Early Means of Communication 213 



postman travelled on horseback and travellers accompanied 

 him on the way; a woman passenger sometimes rode on a 

 pillion behind the postman. It was not until after the Revo- 

 lution, in 1785, that stages began running over the post-road 

 to Albany. It was not until about 1808 that the present 

 Broadway was filled in on the western side of the marsh. This 

 was done by the Highland Turnpike Company, who hung 

 gates and charged toll. The causeway called Depot Street, 

 connecting Broadway with the railroad station at Kingsbridge, 

 was constructed about 1855 by the late Joseph Godwin, Esq., 

 as a short cut to the road leading to Highbridge, Morrisania, 

 West Farms, and Westchester. 



If the traveller had turned to his right through the village 

 of Fordham at the foot of Tetard's Hill, he would have passed 

 over the ancient Westchester Path up over the hill (Highbridge 

 Road) into the present Kingsbridge Road. His course would 

 have been then relatively past the Dutch church at Fordham, 

 the southern end of Jerome Park reservoir, Poe Park, across 

 the tracks of the Harlem Railroad at the station opposite St. 

 John's College, Fordham (though the ancient road used to 

 go through the College grounds), over Pelham Avenue to 

 Bronxdale, whence he could continue over the Bear Swamp 

 Road to Westchester, or turn to his right over the Unionport 

 Road to Castle Hill. The improvements in this section within 

 recent years have obliterated most of the old roads, so that 

 only the general direction can be given by present thorough- 

 fares. The Highbridge and Kingsbridge roads are ancient 

 highways; east of the Bronx River, the rural conditions still 

 prevail to some extent; but the progress of development is 

 so rapid that in a few years they will have departed also, 

 especially since the completion of the subway has rendered 

 these rural communities more accessible. The Bear Swamp 



