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beautiful and picturesque natural feature, besides being of 

 great geological significance. Its depth from the summits 

 of the hills on both sides averages nearly 75 feet, and its 

 sides below the foot-bridge at the mansion are nearly ver- 

 tical rock faces. The hills on both sides are heavily wooded 

 with hemlock spruce and other trees. In the upper part 

 of the gorge the river flows slowly, being held back by the 

 dam forming the waterfall at the mansion, and the ele- 

 vation of its surface is only a few inches higher at the 

 boulder bridge than it is at the fall; after plunging over the 

 dam, however, the river runs in its unobstructed natural 

 channel with all the appearance of a mountain stream, 

 which at high water is exceedingly beautiful. 



22. North Meadows and River, Woods 



The Bronx River enters the northern end of the Garden 

 from Williamsbridge and flows as a slow stream southward 

 to the waterfall at the mansion, its surface being nearly 

 level throughout this distance. It is spanned just inside 

 the northern boundary of the Garden by a concrete-steel 

 arched bridge with granite copings, which carries the main 

 park driveway across it near the Bronx River Parkway 

 entrance. The entire northern end of the Garden is formed 

 of the flood plain of the Bronx River, consisting largely of 

 grassy meadows and marshes which at average flow of the 

 stream are several feet above its surface, but which at flood 

 time are occasionally submerged for short periods, the whole 

 valley being a very interesting illustration of the behavior 

 of a small stream with a large watershed at and about its 

 sources. Considerable areas of the marshy land have al- 

 ready been reclaimed by filling, and by the lowering of the 

 dam forming the waterfall at the mansion; the general 

 plan contemplates a much further reduction in the amount 

 of marshy ground, and a further lowering and deepening 

 of the river by dredging, in order to take off freshets with 

 greater rapidity. A part of this flood-plain is occupied by 

 the plantations of willows and poplars already described, 



