Early Means of Communication 219 



called from the fact that the distinguished Frenchman passed 

 over the lane to Boston after his visit at Morrisania in 1824). 

 This lane must have joined the present Westchester Avenue 

 near Fox's Corners, as the swamp and meadow land of the 

 Bronx River would have prevented its continuance in a direct 

 line. Westchester Avenue follows the line of the ancient road ; 

 this was laid out by the Westchester Turnpike Company 

 after 1800. In 1729, the town authorities of Westchester 

 ordered that a road should be laid out from the King's Road 

 leading from Morrisania to "the landing-place below John 

 Hunt's house." This probably refers to the Hunt's Point 

 road leading from Fox's Corners. 



On account of the close connection between Westchester 

 and Eastchester, there was very early a road connecting the 

 two places — one following the old Indian trail. In the patent 

 of Colonel Nicolls to the grantees of the "Ten Farms," the 

 Westchester Path is specifically mentioned. This is still called 

 the Eastchester Road ; it passes up the west side of Westchester 

 Creek and joins the Boston Road of 1798 near where Corsa 

 Lane comes from Williamsbridge. 



From the road connecting Westchester with Williamsbridge, 

 a short distance from the crossing of the Boston, or Coles, 

 road, there is a road called the Saw-mill Lane leading to Givan's 

 Creek, which enters the Hutchinson River near its mouth. 

 It crosses the Eastchester Road north of the Pelham and Bronx 

 Parkway; and, from its name, one must conclude that it led 

 to a saw-mill. In the will of the Reverend John Bartow, 

 under date of January 24, 1725, we find him devising land in 

 this neighborhood and describing it as "bounded on the north 

 by the road leading to Thomas Haddon's saw-mill." The 

 old lane is to be wiped out when the proposed plan of streets 

 is carried out. 



