Water Over the Dam (1900-1907)

The New Croton Dam was constructed primarily by immigrant laborers, predominantly Italian workers alongside Irish, African American, and Scandinavian employees. These workers inhabited small communities near the construction site and boarding houses in Croton Landing.

A settlement called the Bowery, or Little Italy, emerged approximately one mile from the dam along the Croton River's banks. It contained worker housing in two-story structures, grocery stores, saloons, a chapel, and a schoolhouse. One worker described the area as rough, stating: "It was a rough area. Fellas would get a few drinks, you couldn't tell what the dickens they would do."

The "padrones," or labor bosses, controlled workers through a system of dependence. These English-speaking supervisors hired men in large groups, charged substantial commissions, and advanced passage money from Italy. They sold provisions at inflated prices and deducted percentages from wages. Each padrone managed up to 150 workers, providing board and lodging while workers remained perpetually in debt through monthly payment structures.

Housing consisted mainly of dormitory-style rooming houses with long tables and wooden benches accommodating 60 workers, with sleeping areas featuring canvas cots in large rooms. Some workers' wives established lodging houses, providing meals, mending, and laundry services to earn additional income.

Italian laborers faced wage discrimination. Workers classified as "intelligent labor" earned 30 cents daily more than "common labor," yet the common category subdivided into white, colored, and Italian classifications, with Italians receiving the lowest compensation. Dangerous conditions resulted in significant casualties; an Italian saying reflected this: "A man lost his life for every stone set on the dam."

In April 1900, New York State mandated an 8-hour workday for public works projects. Organized laborers subsequently demanded higher wages and improved conditions. When contractors refused, workers struck and threatened sabotage. Governor Theodore Roosevelt dispatched the Seventh Regiment, establishing Camp Roosevelt around the project. After three weeks of negotiations, the strike ended without substantial improvements.

The dam's connecting bridge underwent several design iterations due to budget constraints. Original plans featured a masonry arch; later versions included a curved framework and reinforced span before settling on a steel arch design. The New York Times noted in 1905 that while graceful, the steel bridge disrupted the masonry's harmonious effect.

The final dam stone, weighing 3,200 pounds, was ceremonially placed on January 10, 1906. New York City Comptroller Herman Metz accepted the structure on behalf of the city, casting an Irish shamrock beneath the stone alongside guests' coins. Workers activated steam-powered machinery to lower the stone, followed by champagne breaking and reservoir filling. One week later, the spillway's final stone was laid. The structure was officially completed and transferred to New York City on January 1, 1907.

The New Croton Dam extended 1,168 feet across the valley with a 1,000-foot spillway. Foundation depth measured 131 feet below the riverbed, with total height reaching 297 feet, base thickness of 206 feet, and top thickness of 18 feet. An S-shaped spillway curve functioned as a waste channel for overflow water.

The dam's design achieved international recognition as the "Croton Profile," becoming a standard reference for gravity dam construction. At completion, it ranked as the world's tallest masonry dam. An architectural review in 1907 described it as "very much a cleanly articulated, sculptured object in the landscape." Upon completion, the reservoir would form a great lake extending nearly 20 miles upstream, ultimately submerging the old dam beneath 33 feet of water.

Most single workers departed after 1907 to pursue other construction and railway employment, though several hundred families remained to establish new Croton neighborhoods.