History1

HISTORY OF THE BRONX IN GENERAL AND HOW TO FIND OLD FRIENDS
click on link to: BACK IN THE BRONX

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2000 FERRY POINT PARK TO BE TORN UP AND USED AS A STAGING AREA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IROQUOIS 24" NATURAL GAS PIPELINE ON ROUTE TO CON ED HUNTS POINT.

History on proposed Iroquois Pipeline that would have ripped up Ferry Point Park as a staging area in 2001.

Is available from Dotti Poggi at 718-829-7303

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The history of Ferry Point Park is closely tied to the Construction of the Whitestone Bridge for the 1939 Worlds Fair held

in Queens.

This Plaque is mounted in the Waiting Room of the TBTA Whitestone Bridge Office....

It was given as part of a ceremony to celebrate the Whitestone Bridge's 50 Birthday June 17, 1989.

Ferry Point Park was originally rebuilt and widened along with the Construction of the Bronx/Whitestone Bridge. This area was to serve as a recreational addition for the visitors traveling through the country by car to visit the New York 1939 Worlds Fair, then considered the Gateway to the "World Of Tomorrow."

The neighborhood between The Bronx/Whitestone Bridge and Bruckner Blvd is the Ferry Point Community. This once was a waterfront community like Locust Point, Silver Beach, Edgewater, etc. The children ran along the shores of Westchester Creek looking for Fiddler Crabs or the seasonal Horseshoe Crabs. They would swim all summer, as they grew they saved their money for speed boats which they put in and out according to the tides. Westchester Creek, runs parallel to Brush Ave. (the main road through Ferry Point). This is where the neighborhood children learnt (from the wetlands) about the viable Benthic community, of their creek. This creek still contributes fresh water to the tidal salt water where it creates a perfect area for spawning and "small fry" to grow. The children of the community met along this creek for beach parties, Halloween Ghost stories, Snowball fights, etc. This same Creek where the Minute men soldiers fought back the English Torries as they tried to cross to attack Washington as he marched up to Westchester on the another side of the Bronx to gather new troops and food. The children created their own areas of play that required them to create their own rules. Everyone developed a specialty. Strange as it seems, these specialties have sculpted their lives up until this day.

This same rural neighborhood of the Bronx is now inundated with industry. All access to the water front has been taken away from the residents. Some existing water access streets were even de-mapped. Randall Avenue (across from Jay Place) was thrown into a deal with the developer of HO Penn to be used as a parking lot. The city used the last water access street to the creek (Lafayette Avenue) for a "Safety City"? The children sit inside and play video games. The Bronx has the worst Asthma and obesity in the City.

In order to monitor if the present industries are sneaking pollutants into the creek, we have to go across the creek to the other side and look over with binoculars. Now, the residents are fenced off, Ferry Point Park is their only access to the waterfront and there are plans to fence that off as a golf course as well. The small children have to stay in their homes, or find recreation in the streets and parking lots of the warehouse etc. The teenagers race small cars and motorbikes etc., on the asphalt and concrete which is now this neighborhood..... Quite a change in just 40 years...

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/transportation/td_fullsoundview.pdf 718-892-7303

Battle of Westchester Creek 1776

Oct. 12-Oct. 18

British Landed at Baxter Creek which used to be the divider between Ferry Point and Throggs Neck. (Baxter Creek Inlet was covered with Garbage for over 20 years before it was closed as a raw garbage landfill used as a park and then turned into a demolition debris landfill with the planned construction of a Golf course on the East side of the Bridge).

The British then came onto land at Schers Ave. and marched up the center of E.Tremont Ave. with the Hessians flanking the sides.

They marched towards Westchester Square and camped on top the high point which is now The First Presbyterian Church. Their plan was to take over the small village of Westchester Square.

American Admiral Howe was cutting across the Bronx to meet George Washington who was evacuating Manhattan and gathering recruits as he came up the Bronx River.

Col. Edward Handes and his men pulled up the planks from the cross bridge over Westchester Creek. Being sharp shooters (used to hunting squirrel, rabbit and Pheasants), these soldiers stayed up and down the shores of the creek and picked off the British for 6 Days as they tried to find a crossing for Westchester Creek. The British finally gave up and marched down Middletown Road, and up Boston Post to the Pelham’s.

One of the soldiers at this Battle was Smith, who later married President John Adams daughter. When yellow fever was rampant, Adams stayed at his daughter’s house on Boston Post Road, and ran the country from the Bronx for awhile.

Attn: Designers for the Future Ferry Point Golf Course on the East side of the Park.

Thomas Balsley Associates 3/13/2006 emailed

rewritten 9/21/07

Theme idea for Future Waterfront Park at Ferry Point Golf Course Bronx ,

There is an interesting history of this particular area of the Bronx. Directly under the landfill is the original Baxter Creek inlet where the thousands of British Soldiers came over from Queens in Oct. 1776? to try to head off Washington as his depleted troops came up to Westchester from Manhattan. The troops marched down Throggs Neck to Westchester Square where a battle took place for days...The Americans who were mainly farmers were very good sniper types with there rifles. Most of there game food was rabbit and pheasant which require a keen shot.The Americans continued to pick off the British as they tried to cross the Creek at low tide because the Americans had destroyed the small wooden foot bridge before the British Got there.

This was one of two battles that were important turning point of the Revolutionary war, the other was near Pell Mansion.Because the British were delayed they were not able to catch Washington with his depleted army and destroy them.This is a synopsis but a Revolutionary theme would be nice twist to this Golf course, or just the waterfront nature walk promenade. The appropriate statue would be a man in Minuteman clothing.There could be a plaque commemorating the occurrence, and there may be some garden motif that lends towards a rustic look. Maybe the black Iron Fence that seperates the promenade from the golf course property can have a decorative section repeated every 4th panel that would have a silhouette of a relating image. maybe just a boat with large sails???, a cannon? I don't advise the rifle motif in the Bronx....

Dorothea (Dotti) Poggi