High Bridge Reopens After More Than 40 Years

It was not built to give New Yorkers expansive views of the Harlem River or a pedestrian shortcut between the Bronx and Manhattan. Rather, the monumental structure that is known as the High Bridge and echoes a Roman aqueduct opened in 1848 to bring fresh water from Westchester County to a booming young city.

But the vistas and easy access afforded by the bridge transformed the still-rural stretch of the river into a pleasure ground in the late 1800s. There were regattas, a speedway for horse and carriage races (now the Harlem River Drive), and the 123-foot-tall bridge itself — a parade route for fashionistas of the day.

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