Celebrating High Bridge

High Bridge is one of the greatest feats of early American engineering and New York City’s oldest standing bridge. A key part of what we now call the Old Croton Aqueduct, the bridge once carried water across the Harlem River into Manhattan. Although it was built to support large water pipes, it was open to pedestrians and soon after completion in 1848 the bridge became a hugely popular public promenade—thronged by visitors enjoying the views—and a favorite subject for artists and photographers.

After more than 20 years of planning and fundraising by a diverse coalition of organizations High Bridge has been reopened.

To celebrate we’ve assembled a group of images including one of John B. Jervis’s original engineering drawings, 19th century prints and stereoviews, works of art inspired by the bridge, a children’s puzzle and more.

You can learn more about this historic landmark—and plan a visit—here.

Click the images below to enlarge them.

Elevation of a high bridge for crossing Harlem River by John B. Jervis. Jervis Library.

Detail from John B. Jervis’ plan of High Bridge, circa 1844. Jervis Library.

Wood engraving of the design for the “Harlem River Bridge” from the newspaper Dollar Weekly, October 22, 1842.

Detail of the front page of The New York Herald, April 17, 1848, the year the bridge was completed.

View of High Bridge and the Harlem River by William James Bennett, 1844. New York Public Library.

The High Bridge at Harlem, N.Y. Published by Nathaniel Currier, circa 1849. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

High Bridge During the Construction of the Large Main. D.T. Valentine’s Manual, 1862.

High Bridge During the Construction of the Large Main. D.T. Valentine’s Manual, 1862.

High Bridge, circa 1861. Gelatin silver print. New-York Historical Society. See the Valentine’s Manual lithograph print of this same image.

High Bridge, New York by Jasper F. Cropsey, circa 1879. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.

Bird’s eye view of High Bridge. Detail from The City of New York by Will L. Taylor, chief draughtsman. New York, Galt & Hoy, 1879. The Library of Congress.

High Bridge and High Service Works and Reservoir. D.T. Valentine’s Manual, circa 1869. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Detail from High Bridge and High Service Works and Reservoir. D.T. Valentine’s Manual, circa 1869. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Detail from High Bridge and High Service Works and Reservoir. D.T. Valentine’s Manual, circa 1869. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

High Bridge from the North, showing Hotel, Stereoview from Robert N. Dennis collection, New York Public Library.

High Bridge, New York. Stereoview from Robert N. Dennis collection, New York Public Library.

High Bridge from the East. Stereoview from Robert N. Dennis collection, New York Public Library.

Looking west across High Bridge, 1923. Eugene L. Armbruster photograph collection, New-York Historical Society,

Detail of a stereoview by Underwood & Underwood. UC Riverside, California Museum of Photography, Keystone Mast Collection.

Edgar Allen Poe Walking on the High Bridge by Bernard Jacob Rosenmeyer, circa 1900.

High Bridge, New York City by Jules Guerin. Century Magazine, October, 1902

High Bridge looking north toward the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. Early 1900s. Lehman College Library, CUNY.

High Bridge, Early Moon by Ernest Lawson, circa 1910. The Phillips Collection.

High Bridge puzzle, published by E. G. Selchow & Co., circa 1867-1880.

Harlem River at High Bridge by Ernest Lawson, 1911. De Young Museum.

High Bridge, New York City, 1900. Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection, Library of Congress.

High Bridge, New York by Henry Ward Ranger, 1905.

High Bridge by Childe Hassam, 1922. Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

High Bridge in Winter by Hayley Lever, circa 1913.

High Bridge and Washington Bridge, Harlem River, N.Y.C., looking south by William Henry Jackson, circa 1890. Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection, Library of Congress.

Pedestrians on High Bridge, circa 1915. Private collection.

Detail of pedestrians on High Bridge, circa 1915. Private collection.

Alternate plan for replacing the piers in the Harlem River, submitted the New York Chapter of the A.I.A. and the American Institute of Consulting Engineers. The American Architect, January 21, 1921.

The “economical, but ugly” plan for replacing the piers in the Harlem River. The American Architect, January 21, 1921.

Another plan for replacing the piers in the Harlem River. The American Architect, January 21, 1921.