Construction, begun in 1837, was carried out largely by Irish immigrant labor.ДЄn elliptical tube 8 ВЅ feet high by 7 ВЅ feet wide, the Aqueduct is brick-lined for most of its length, with a coating of hydraulic cement at bridge crossings and outer walls of hammered stone. Jervis of Rome, New York, whose experience was in canal and railroad building. Douglass, a West Point engineering professor, was the project's first chief engineer. The Aqueduct was built to help supply water to New York City, owing in part to its inadequate water supply. Funds raised from the brochure help the Friends offer tours, programming, and improvements for the park. The Friends of Old Croton Aqueduct offer a detailed map and brochure to helpВ visitors use the Aqueduct Trail to connect to numerous destinations in Westchester County. Also look for the ventilators that are located along the trail, constructed to ventilate the aqueduct. Weir Chambers-located along the trail at various locations, they were constructed to enable Overseers and Caretakers to control the flow of water through the Aqueduct for repairs, inspections or to completely drain the line.

Keeper's House-located in Dobbs Ferry, it was once the residence for the caretaker of the Aqueduct, it is the future home of the OCA's Visitor Center.

Ossining Museum-located in Ossining across from the Double Arch containsВ a small exhibit on the history of the Old Croton Aqueduct.

New Croton Dam-an unusual spillway makes for a pretty waterfall at the state of the Croton River.

Double Arch-a unique bridge-within-a-bridge, located in Ossining across from the Ossining Museum.

Learn more about the variety of programs we offer: Aqueduct Education Project Don't miss these popular destinations and attractions within or near this historic park While primarily for walking and running, parts of the trail are suitable for horseback riding, biking (except during 'mud season'), bird watching, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.Дid you know? The Aqueduct Education project offers hands-on student tours and programs at three different historic sites in the Old Croton Aqueduct Historic State Park. The Aqueduct's grassy ceiling provides abundant recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. It passes near numerous historic sites, preserves, a museum highlighting the construction of the Aqueduct, and many homes. The scenic path over the underground aqueduct winds through urban centers and small communities. In 1987 a section was reopened to supply the Town of Ossining and in 1992 the Old Croton Aqueduct was awarded National Historic Landmark Status. Presently, Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park is a linear park which runs from Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx County/City of Yonkers border to the Croton Dam in Cortlandt. In 1968, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchased 26.2 miles of the original 41-mile aqueduct from New York City. Although no longer the sole supplier of fresh water, the Old Croton Aqueduct continued to provide water to New York City until 1965. Construction of the New Croton Aqueduct began in 1885 and water began to flow by 1890. The population spiraled upward at a dizzying rate, however, and the Croton Aqueduct, which was capable of carrying 100 million gallons per day, could no longer meet New York City's needs by the early 1880s.

This 19th-century architectural achievement cost New York City approximately 13 million dollars and was believed able to provide New Yorkers with fresh water for centuries to come. Throngs of people attended the formal celebration held on October 14th and celebrated with 'Croton cocktails' - a mix of Croton water and lemonade. In 1842 water flowed into above-ground reservoirs located at the present sites of the New York Public Library and the Great Lawn of Central Park. Three to four thousand workers, mostly Irish immigrants earning up to $1.00 per day, completed the masonry marvel in just five years. The proposed plan called for a 41-mile aqueduct and dam to be built in order to run water from the Croton River to New York City. After numerous proposals and an abandoned plan two years into its production, construction of an unprecedented magnitude began in 1837 under the expertise of John Bloomfield Jervis. Watch Tom Tarnowsky's Presentation on the History of the Old Croton Aqueduct in Westchester County:Дuring the 1830s New York City was in dire need of a fresh water supply to combat the steady rise of disease and to fight numerous fires that often engulfed large tracts of businesses and homes.

Tom bisio yonkers ny address