192 The Story of The Bronx 



the name of the "Queen's Bridge"; though it was destroyed 

 at the time of the British occupation and not rebuilt until 

 after the war. In the summer of 191 1, the old bridge and 

 its approaches were demolished, and an overhead steel struc- 

 ture took their places. The tracks of the Putnam division 

 of the Central road pass under the new structure, as well as 

 the former tracks of the New York Central itself, which, as 

 far as the Kingsbridge station, are used as freight sidings. 

 The easterly end of the new bridge conforms with the grade 

 of the Kingsbridge road on the Bronx side; on the Manhattan 

 side, the former causeway is filled in and the grade of the new 

 street, called Muscoota Street, conforms at its western end 

 with the grade of Broadway. Some steps should be taken 

 to mark the site and historic associations of the old bridge, 

 which was the first attempt of the common people of the 

 eighteenth century to overthrow, or combat, the privileges 

 of the upper class — a first step toward democracy. 



After the removal of the ferry from Harlem in 1669, nothing 

 seems to have been done in the way of providing a means of 

 crossing the Harlem River near its eastern end until March 19, 

 1774, when the Assembly passed "An Act to enable Lewis 

 Morris and John Sickles to build a Bridge across Harlem 

 River." The fact that the Revolution ensued so soon after- 

 ward probably prevented the accomplishment of the work 

 by the manor-lord of Morrisania and the inhabitant of Harlem 

 who was to take care of his end of the bridge and its approaches. 

 In a communication from Governor Nicolls in 1666, mention 

 is made of "a passage which hath been made to ford over 

 from this island to the maine." By "this island" is meant 

 Verchers, or Hogg, Island, later Montressor's, now Randall's. 

 The ford, or passage, was through the Bronx Kills. Verveelen's 

 original ferry may have passed over or near this route. 



