Hutchinson River

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Coordinates: 40°51′14″N 73°48′28″W / 40.85389°N 73.80778°W / 40.85389; -73.80778
Hutchinson River (Aquacanounck, Aqueanounck, Aqueanouncke[1])
East Chester Creek, Eastchester Creek, Eastchester River, Hutchins Creek, Hutchinson Creek, Hutchinson's Brook, Hutchinson's River, Hutchinsons River[1]
Stream
Mouth of the Hutchinson River in Pelham Bay Park
Country USA
State New York
District Westchester, Bronx
Source
 - location Scarsdale, New York
 - coordinates 40°59′14″N 073°47′08″W / 40.98722°N 73.78556°W / 40.98722; -73.78556
Mouth Eastchester Bay
 - location Bronx, New York
 - coordinates 40°51′14″N 73°48′28″W / 40.85389°N 73.80778°W / 40.85389; -73.80778

The Hutchinson River is a freshwater stream located in Southern Westchester County, New York. The river forms in Scarsdale at Brookline Road and flows 10 miles (16 km) south until it empties into Eastchester Bay in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The river serves as the boundaries of Scarsdale and New Rochelle, New Rochelle and Eastchester and Mount Vernon and Pelham.[2]

The river is named for Anne Hutchinson who came from Rhode Island in 1642 and settled on Pelham Neck to the east of the river, across from where Co-op City is now. She was murdered by a group of Indians the following year.[3]

The Hutchinson River was dammed by the New Rochelle Water Company in 1886 and 1907 to create three reservoirs at the northern end of the community. The reservoirs and the surrounding water shed property was purchased by the Westchester County Park Commission in 1927 for parkland and parkway purposes.[4] A part of the land was used for the Hutchinson River Parkway which follows the river for most of its distance.

Navigation

The Hutchinson river is navigable for its final three miles. Tugs and barges and the occasional small tanker still make their way to the terminals that are still operating. The northernmost active terminal is Sprague Energy located at 100 Canal Rd. Mount Vernon still accepts barges of heating oil, ULSD and biodiesel blends daily. The other two active docks are PASCAP which exports scrap metal, and the former Colonial Sand and Gravel dock, which accepts scows full of aggregate to make cement and asphalt.The river is suffering from neglect and although it was dredged in 2010, the northernmost section was not and is filling in with silt. Only shallow draft barges can reach Sprague at High water. The northernmost dock in the dredged project Imperior Brothers Inc, has not been able to accept a scow of aggregates since 2007 due to the silt.

Crossings

The Hutchinson River Bridge carries Amtrak's Northeast Corridor

There are 6 bridges over the navigable section carrying rail and automobile traffic. They are from downstream heading up stream. Pelham Bridge (movable), Amtrak Pelham (movable), Hutchinson River Parkway (movable), New England Thruway (fixed), Boston Post Road (fixed), and Fulton Ave Bridge (movable). The movable bridges still employ tenders and open daily for maritime traffic.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Hutchinson River". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. 
  2. ↑ Lederer, Richard M. (1978). The Place Names of Westchester County New York. Harrison, NY: Harbor Hill Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-916346-30-0. 
  3. ↑ "Anne Hutchinson". National Womens Hall of Fame. 1994. Retrieved December 24, 2011. 
  4. ↑ Nichols, Herbert (1938). Historic New Rochelle. New Rochelle, NY: The Little Print. pp. 106–108. 

External links

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