Not Many People Know The Fascinating History Of This New York River

As one of the many tributaries of the mighty Hudson River, the Saw Mill River in New York may not seem particularly special. Sure, this Westchester County river is pretty enough. And it’s the only major river in the county to drain into the Hudson instead of Long Island Sound. But at only 23.5 miles, it’s not particularly long or impressive, so it may not seem very noteworthy. But this river actually has a fascinating history!

Yonkers was the first major city to develop along the river, and with it came mills. Industrial pollution took its toll on the waterway, dyeing the water yellow in some areas.

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By the 1920s, the pollution had reached absolutely atrocious levels. The state enacted a number of regulations, but this didn’t stop the pollution from the mills, barns, and houses that were draining into the Saw Mill River.

PointsofNoReturn/Wikimedia Commons

The city of Yonkers decided it was easier to cover up the river than try to clean up the cesspools of waste. Beginning in 1917, the last half mile of the river was covered over and the Getty Square neighborhood was built directly above it.

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In the 2010s, the city began to daylight the river. The process of daylighting means to take a river that had once been buried underground and bring it back up to the surface.

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As you can imagine, daylighting is an expensive and difficult process. Only a few rivers in the United States have been daylighted, and the Saw Mill River was the first in New York.

Anna Schermerhorn-Collins/Google Maps

The river is now the centerpiece of a park. Bike trails and walking trails surround it, and it’s a beautiful bit of nature in the midst of urban development.

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We love to hear interesting stories about unique moments in history such as the daylighting of the Saw Mill River in New York. What other New York icons would you like to see information about? Share your suggestions in the comments!

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Address: Saw Mill River, New York, USA