1835 1836 New York City Water Commission established John B. Jervis appointed Chief Engineer of Croton Aqueduct project Photography invented Old Croton Aqueduct completed (includes structures such as Old Ossining Weir, Archville Bridge, Murray Hill Reservoir, Yonkers Weir, West Burnside Avenue Bridge, Sing Sing Kill Bridge, Ventilators, Clendening Valley Crossing, Nepperhan/Saw Mill River Bridge) 1837 1837 1838 1842 1842 Panic of 1837, followed by fiveyear depression New York’s Croton Aqueduct opens October 14. Daylong celebration culminates in fifty-foot shower of water spouting from Croton Fountain in City Hall Park. Attending the celebration are President John Tyler, former presidents John Q. Adams and Martin Van Buren, New York State Governor William H. Seward. 1845 New York City Police Department established 1846-48 1846 Wilmot Proviso bans slavery in states acquired during U.S.Mexico War 1848 1848 Cholera epidemic in New York City; 5,071 people die Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations (World’s Fair New York City) Boston’s Cochituate Aqueduct opens (in use until 1951) 1849 1849 California Gold Rush begins 1853 1853 New York Crystal Palace constructed next to Murray Hill Reservoir Cholera epidemic in New York City; 2,509 people die 1854 U.S.-Mexican War High Bridge completed Central Park opens Civil War 1855 1857 1861-65 Time Line 1805 Yellow fever epidemic in New York City; 732 people die (from population of 50,000) Construction begins on Old Croton Aqueduct system, including on High Bridge over Harlem River Section 1: Introduction Time Line Fernando Wood inaugurated as Mayor of New York City (Tammany Hall begins) 1857 Dobbs Ferry Keeper’s House completed 1858 Transatlantic cable laid 21 1862 1862 1865 Cholera epidemic in New York City; 1,137 die First trans-continental railroad completed 1869 1869 Clendening Valley Crossing demolished for conversion to siphon 1870s 1870 High Bridge Water Tower constructed 1872 1873 1872 1873 1876 Manifesto for the Protection of Ancient Buildings written Aqueduct Act passed on June 1. Commission created consisting of Mayor, Controller, Commissioner of Pubic Works of the City of New York, and James C. Spencer, George W. Lane, and William Dowd. (New) Ossining Weir constructed 22 1877 1878 1883 1886 1883 Central Park Keeper’s House constructed (demolished 1935) High Bridge Reservoir constructed (demolished 1934) Croton Fountain in City Hall Park demolished Ninety-inch diameter pipe constructed (on top of two existing thirty-three-inch diameter pipes) inside of High Bridge. Existing pedestrian walkway elevated to accommodate new pipe. Boyd’s Corners Dam and Reservoir completed 113th Street Gatehouse constructed Sodom Dam and Reservoir completed Brooklyn Bridge completed, connecting boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan Watershed Act passed on March 23. Grants Commissioner of Public Works powers to acquire property in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties. Measures also include ensuring sanitary protection of rivers and other watercourses, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs contributing to water supply of New York City. John Hooper Fountain (near entrance to Viaduct connecting to Macomb’s Dam Bridge) constructed. Fountain supplies drinking water for both horses and people. Titicus Dam and Reservoir completed Harlem River Speedway constructed (converted to automobile use 1919, demolished 1940s-60s) Wright Brothers’ first successful flight 1893 1890 135th Street Gatehouse constructed 1893 Bog Brook Dam and Reservoir completed 1895 119th Street Gatehouse completed 1897 Amawalk Dam and Reservoir completed 1902 Murray Hill Reservoir demolished (New York Public Library constructed on this site) 1894 1896 Time Line 1867 Middle Branch Dam and Reservoir completed President Lincoln assassinated 1866 1867 Prospect Park opens Central Park South Gatehouse constructed Section 1: Introduction Lake Manahatta (now Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir) constructed (decommissioned 1993) 1898 1903 High Pumping Station completed 1906 1906 Jerome Park Reservoir completed New Croton Dam and Reservoir completed 1906 1906 West Branch Dam and Reservoir completed Henry Ford’s Model-T introduced 1908 1908 Cross River Dam and Reservoir completed 23 Titanic sinks 1912 1914-17 New York City Water Commission shuts down Croton Aqueduct as precaution during World War I Highbridge Pool opens on site of High Bridge Reservoir West Burnside Avenue Bridge partially demolished for conversion to siphon New York City’s Landmarks Law establishes Landmarks Preservation Commission 24 1968 Scientific American editorial says proposed High Bridge demolition is “an act of vandalism without precedent in the history of our country” Five of High Bridge’s original masonry arches replaced with single steel span; makes Harlem River more navigable for larger ships 1929 1930 Hoover Dam construction begins 1933 Golden Gate Bridge construction begins 1931 1936 1939-45 World War II High Bridge designated a NYC Landmark 1970 High Bridge Aqueduct & Tower placed on National Register of Historic Places 1972 1972 Site of Old Croton Dam placed on National Register of Historic Places 1973 1974 Burra Charter composed High Pumping Station designated a NYC Landmark Venice Charter written U.S. Government establishes National Heritage Areas New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation purchases 26.2 miles (in Westchester County) of original 41-mile Old Croton