Motoring Across the Croton, 1912

A 1912 photograph captures an early automobile crossing the Van Cortlandt Bridge over the Croton River, offering a glimpse into the dawn of motorized transportation in the Hudson Valley region.

The narrative identifies three key landmarks from that era: the Crotonville School (today's Parker-Bale American Legion Post), the Croton Bay Pumping Station built in 1890, and the Van Cortlandt Bridge itself.

The bridge, also called the Long Bridge or Wagon Bridge, was constructed after 1860 following state legislation. It actually consisted of two spans connected by a causeway, stretching from the Ossining side to near Van Cortlandt Manor. Initially featuring a drawbridge section to permit river traffic, it underwent numerous repairs from storm and ice damage throughout the nineteenth century.

By 1922, the aging iron structure was replaced with "an elegant Beaux-Art reinforced concrete structure."