridge.” Sacred Heart Parish, https://bronxaltar.org/the-history-of-sacred-heart-parish

“History of the High Bridge.” New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, https://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/highbridge-park/high-bridge-history

Cruzado, Tiffani A. “Highbridge”. The History of the City of New York Project, Nov. 2017, https://blogs.shu.edu/nyc-history/2017/11/07/high-bridge/

“Highbridge, Bronx facts for Kids.”, Kiddle Encyclopedia, Jul. 2022, https://kids.kiddle.co/Highbridge,_Bronx