THE STORY OF GREAT BRIDGES 



47 



September, 1776; and over it again in November, 1783, Wash- 

 ington, Governor George Clinton and a guard of honor crossed, this 

 time with their faces southward, to resume once more the pos- 

 session of the City of New York. The surrounding section re- 

 ceived the name of Kingsbridge from this bridge. 



A short distance southeast of the King's Bridge stood the 

 Farmers' Free or Dyckman's Bridge, erected in 1758 which, unlike 

 King's Bridge, was free of all tolls. Philipse's bridge had become 

 irksome to the farmers who were obliged to pay toll each time they 



Courtesy Department of Bridges, City of New York 



Farmers' Bridge (Dyckman's) over Spuyten Duyvil Creek in 1860 



crossed and recrossed it on their way to and from market. A move- 

 ment was therefore started by Benjamin Palmer of City Island 

 for raising a popular subscription with which to erect a free 

 bridge. Palmer was encouraged in his efforts by Thomas Vermilye 

 of Fordham and Jacob Dyckman of Manhattan, both of whom fur- 

 nished the land for the approaches of the bridge. Despite the 

 persistent opposition of Frederick Philipse, who realized that his 

 revenue would be curtailed, the project was effected and the "Free 

 Bridge" formally opened on New Year's Day of 1759. Thus was 

 a blow struck at Colonial aristocracy. 



The bridge was also known as "Farmers' Bridge," "Dyck- 



