West Farms 389 



know that in a suit brought by the city of New York for the 

 water rights of all this property, the company won its case 

 upon the old Indian deeds and the ancient patents and grants 

 of the early colonial days to the original white owners. The 

 Whitlock, or Casanova, house was, in 1904, an enormous 

 square, barn-like building, visible from all directions, as it 

 stood upon an elevation and no trees obstructed the view. 

 So many weird tales were told about the old mansion that its 

 demolition was watched with intense interest. Its site is now 

 occupied by a large piano factory, and part of the grounds 

 has become the property of the railroad. The name of Casa- 

 nova is perpetuated in the near-by station of the Suburban 

 branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. 

 The former village of West Farms is situated about three 

 miles from the mouth of the Bronx River, to which point the 

 tide rises and falls. It is believed that Jonas Bronk established 

 mills here, and it is known that the patentees of the West 

 Farms did have mills here, for they are mentioned in ancient 

 documents. As stated in a former chapter, the property came 

 into the possession of the De Lancey family, and, in conse- 

 quence, was known as De Lancey's Mills for many generations. 

 The site of the ancient mills is now within the limits of Bronx 

 Park, at the old Kingsbridge Road. About 1825, the property 

 was bought by Mr. David Lydig for a summer residence and 

 he occupied the De Lancey house on the east side of the stream. 

 The house was afterward burned. Mr. Lydig was a practical 

 miller from the valley of the Genesee, and he continued to 

 operate the mills and greatly enlarged them. There is nothing 

 left of them now except the dam and the foundations of the 

 mills. Several coloring mills line the stream between the 

 bridge at East 180th Street and that at 177th Street, or Walker 

 Avenue. Below the latter bridge are the extensive buildings 



