CHAPTER XVI 



CITY ISLAND AND EASTCHESTER 



The Blacksmith Who Refused to Shoe a Horse on Sunday — Scenes That Figure 

 in the Fight for Independence — President John Adams in The Bronx. 



|ITY ISLAND is a very delightful village, lying off Rod- 

 man's Neck, and comprises 230 acres. Until recently 

 it was connected with the mainland with a wooden 

 bridge, which originally spanned the Harlem River, 

 and some of the timbers of which had been taken from 

 the old frigate North Carolina. This antique bridge was replaced 

 by the present steel structure, which cost $200,000, erected in 1898, 

 and opened to the public July 4th, 1901, 



In the early days City Island was known as Minnewits, or 

 Great Minnefords, Island, probably after Peter Minuits, the Dutch 

 Governor and purchaser of Manhattan Island. It was a part of 

 Pelham Manor, and was purchased from Thomas Pell by John 

 Smith of Brooklyn. On June 19, 1761, the island came into the 

 possession of Benjamin Palmer, who built the Free Bridge at 

 Spuyten Duyvil. 



In 1761 the inhabitants of the island launched a scheme to 

 build a city which would surpass New York — whence the name 

 City Island. Several ferries were established to ply between 

 the mainland and the island in order to further this project. The 

 plan was checked by the Revolution, but was revived in 1790. 

 The island was cut up into 4,500 lots of one hundred by twenty-five 

 feet, which were sold at ten pounds each. In 1818 and in 1819 

 Nicholas Haight, Joshua Hustace and George W. Horton owned 

 nearly all of the island and Rodman's Neck. 



City Island is said to have been the first place in America 

 where oyster culture was commenced. The old wooden bridge was 

 always crowded on Sunday afternoon with anglers who found 

 fishing in the water below very fruitful. City Island is also noted 

 as a boat-building resort, and a laying-up place for racing craft, 

 particularly of cup defenders of international fame. 



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