Just two months later, you see the rectangles have moved and changed color. The British had chased Washington and his men up to the north. All through the American Revolution crossing the Bronx River was an issue. The road that crosses the river under the name Delancey, today 179 th street, even had a British controlled fort that was burned down by Aaron Burr. But one of the reasons there was a road there at all was because Delancey had a dam at 182 nd street , today the dam in River Park. This lowered the level of the river and made it an easier crossing. It also had the ecological effect of stopping migrating fish from returning to the fresh water to spawn.
This 1829 map shows that the number of roads had grown a little, but also shows that much of the area around the river was swampy. At this time all of what is today the Bronx was considered a part of Westchester County.
This is west Farms, just south of East Tremont avenue. Though much of the “Bronx” was still rural, it had many industries along the river. East of the river was Westchester County and to the west was NYC.
Looking North from 180 th street, into what is today the Bronx Zoo. All of the buildings on the left used river water for power or to wash industrial broducts and dump waste. Note the outhouse in the lower left corner. 3 years befor this picture was taken, both sides of the river became part of NYC. In looking for a name for the new borough, they looked to the River that ran through it: The Bronx River. Hence, The Bronx.
