The Story of the Bronx by Stephen Jenkins

Author:Stephen Jenkins [Jenkins, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Geschichte
Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
Published: 2018-03-07T23:00:00+00:00

On account of the close connection between Westchester and Eastchester, there was very early a road connecting the two places — one following the old Indian trail. In the patent of Colonel Nicolls to the grantees of the "Ten Farms," the Westchester Path is specifically mentioned. This is still called the Eastchester Road; it passes up the west side of Westchester Creek and joins the Boston Road of 1798 near where Corsa Lane comes from Williamsbridge.

From the road connecting Westchester with Williamsbridge, a short distance from the crossing of the Boston, or Coles, road, there is a road called the Saw-mill Lane leading to Givan's Creek, which enters the Hutchinson River near its mouth. It crosses the Eastchester Road north of the Pelham and Bronx Parkway; and, from its name, one must conclude that it led to a saw-mill. In the will of the Reverend John Bartow, under date of January 24, 1725, we find him devising land in this neighborhood and describing it as "bounded on the north by the road leading to Thomas Haddon's saw-mill." The old lane is to be wiped out when the proposed plan of streets is carried out.

From very early times, a causeway and bridge stood across Westchester Creek, connecting the village with Throgg's Neck. In the town records of Westchester, we find under date of July 9, 1678: "It is ordered that ye bridge betwixt Frogges Necke and ye Towne be maintained and upheld by a rate to be levied and assessed upon all persons and estates that are putt in the county rate belonging to the Township of Westchester, East Chester excepted." As there was a number of farms on Throgg's Neck, there must have been a road leading to Westchester, where were the church, the courthouse, and such shops as then existed.

Another important road through the middle of the Borough was that leading to White Plains, the county-seat after 1759. It is still in existence, north from Bronxdale, passing through Olinville, Wakefield, Mount Vernon, and beyond. From Williamsbridge northward, this highway and the Boston Road were one, until the latter swung off toward Eastchester at the head of Black Dog Brook. The present White Plains Avenue was laid out about 1863, a little to the west of the old road in general, though passing over parts of it. The work of widening White Plains Avenue to a boulevard one hundred feet in width was begun in the autumn of 1902, after several years of consideration; it was finished in January, 1908. From below Laconia Park at the southern end of Williamsbridge, another old road leads to Westchester, passing to the eastward of the former Morris Park race-track.

As settlers took up farms along the shore of the Sound beyond Westchester, a road was laid out connecting with Pelham Manor. Eastchester Creek was crossed either by a ford or a ferry, probably the latter, as the tide runs too strongly at Pelham Bridge to make fording safe, except at slack water. The wooden bridge was not constructed until 1812.

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