In the early 19th century, New York City suffered from a lack of clean drinking water. Since most people at the time drank alcohol or cider instead of water, they got sick very often. As a result, there was an outbreak of diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. In response to this public health crisis, several plants were built that could filter drinking water and make it safe for human consumption again.
One such plant was the Croton Reservoir, also known as the Old Reservoir or simply The Reservoir. Construction started in 1842 and finished five years later. Today, we know it as the Croton Plant – one of New York’s oldest landmarks in which you can explore historic tunnels and learn about its history.
Where is the Croton Plant?
The Croton Plant is located at 10th Avenue and 39th Street in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. It is located just west of the Hudson River and next to the West Side Highway. The building itself is like a castle with a red roof and is surrounded by a beautiful garden. It is located very near to the Lincoln Tunnel. If you take the New York Subway, get off at the 34th Street – Penn Station subway station and then walk towards the Hudson River. From there, you can easily find the Croton Plant.
What’s so special about the Croton Plant?
The Croton Plant is special for many reasons. First off, it is one of the oldest landmarks in New York City, having been built more than 150 years ago. It is also the place where New Yorkers first got clean water to drink – and where the water was delivered through the first water mains. This landmark also has a unique architectural design. Its walls are made out of limestone, which come from a quarry in Pennsylvania. Its roof is made out of slate that was sourced from the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The building has 6 towers, 2 of which are round. It is also decorated with many statues, mosaics, and fountains.
Things to see at the Croton Plant
The Croton Plant has many things to see that you can explore and learn about. One of these is the Water Gate Fountain. You can also see the Croton Reservoir, which is a lake between the two towers that was built to store water. You can also explore the old tunnels that were built to transport water from the Croton Reservoir to the city.
The Croton Museum is another thing to see at the Croton Plant. This museum tells the story of how clean water was first made available to New Yorkers and how the Croton Plant helped make this possible. You can also see the plant’s gardens, which are beautifully decorated with flowers.
Why is it called “Croton”?
The Croton Plant is named after the Croton River, which is a river that flows through the Hudson Valley in New York. It is named after this river because the water from the Croton River was used to create the first drinking water supply for the city. The city of New York received its drinking water from the Croton River via this plant for about 50 years. In fact, it was one of the city’s most important water sources until it was replaced by the New Croton Aqueduct in 1890.
How was clean drinking water made there?
The Croton Plant was fitted with large wooden pipes that came from the Croton River. Water from the Croton River was transported to the plant in wooden barrels. From there, the water was filtered through sand and limestone that was poured into large wooden boxes. This made the water clean enough to be used to make drinking water. The water was then transported through wooden mains to the city of New York.
Summary
The Croton Plant is one of the oldest landmarks in New York City. It is the place where New Yorkers first got clean water to drink and where the water was delivered through the first water mains. It has a unique architectural design and is located near to the Lincoln Tunnel. You can easily find it by taking the New York Subway and getting off at the 34th Street – Penn Station subway station.
The Croton Plant is special for many reasons and has many things to see. It is named after the Croton River, from which the water from the Croton River was used to create the first drinking water supply for the city. How was clean drinking water made there? The water from the Croton River was transported to the plant in wooden barrels. From there, it was filtered through sand and limestone that was poured into large wooden boxes. This made the water clean enough to be used to make drinking water. The water was then transported through wooden mains to the city of New York.
References:
1-The psychological benefits of indoor plants: A critical review of the experimental literature
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.05.001
2-Ground-water underflow in Croton Valley, New York: A comparison of field- and laboratory-methods
https://doi.org/10.1029/TR019i001p00419
