The
Harlem River is a navigable tidal
straitA strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that flows 8 miles (13 km) between the
Hudson RiverThe Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and the
East RiverThe East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
, separating the
boroughsNew York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of
ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and
the BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. Part of the current course of the Harlem River is the
Harlem River Ship CanalSpuyten Duyvil Creek is a channel connecting the Hudson River to the Harlem River Ship Canal, and on to the Harlem River in New York City, separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx and the rest of the mainland. The neighborhood named Spuyten Duyvil lies to the north of the creek.Spuyten...
, which runs somewhat south of the former course of the river, isolating a small portion of Manhattan (
Marble HillMarble Hill is the neighborhood which makes up the northernmost part of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Although it is politically part of Manhattan and New York County, because of the re-routing of the Harlem River, it is located on the North American mainland contiguous...
) on the Bronx side of the river.
Navigation and transportation
The Harlem River is spanned by seven swing bridges, three lift bridges, and four arch bridges, and is navigable to any boat with less than 55 feet (16.8 m) of
air draftAir draft is the distance from the surface of the water to the highest point on a vessel, similar to the "deep draft" of a vessel which is measured from the surface of the water to the deepest part of the hull below the surface, but "air draft" is expressed as a height, not a depth.The vessel's...
. However, any boat requiring more than 5 feet (1.5 m) of clearance will require the
Spuyten Duyvil BridgeThe Spuyten Duyvil Bridge is a swing bridge that carries Amtrak's Empire Corridor line across the Spuyten Duyvil Creek between Manhattan and the Bronx, in New York City. The bridge is located at the northern tip of Manhattan where the Spuyten Duyvil Creek meets the Hudson River, approximately to...
to swing open. All other movable bridges on the Harlem River provide at least 24 feet (7.3 m) of clearance while closed, so boats and ships requiring between 5 and 24 feet (1.5 and 7.3 m) of clearance need only have one bridge swing open. These bridges replaced fixed bridges or lower bridges in the late 19th century to improve navigation. In recent years, test openings of the movable bridges on the Harlem River have outnumbered openings for navigation. There are no fees for navigation of the river.
High BridgeThe High Bridge is a steel arch bridge, with a height of almost 140 feet over the Harlem River, connecting the New York City boroughs of The Bronx and Manhattan...
was erected between 1837 and 1848 to carry the
Croton AqueductThe Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842...
across the river. It is the oldest bridge in New York City.
The
New York City Department of TransportationThe New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure...
advises that while they make every effort to ensure that all bridges are operating, many of them are under repair at any time, and outside contractors are responsible for opening of bridges under repair. As well, sometimes on hot summer days, many of the bridge decks seize due to thermal expansion, and cannot open or close. Since the city will not allow more than one bridge open at a time, a bridge seizing in the open position can potentially leave a mariner stranded in a small section of the river.
Harlem River DriveThe Harlem River Drive is a north–south parkway in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It runs along the west bank of the Harlem River from the Triborough Bridge in East Harlem to 10th Avenue in Inwood, where the parkway continues north as Dyckman Street. The portion of the Harlem River Drive...
and
Harlem River GreenwayThe Manhattan Waterfront Greenway is a foreshoreway for walking or cycling, long, around the island of Manhattan. The largest portions are operated by the New York City Department of Parks. It is separated from motor traffic, and many sections also separate pedestrians from cyclists...
run along the right bank of the river, and
Hudson Line (Metro-North)Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
railroad and
Major Deegan ExpresswayThe Major Deegan Expressway is a north–south expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx...
the left.
Geology and natural history
The Harlem River forms a part of the Hudson estuary system, serving as a narrow strait that divides the island of Manhattan from the Bronx. Approximately 18,000 years ago the
Laurentide ice sheetThe Laurentide Ice Sheet was a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles, including most of Canada and a large portion of the northern United States, multiple times during Quaternary glacial epochs. It last covered most of northern North America between c. 95,000 and...
receded northward across the continent leaving behind a large escarpment creating the modern day
Hudson RiverThe Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. About 6,000 years ago the Hudson River emptied into the ancient Atlantic Ocean, depositing sediments over the bedrock; this resulted in the formation of the Hudson River
estuaryAn estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, which is the water and land at the mouth the river that contains a mixture of salt and freshwater, including the Harlem River.
The name river is technically incorrect, as the Harlem River has neither a mouth nor a source. It simply connects two larger bodies of water, stretching from the Hudson River to the intersection of the East River at Randall’s Island, at approximately East 125th Street on the present street grid. The Harlem River is therefore affected by the actions of the ocean and neighboring rivers. The ebb and flow of the tides causes the Harlem River’s currents to fluctuate dramatically throughout the day. The effects of the tides have influenced the spread of silts, pollutants, and other particles in the water. The tides were also important in defining the usage of the Harlem River as they caused the currents to be particularly difficult to navigate in the northern portion of the waterway, allowing only smaller ships and experienced sailors.
Stretching approximately seven miles, the river originally meandered through its length, but the course of the river today is much straighter than it was in its natural state. Changes in the river’s route and shoreline character have reflected the designs of engineers, planners, politicians, and industrialists intent on subverting the limitations of the natural topography to facilitate the flow of commerce and real estate investment. Bulkheads, barriers, fills, and cuts all affected the river, changing and manipulating it into its current state. A systematic examination of the changes to the river’s function and access provides an understanding of its revamped role in the urban process.
Early colonial developments
The landmass of
Marble HillMarble Hill is the neighborhood which makes up the northernmost part of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Although it is politically part of Manhattan and New York County, because of the re-routing of the Harlem River, it is located on the North American mainland contiguous...
once provided a fine location for
Native AmericanThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
encampments, where fertile soil, shelter by hills to the west, and the abundance of fishing and “oystering” options nearby were found. By the end of the 17th century most land along the “Harlaem River” had come under the ownership of the Dutch families whose names are now commonly seen on street signs, area maps, and parks, including Jonas Dyckman, Jacob Nagle, etc. The
British Colonial authoritiesThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, however, eventually wrested control of the island from the Dutch, and regulation of waterfront construction became the responsibility of the city; this preceded any formal attempts to standardize shoreline expansion by nearly a century.
It was in this era that the first crossing on the Harlem was built, at the Old Albany Road (north of Marble Hill) in 1693. This came to be called King’s Bridge, where a toll was assessed for access to the island and lands south. While this crossing was intended to replace the ferry service provided in the same area from approximately 1669 onward, the local population eventually bridled over the toll, and popular sentiment culminated in the construction of the “Farmers’ Free Bridge” further south along the Spuyten Duyvil Creek in 1758. The shallow waters of the creek along this stretch were thus spanned, beginning a long history of bridge construction and physical alterations to the river.
Today, thirteen bridges cross the Harlem River, connecting the boroughs of the Bronx and Manhattan. According to Harper’s Weekly in 1882, “One of the most striking proofs of the rapid growth of New York is furnished by the bridges of the Harlem.” There are two general categories of bridge type on the Harlem: fixed arch and movable. Four of the bridges are fixed arch spans (Henry Hudson, Alexander Hamilton, Washington, and High Bridges) and are built at some of the highest points along the river, connecting the uplands while remaining high above the water. The other nine are movable bridges (Spuyten Duyvil, Broadway, University Heights, Macomb’s Dam, 145th Street, Madison, Park, Third, and Willis Avenue Bridges) and are located at lower grades. At the heart of their construction was the issue of keeping the Harlem River navigable for water traffic and yet sufficiently serving the needs of land bound traffic crossing the river.
19th century
The issue of navigability became a topic of controversy early in the rivers history. In 1813, the Macomb family built a dam to power a mill; however it created a millpond and impeded the river’s flow and open navigation. While this condition was tolerated for several years, a vessel manned by principal landholders and politicians, including Governour and
Lewis MorrisLewis Morris was an American landowner and developer from Morrisania, New York. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Continental Congress for New York....
, formally challenged the obstruction in 1838. Legal battles over the legitimacy of the right to obstruct the waterway ensued. Ultimately, the testimony of numerous local residents, who used the river in transporting lumber, fuel, raw materials and produce to and from their estates, up and down the Harlem, helped persuade the courts to rule favorably for unimpeded access to the river’s navigable waters.
Consequently, bridge designs thereafter needed to factor in the rights of waterborne traffic to pass freely, an issue that instigated dissent in the future with regards to the efficiency of movable river crossings and the needs of the railroads. The issue of navigability gained urgency with the opening of the
Erie CanalThe Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
in 1825, spurring intense commercialization of the West Side waterfront on the Hudson River as well as interest in creating a faster route to the East River and the
Long Island SoundLong Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
beyond.
For the first half of the 19th century, the Harlem River basin had remained relatively unaffected by the commercial growth commonplace along the island’s south-most waterfront. However, public health issues concerning access to water for the burgeoning population and firefighting needs spurred a public works project that would greatly impact the region. A plan for the
Croton AqueductThe Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842...
was finalized in the late 1830s. This was a monumental public works project on a scale previously unseen in the United States. The aqueduct’s crossing at the Harlem River became the most prominent aspect of its course, prior to the fountains it supplied downtown. The High Bridge, as this crossing came to be known, was completed in 1848 to great public enthusiasm and worldwide acclaim. To accommodate the sloops and ferries sailing the river at the time, the bridge was required to meet certain minimum heights and widths for its supporting arches.
The construction of the Croton Aqueduct presaged the rapid subjugation of the natural landscape to accommodate the needs of economic and population growth in the New York metropolitan area. The Park Avenue Bridge for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was built concurrently, opening in 1841 and bringing rails to the Bronx east of the Hudson. The introduction of several rail lines near the Harlem in the following decades spurred growth of industrial and residential districts along the riverfront.
The installation of the Harlem Line along the river’s edge, completed in 1851, forever changed access to the shore on the Bronx side of the Harlem. The construction of rails on trestles set in “rip-rap” foundations on the riverbed pushed the trains off the land’s edge in favor of an unobstructed course north. These trestles and rip-rap then provided the support for new fill between the rails and the shore. The negative impacts on the shoreline were manifest in the difficulty building new docks or piers, which would require at-grade crossings, as well as in restricted access to the riverfront, which had previously been a resource that benefited residents for generations.
During this period, anticipated growth in shipping commerce persuaded the city of New York to create the Department of Docks in 1870, as well as adopt a waterfront plan, known as the “McLellan Plan,” which envisioned a partially submerged masonry wall around the whole of the island. These new works were not implemented as rapidly along the Harlem River as they were along the shores of the East and Hudson Rivers, where the channels were deeper and wider, accommodating longer piers.
Development of the land around the Harlem River has long been linked to not only the area’s topography, but also its geology. Composed of three distinct layers of bedrock, Manhattan Schist, Fordham Gneiss, and Inwood Marble, these rock types were found in outcroppings in the locality and were likely used by the earliest residents for building material as the marble was readily available and easy to tool. In the early 19th century, the stone had been quarried in Inwood and Marble Hill to produce both a building material as well as lime mortar. In 1819, the Spuyten Duyvil Creek was widened to provide additional power for the local marble industry. The excavation for the Harlem River Shipping Canal in 1895, directly through an old quarry site, also served to provide a large quantity of marble rubble, which was used as a building material throughout the area.
20th century
The increase of both recreational and commercial traffic along the river at the turn of the 20th century required further manipulation of the shore. The river was dredged, formally surveyed, and demarcated by the beginning of the 20th century. The northern tip of the waterway, called Spuyten Duyvil, went through massive changes leading up to the opening of the Harlem River Shipping Canal. This project deepened the river in this area eighteen feet and widened it four hundred feet. As a result of this engineering project, a portion of Manhattan was severed from the landmass, geographically becoming a part of the Bronx. Today this area is known as Marble Hill, and the community there continues to struggle with political boundaries that are split between the boroughs.
While the canal helped shape the communities around it in a number of ways, its plan came too late to influence the development of port facilities further south, which were already committed to a course of growth centered on the railroads. The industrial districts that formed around Mott Haven and Harlem responded most to the presence of the railroad, which developed both as a complement and competitor to waterborne trade. Movement of materials, goods and people along the axes of Manhattan and the Bronx indicated a flexibility of transport with which shipping could not compete.
Despite the movement away from using the waterway for shipping, its role as a transportation corridor continued to evolve during the end of the 19th-century. This period saw the height of bridge building as the City of New York stretched into its outermost boundaries and sought ways to make use of available land. The peak in bridge construction lasted from 1880 to 1910 and focused on the swing bridge as the most economical way to reconcile the land-wasteful approaches of tall bridges with the desire to keep the river navigable for taller vessels. Some of these bridges replaced predecessors unable to sustain increased traffic; others were erected at new sites to provide more access points. Yet another was recycled and moved to a new location further down the river. Almost all of these bridges from that era of expansion are in existence today. Most of these bridges were for local traffic and pedestrians, and a few accommodated trolley lines. Two were constructed for elevated trains lines prior to the advent of the subway.
The more recently built Harlem bridges respond to land bound traffic only, as the use of the river as waterway diminished by the late 1920s. The fixed arch Henry Hudson (1936) and Alexander Hamilton (1964) Bridges were added in the later era of automobile highways. Both were intended to relieve traffic congestion in the area, but the amount of vehicles quickly increased to fill the temporary lag. Two swing bridges were torn down in the 1950s when their use as elevated train lines was no longer warranted. Two of the more recently constructed bridges (at Broadway and Park Avenue) are vertical lift replacements of swing spans, where the previous bridges had become obsolete for the subway and railroad that used them.
The evolution of the bridges across the Harlem River reflects its use as an urban transit corridor, while a few also conjure its fleeting pastoral reputation. Far more tame than the East or Hudson Rivers, the Harlem was not as daunting an obstruction as other rivers. It did not require bridges like the Brooklyn or George Washington that were marvels of long-span engineering. The river required those engineering feats of industrial practicality that would allow for large amounts of vehicles, people, and goods to efficiently cross over the river and on it. Truly urban in their response to the land they occupy, the Harlem River bridges each reflect the metropolis’ ambitions and needs of their time.
On a continual basis, those who have settled near its waters have physically molded the Harlem River and taken advantage of its natural topography. While it often seems the infrastructure that once complemented the river’s function now serves to bypass it, these ongoing alterations to the resource reflect the history of the object, the people who exploited its assets, and the manner in which it shaped its bordering communities as well as New York City. The transformation of the waterway through the years suggests its ability to again be adapted for viable uses, both commercial and recreational, by those that live and work near it. Through enhanced access and usage the Harlem River’s rich history and significance can be appreciated and honored.
Recreational uses
The Harlem River was the traditional
rowingWatercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...
course for New York, analogous to the
Charles RiverThe Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
in Boston and the
Schuylkill RiverThe Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
in Philadelphia. On the Harlem's banks is the boathouse for the
Columbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
crew, and the river is the home course for the university's crew. The "C Rock" refers to a large Columbia varsity "C" painted on a rock face along the tracks used by
Metro-North RailroadThe Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
.
Despite commercial developments, the Harlem River has been used by many as a major source of recreation. In the year 1902, over 1000 rowers made use of the Harlem River. A number of boat clubs were located along its shores, and remained until 1978, when the last boathouse at Sherman Creek burned down.
While much can be said about the commercial use of the waterway, the recreational facilities that line its shore also contributed to defining its character. The steep cliffs that line much of the area were obvious locations for parkland. The High Bridge shore was developed as a park and “speedway,” on which the well-trained steeds of Manhattan’s elite could race without pedestrian interference. This is an example of the manner in which the shoreline was sculpted, as the rugged edge was united with existing islands to create a landscape in a resort atmosphere from which one could comfortably observe the horse races on land and the
scullingSculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
in the water. Magnificent arches, stairwells, and footpaths were constructed to facilitate the leisurely usage of the waterfront.
Also on the river are the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse and Harlem River Community Rowing, two community rowing facilities. The river is used by crews from
New York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
,
Fordham UniversityFordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
, and
Manhattan CollegeManhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, though the only university with permanent facilities on the river is
ColumbiaColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In the past, Columbia rowers have assisted the
New York City Police DepartmentThe New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
in murder investigations by sighting bodies in the water. Such occurrences have appeared in the television series
Law & OrderLaw & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
.