Ridgewood Reservoir / Highland Park
Ridgewood Reservoir was completed on the Queens/Brooklyn line
in the 19th century to distribute water from various points on Long
Island for use by the citizens of Brooklyn. Ground was broken for
the reservoir on July 11, 1856 and water was first raised on November 18, 1858.
Initially the reservoir had two basins and was
filled with water that passed from Baisley Pond through an aqueduct
(on what is now Conduit Avenue) to steam pumping stations at Atlantic
Avenue and Chestnut Street. Those pumping stations pushed the water through
a tube (running down what is now Force Tube Avenue) into Ridgewood Reservoir
at the top of the hill. A third basin was added in 1863 and by 1868 the
Ridgewood Reservoir held an average of 154.4 million gallons daily,
enough to supply the City of Brooklyn for ten days at that time.
Growing demand necessitated the expansion of the Brooklyn Water Works
further west with wells and collection reservoirs up to 30 miles away.
Further westward growth was halted by legislation enacteded to protect
the water of Suffolk County.
The merger of the city of Brooklyn with New York City in 1898 lead to
the integration of Brooklyn's water infrastructure with New York City's
growing Catskill and Delaware water systems. Ridgewood Reservoir became
increasingly obsolete and the need for pumping stations (in contrast to
the gravity-fed Catskill system) made it expensive to operate. The
Reservior was relegated to backup status in 1959. The basins became havens
for illegal swimming (and associated drownings) and were finally decommissioned
and drained in 1989.
With its draining and abandonment, the reservoir basins effectively
returned to a natural state with the outer basins becoming home to a birch
forest and the central basin becoming a grassy marsh. Despite being
encompassed on all sides by urban development, the reservoir also became
a sanctuary for diverse animal life, including 137 different documented species
of birds.
The reservoir is bordered on the south and west by Highland Park, which
was created on the land immediately surrounding Ridgewood Reservior that
was purchased by the City of Brooklyn in 1891 under the jurisdiction of the
Highland Park Society. Between 1901 and 1905 the Brooklyn Department of Parks
began improving the area with several structures, a rustic bridge, roads,
footpaths, a flower garden and a new lake and fountain. In 1905, the City
expanded the park by purchasing the Shenck estate just to the south of the
Reservoir. The final expansion occurred in 1906 with purchase of a third
parcel to the west from the Department of Water.
The park sits on the border between Queens and Brookly and in its
early days became a recreational haven for residents of both boroughs.
The park ultimately included football fields, baseball fields, tennis
courts and (in the winter) a frozen pond for skating. An aquatic garden
was added in 1907 and a children's farm garden in 1915. In 1991 the western
section of the park was renamed the Vito P. Battista Playground in memory of
a local educator and community leader.
The maintenance of the park has ebbed and flowed over the years,
with many of the fields receiving only minimal care. Despite this, in 2004
the reservoir was turned over to the Parks Department for integration
into the park. In October of 2007, the Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe
quietly unveiled a contract to breach one of the reservoir basins and
clear 20 acres for additional ball fields. However, on June
26, 2008, NYC City Controller William C. Thompson, Jr.
rejected the initial contract for the new development, citing concerns about
the environmental impact, increased truck traffic, and the vendor
selection process.
Links
Battista Playground
Entering Highland Park from the west brings you through a portion of the park that
was the last parcel of land added to Highland Park. At the time of purchase in 1906
it was home to a small reservoir. The playground built on top of the filled-in reservoir
was renamed the Vito P. Battista Playground in memory of a local educator and community leader.
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Map in upper park on Highland Blvd. |
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Map in upper park on Highland Blvd. |
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Park benches in upper park |
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Highland Park sign |
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Looking south at Battista Playground |
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Upper park pathway |
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Golf ball |
Upper Highland Park
This was the original part of Highland Park constructed to the west of
Ridgewood Reservoir between 1901 and 1905. It is separated from the lower
park by Highland Boulevard.
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Makeshift soccer field |
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Walkway just to the east of the glen |
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Picnic tables just to the east of the glen |
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Homes on the southern edge of upper Highland Park |
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Baseball field in upper Highland Park |
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Developers on the prowl |
Boulder Bridge
40.68465,-72.8919
This bridge was designed by William J. Zartmann and built in 1901 as a feature of the
original Highland Park. It initially was part of a road that connected Highland Boulevard
with a winding road that went around the back of the park. It carried the road over
a walkway from the western part of the park through a natural glen into the woods
on the other side. While the glen may have contained a pond, historic photos
do not show the bridge crossing any kind of body of water, although water may
drain under this bridge during heavy rains.
(
1902 Brooklyn Daily Eagle article on construction of the Boulder Bridge)
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Boulder Bridge |
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Boulder Bridge |
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Boulder Bridge |
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Boulder Bridge |
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Boulder Bridge |
The Glen
40.6851,-73.8922
This naturally-occuring glen in the western part of the upper park
has a paved walkway around its upper rim and a surprisingly ornate scenic
overlook ("the fort"). From inconclusive historic photos, this
glen may have contained a pond during the early years of the park (which
would explain the overlook) but no trace remains. The glen is now well
overgrown with trees and small plants and does not appear to be
very carefully maintained or used by local residents.
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Eestern path into the glen |
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Stairway on eastern rim into the glen |
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Stairway on eastern rim into the glen |
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Walkway on eastern rim of the glen |
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Walkway on northern rim of the glen |
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Scenic overlook (the fort) on northern rim of the glen |
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Scenic overlook (the fort) on northern rim of the glen |
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The glen |
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The glen |
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Lamppost in the glen |
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Looking down into the glen from the northeast rim |
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Looking into the glen from the southern rim |
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Your humble photographer |
The Pavillion
40.6864,-73.8924
This derelict pavillion sits on the northern edge of upper Highland Park
right next to the Jackie Robinson Parkway. It obviously dates from the
construction of the upper park in 1901-1905 but I'm not sure exactly what
its purpose was. It is not the music pavillion, which was a bit further
south and is no longer extant.
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
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The Pavillion |
Ridgewood Reservoir
The reservoir itself is actually a bit difficult to photograph
legally. While there are numerous (and obviously well-used)
breaches in the fence, concerns for personal safety (and legal
status) trump my interest in getting the perfect picture. Pictures
have to be taken over or through a 10-foot chain link fence and
the view is often obscured by vegetation or the older, delapidated
chain-link fence that was left in place when the new fence was erected.
5/6/2008 02:22 PM
Bike path on west edge of west basin |
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Bike path on northern edge of west basin |
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Birch forest in the west basin |
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Sign on gate of west basin |
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Bike path on northwest corner of west basin |
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'No dogs' sign on north fence of west basin |
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Gate house on north edge of West basin |
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Gate house on north edge of West basin |
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Gate house on north edge of west basin |
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Gate house on north edge of west basin |
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Bike path on north edge of center basin |
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Eastern wall of the west basin |
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Walking path between the west and center basins |
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Center basin marsh - one of the few good views of the reservoir from the bike path |
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Leaves of three, leave 'em be (poison ivy) |
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Gate house on north edge of center basin |
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Gate house on north edge of center basin |
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Gate controller valves |
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Gate house on north edge of center basin |
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Gate house on north edge of center basin |
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Stone wall on north edge of east basin |
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East basin vegetation |
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Staircase warning sign |
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Bike path around northeast corner of the east basin |
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Bike path along the east side of the east basin looking south |
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Stone wall on east side of east basin |
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Stone wall on east side of east basin |
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Bike path along the east side of the east basin looking south |
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Cypress Hills Memorial Cemetery viewed from bike path on east side of the east basin |
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Bike path along the east side of the east basin looking north |
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Cypress Hills Memorial Cemetery viewed from bike path on east side of the east basin |
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Cypress Hills Memorial Cemetery viewed from bike path on east side of the east basin |
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Stairwell down to Highland Park from the southeast corner of the reservoir |
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ATV paths on hillside just south of the east basin |
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Bike path on south side of east basin |
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Walkway between center and east basins - oh, so tempting, but what if you get caught? |
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Walkway between center and east basins |
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Stone gate structure on south edge of center basin - where water came in from the force tube? |
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Stone gate structure on south edge of center basin |
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ATV paths on hillside just south of the center basin |
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Walkway between center and west basins |
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Walkway between center and west basins |
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Bike path on south edge of center basin |
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Center basin gate house viewed from across the basin |
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Stairwell down from center basin to lower Highland Park |
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Stairwell down from center basin to lower Highland Park |
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Stairwell down from center basin to lower Highland Park |
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Force Tube Avenue - location of pipe connecting the pump station on Atlantic Avenue to the reservoir up the hill |
Lower Highland Park
This area of Highland Park to the south of the reservoir (and at a lower altitude)
was added to the park in 1905 when the city purchased the former estate of Johannes
Schenck. Schenck emigrated from Holland to the colony of New York in 1683 and worked
as a teacher and town clerk in Flatbush, New York, and Bushwick. A Dutch-style
farmhouse was included in the sale and was used as a park facility until being
demolished in 1940.
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Lower Highland Park sign |
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Lower Highland Park ballfields |
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Lower Highland Park ballfields |
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No visit to Highland Park is complete without a trip to Crown Fried Chicken on Fulton Street |
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Mmmm... |
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
The reservoir is bordered on the eastern side by Cypress Hills National Cemetery,
which was carved out of the private Cypress Hills Cemetery (established 1848) in 1862
to accomodate casualties of the War Between the States. Originally known as the
"Union Grounds" it was deeded to the federal government in 1870 and given
its current name. In 1884, additional land was purchased to expand to 15 acres.
It residents include veterans and family members from all major conflicts since the
American Revolutionary War.
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Front gate |
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Front gate post |
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Cemetery map |
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Grave listing book |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
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Cypress Hills National Cemetery |
Evergreens Cemetery
Evergreens Cemetery sits on the northwest border of Highland Park on the
opposite side of the Jackie Robinson Parkway. It was organized in 1849 as a
non-sectarian cemetery, under the Rural Cemetery Act of 1847 and has over a
half-million residents on 225 acres.
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Entry gate |
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Evergreen Cemetery |
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Evergreen Cemetery |
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Evergreen Cemetery |
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Evergreen Cemetery |
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Evergreen Cemetery |
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Bushwick Avenue retaining wall |
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Bushwick Avenue retaining wall |
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