The Highbridge Water Tower in Highbridge Park
Washington Heights around 174 Street
New York, NY 10022
https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/5937
https://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/highbridge-park/planyc
When I was walking through High Bridge Park while exploring Washington Heights for my blog, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’, I came across the Water Tower inside the park right next to the pool that was closed for the season and the Highbridge Walkway, which used to be the old aqueduct that used to bring fresh water into New York City.
The Highbridge Water Tower when I walked “The Great Saunter” through the neighborhood in 2023.
The Highbridge Water Tower is nearly 200 feet tall and stands around 174th Street in Washington Heights. The tower used to hold a 47,000-gallon water tank that was fed by the Croton Aqueduct. The Highbridge next to it was the last leg of the aqueduct’s forty-mile journey from upstate New York to Manhattan and is the oldest surviving bridge in New York City (T.M.Rives 2012).
The Highbridge in Highbridge Park
The tower itself was built between 1866-1872 by architect John B. Jervis in the Romanesque Revival and neo-grec styles and had a seven acre reservoir next to it. It opened in 1872 and was fully working in 1875. In 1949, the Water tower was disconnected from the system. The tower like the rest of the park had sat in disrepair for years and was restored between 1989-1990 (Wiki). The tower is now going through another restoration that should be finished by April of 2021 (NYCParks.com).
When I visited in the park that summer and then again in the Fall, it was behind fencing because it was still unsafe.
Highbridge Park is beautiful in the Spring and Fall but not the safest park in NYC.
Walking the paths of Highbridge Park
Highbridge Park is a wonderful park to walk around in in the middle of the day during the warmer months. I would not venture around it later at night or in the winter months. It can be a bit desolate and when you walk around the paths by the river with all the abandoned cars and graffiti can be a bit dangerous. I got some looks when walking around.
This was at the bottom of the bridge just off the path.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 
Visiting Highbridge park in the afternoon during the summer months is very nice. The Tower sits gracefully over the park and bridge.
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I visited the water tower in Highbridge Park today and was impressed by its beauty. The construction worker at the site said I couldn’t go in, understandably. He did say there are 220 steps to the top and a few landings to rest, if you need to. He implied that it would be open to the public when completed. it looks great up close and now there are glass windows in the top section giving it an airy feeling. The stone work is awesome. I hope the city and historical groups give it a proper reopening. Next on my list, the shrouded Hall of Fame at the former NYU campus in the Bronx.
BTW, the park was lovely and nearly deserted which was a shame on such a lovely day.
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Dear Richard,
The only problem that I found at Highbridge Park is do not walk around it after dark. At the times I visited the park it was in the warmer months. The one time I went there towards the end of Fall, it does get a little shady at times closer to twilight.
Don’t forget to visit the Morris-Jumel Mansion up by the old Polo Grounds when you are in that area. I am not sure if they reopened it since COVID but it is an interesting tour as is the Hamilton Grange closer to the CUNY campus. There is a treasure trove of history in that area of the City.
Sincerely,
Justin Watrel
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I was told long ago that the tower was a gift to NYC from Sweden. Is there any truth to that story? It’s very beautiful.
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Dear Brenda,
From the research that I found through some historical sites and Wiki, it was built between 1866 and 1872 and was designed by John Jervis. I saw nothing about a gift from Sweden. Maybe some funding might have come from there but I saw nothing in the records. Yes, it is very beautiful and if you can get up to the park in the Spring on a sunny, warm day it is worth the trip.
Please check out my other blogs on sites in Manhattan and NYC to visit.
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Justin Watrel, Blogger
VisitingaMuseum.com
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It was built in 1848. It is the oldest existing bridge (aqueduct) into Manhattan. The first bridge was the Kingsbridge connecting the Marble Hill section of Manhattan to the area just below Van Cortland park. The Harlem River connecting to the Hudson (aka the North River) was straightened out (c.1910) and Marble Hill though still in NY County became joined the Borough of the Bronx for municipal purposes. The central section of the Roman style aqueduct was replaced with an arch in 1927 to facilitate
boat traffic.
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Dear Tom,
Thank you for the information. I had read up on this when I visited the park. I hope you get a chance to see it.
Sincerely,
Justin Watrel, Blogger
VisitingaMuseum.com
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