You will find Bath Avenue situated on the shores of the Bath Beach neighborhood in Brooklyn. This road stretches just over two miles from Dyker Beach Park to Stillwell Avenue.

Bath Avenue is named after Bath, Brooklyn

As you might have guessed, Bath Avenue got its name from the neighborhood with the same name. This road has been the heart of the neighborhood since the beginning, and was a transportation route to other parts of the borough before the construction of Shore Parkway in the 1940s.

Since it’s easy to understand that the avenue was named after the neighborhood, a curious person might next wonder the etymology of the name for the neighborhood that gave this iconic road its name.

What is  Bath in Brooklyn

Bath is a small, relatively quiet Brooklyn neighborhood located south of 86^th Street, roughly bordered by the Ft. Hamilton Army Base and Cesar’s Bay.  The neighborhood is also known as Bath Beach.

The shoes of the Bath Beach neighborhood are along Gravesend Bay, and there was a very popular beach and resort community located here during the 1800s and early 1900s.  Even though an actual beach no longer exists here, the neighborhood has retained the name. 

How did the Brooklyn neighborhood Bath Beach get its name?

It is important to know that the area that we now know as Bath was first inhabited by Native Americans. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, this area was known as Manahanung.

Sometime between the early 1660s and 1776, the area was given the name of “Bath”.

There are a few conflicting theories about the history of Bath in Brooklyn and how the neighborhood got its name.  For example, some people say that it is named after Bath, England, while others say that it is a translation of Baden-Baden, a German town.

If we take history into consideration, both explanations make sense.  We know that the Dutch were the first Europeans to settle on Long Island, and that the British (i.e. English) were in control of New York, including Brooklyn, by December, 1664.

In the year 1666, the English government declared all of the Dutch land patents invalid and required that new ones be issued.  During the process of issuing the new land patents, the town of New Utrecht, which originally included the area that is now known as Bath, was allowed to keep its Dutch name, but it many other nearby Dutch place names were discarded.

It’s possible that Bath was given an English name during this time period.

However, we also might remember that the Dutch were the first European residents of what we now know as New York City.  Perhaps some early Dutch settlers were nostalgic about a German town they visited back in Europe?

Alternatively, the name “Bath” might have its origins in a Dutch word, just like Breukelen. In the course of researching for this article, I examined well over one hundred maps of Brooklyn and surrounding areas published between 1600-1800, and I could not find any evidence of a name that the Dutch may have used for this location.

However, the 1639 Manatus map does show that Bath area likely had a Dutch settlement.

Regardless of how exactly the name was given, the area of Brooklyn that we know of as Bath has had this name since at least 1776.  The image below was taken from an 1884 book about Kings County, including Brooklyn, and shows Bath clearly marked on the map.

In the map above, there appears to be a short path in the approximate location of the current Bath Ave, but there is no way to tell for sure from the map what the road may have been called at that time, or if it is the same path that is now Bath Avenue.

Conclusion

I hope that this article about one of Brooklyn’s historic neighborhoods, and the street that bears its name, has helped you learn everything that you wanted to know. 

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What language is the word Todt?

Todt is a word in Dutch, the language most commonly spoken in the Netherlands. Prior to the government established by the British in 1660s, the region was considered to be part of New Netherland.

Many other places in New York City have names that are clearly Dutch or have roots as Dutch words. For example, New Dorp Lane in Staten Island was named by the Dutch.

We even see Dutch influence in names in other parts of New York State. Many small upstate towns, such as Stone Arabia, can trace their names to likely Dutch roots.

What does Todt mean in Dutch?

Todt is one spelling of the word “death” in Dutch. The most common spelling of death in Dutch is dood, which is pronounced almost exactly the same as todt.

New Yorkers no longer pronounce todt the Dutch way. Instead, it’s now pronounced “tote”, which sounds nothing like the old Dutch word.

What is the origin of the name of Todt Hill Road?

Todt Hill Road is named after the nearby hill known as Todt Hill. Since now you know that todt means “death” in Dutch, you might not be surprised to learn that Todt Hill may have been the location of Dutch and Indigenous burial grounds.

So, as the story goes, the hill was associated with the burial grounds and named Todt Hill by Dutch speakers. Then, the adjacent road took on the name of the hill.

To be clear, no one knows absolutely for sure that the road was named after the hill, or even if the road was named after the cemeteries, or even if there really were old burial grounds in that exact location.

Other theories about the origin of the name include a story about a woman, her would-be lover, and toads. Alternatively, Todt is seen in Germany and the Netherlands as a surname, so it is conceivable that a person with the last name of Todt lived on or near the hill.

During research for this article, I scoured maps of Staten Island going back as far as the 1600s and did not find Todt Hill marked on any maps prior to the late 1800s.

Is Todt Hill the most elevated point on the eastern seaboard?

Technically, Todt Hill is the highest point on the Atlantic Plain south of Maine. There are other locations in east coast states that are higher than the 390 feet at the peak of Todt Hill’s elevation, but they are not on the Atlantic Plain.

It’s important to note that Todt Hill Road does not reach the highest elevation of Todt Hill itself, so it wouldn’t be accurate to say that Todt Hill Rd has the highest elevation. It’s the hill that Todt Hill Rd is named after (i.e. Todt Hill) that is the high point of the region.

Conclusion

I hope that this post has helped you learn about the name origins of Todt Hill Rd in Staten Island, as well as some other interesting facts about this road. It’s great to learn a bit about the history of the places where we spend our time.

If you have any questions about something that you read here, please be sure to join in the discussion below.

Thanks for reading today!

The post How Did Todt Hill Road Get Its Name? appeared first on New York Street Names.

As you might already know, New York City has a very long history. Human beings have been living in the area for at least 13,000 years.

Prior to the arrival of the Europeans to North America, there were many thriving cultures of Native Americans already living in the greater New York City region, including the Lenape people.

The fact portions of what is now known as the United States had been previously claimed as territory of European countries other than the United Kingdom often receives only a cursory mention in the history textbooks of many American schoolchildren. However, in New York City, it cannot be ignored.

More than 150 years prior to the Revolutionary War, New York City spent about 40 years under the control of the Dutch as a part of “New Netherland“. During this time, thousands of Dutch-speaking residents of the Netherlands came to settle in New York City and other parts of the broader region.

This leads us to exactly how New Dorp got its “unique” name.

Where did the name New Dorp come from?

New Dorp Lane got its name from the Dutch word “Nieuw Dorp”, which means, literally, “new city”. This town was called Niew Dorp because there was a “The Village” (Het Dorp) that was established a few years prior in 1637.

You can try it yourself on Google Translate. Plug “nieuw dorp” into the box as Dutch, and request that it translate to English.

And yes, there was also an Oude Dorp. You guessed it – it means “Old Village”, and the road between the settlements at New Dorp and Old Dorp was Old Town Road, which still exists.

You’ll get “New Dorp”, no doubt.

Now you understand why I wrote in the introduction that the name “New Dorp” is “unique”. It is, unless you know what it means.

Of course, the actual New Dorp Lane, along with the neighborhood, is very unique. It has been around for quite a while as an important part of Staten Island.

How old is New Dorp Lane?

The exact age of New Dorp Lane is not known exactly, but it is at least 350 years old. The image below shows a photograph of the Britton Cottage, built around 1670 on New Dorp Lane.

The cottage has since been moved to a spot near Court Place on the north side of Richmond Road. The modern location for the cottage is a much better place for its long-term conservation, as the previous location was almost on the beach (corner of New Dorp Lane and Cedar Grove).

Sources

Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. Britton Cottage CA 1678, New Dorp Lane, New Dorp, Staten Island, N.Y. Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-cc2f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Conclusion

I hope that this post has helped you learn what you wanted to know about the origin of New Dorp Lane’s interesting name. If you have any questions about something you read here, or if you would like to share a story about New Dorp Lane, please join in the discussion below.

Thanks for reading!

The post How Did New Dorp Lane Get Its Name? appeared first on New York Street Names.

Kissam Avenue is a small road and had never been especially well-known outside of the communities of Staten Island. However, after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, all of the homes on this street experienced flooding, some severe, and lives were lost.

Where is Kissam Ave located?

Kissam Avenue is a short road, measuring less than 2000 feet long, that extends from a marshy beach area near the shore of New York Bay to its intersection with Mill Rd. It is in the Staten Island neighborhood of Oakwood.

How old is Kissam Avenue?

We know that the road is more than 105 years old, since it was listed on an old map of Staten Island from 1917. The image below shows lots on Kissam Avenue, which look interesting compared to the larger neighboring properties.

Most maps prior to the early 1900s do not show many streets in this area, and show it as a marsh. This include topographical maps of Staten Island from 1911, and the J. B. Beers & Co. map published in 1874.

Towards the beginning of the 1900s, development began on the east shore of Staten Island, and small homes lined both sides of Kissam Avenue all the way from Mill Rd to the beach on the bay. These homes were occupied by both vacationers and permanent residents.

It’s immediately obvious why people loved to be on Kissam Avenue. Nature, wildlife, water views, and beaches, with the conveniences of living in New York City.

Who is Kissam Avenue Named After?

Kissam Avenue may have been named after William Kissam Vanderbilt, son of Staten Island residents Maria Louise Kissam and William H. Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt was the eldest son and primary heir of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famous American business magnate.

William Kissam Vanderbilt was born in New Dorp, Staten Island, a neighborhood only blocks away from the property that eventually became Kissam Avenue. The property and farm where the Vanderbilts lived during the time around the younger Vanderbilt’s birth was located at what is now Miller Field.

Is Kissam Avenue State Island’s loneliest street?

The Kissam Avenue neighborhood has been selected as an area where a “managed retreat” is the most appropriate way to avoid more loss of life and property as severe storms, such as Hurricane Sandy, become more common. This means that Kissam Avenue is, essentially, gradually being “returned to nature”.

The marsh now be allowed to return to Kissam Avenue, which will hopefully help provide protection from flooding for neighboring communities.

As best as the author of this article could determine, there are still a few people living on Kissam Avenue, but most of the homes have been purchased and removed by the federal government. Today, the road looks eerie because you can still see evidence that it was a neighborhood (i.e. utility poles and lines), but nature is clearly taking over.

It appears as if Kissam Avenue will not be home to many people for much longer, but it is good to document the road’s history. This neighborhood was a wonderful home to many people for many years, and it provided a lot of happy memories to those who grew up or vacationed there.

Conclusion

I hope that you found this article about Kissam Avenue on Staten Island interesting, and that you learned a bit of history about the location.

If you have any questions about something you read here, or if you would like to leave a comment with a bit of Kissam Avenue history, please join in the discussion below.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Sources:

Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. (1917). Plate 19, Part of Ward 4 [Map bound by Oak Ave, Mill Road, Kissam Ave, Lower New York Bay, Brook Ave, Mill Pond, South Side Boulevard] Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/5e66b3e8-916e-d471-e040-e00a180654d7

The post How Did Kissam Ave Get Its Name? appeared first on New York Street Names.

Many people who know about the neighborhood Williamsbridge, and the road with the same name that goes through it, might have guessed that it is named after a bridge. But really, the story is more complicated – and interesting – than just a simple explanation.

Who is Williamsbridge Rd named after?

Williamsbridge Road is named after a farmer, John Williams, who was born prior to the Revolutionary War. John Williams built a bridge over the Bronx River near his farm that became known as “William’s Bridge”

Eventually, the two words in the name merged together to be “Williamsbridge”, and this area became known as a neighborhood. Williamsbridge became the name of the neighborhood within the New York City borough of the Bronx, with one of the major thoroughfares being named Williamsbridge Rd.

Where is Williamsbridge Rd?

The current iteration of Williamsbridge Rd, which is likely to persist for many years to come, runs north to south in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. Williamsbridge Rd does not cross the Bronx River.

The northernmost point of Williamsbridge Rd can be found at its intersection with Adee Ave, very close to that road’s intersection with White Plains Rd. Williamsbridge Rd runs south about 12 miles, ending where it merges into Westchester Square by Owen F. Dolen Park.

Does the the Williamsbridge bridge over the Bronx River still exist?

No, the original bridge named after John Williams no longer exists. In fact, none of the bridges that were built in the 1700s over the Bronx River have been preserved.

The original Williams Bridge, or the William’s Bridge, was a toll bridge located almost exactly due east of Eastchester, a neighborhood of the Bronx. If the old maps show the location correctly, the bridge was likely located south of Shoelace Park, mostly likely at the location of Gun Hill Rd.

On the west side of the Bronx River, you can find Williamsbridge Square, a New York City Parks property since 1900. William’s farm was located on the east side of the river.

Even though the old Williams Bridge is no longer there, there are still old bridges in the city that you can experience. The oldest bridge in New York City is the High Bridge over the Harlem River, which was built in 1848.

Was Williams’ bridge really the first bridge over the Bronx River?

Anyone who checks might find lots of online sources saying that John Williams, the namesake of Williamsbridge Rd and the Bronx neighborhood of Williamsbridge, built the first bridge over the Bronx River. While there is plenty of evidence that the William’s Bridge existed, we don’t know for sure that it was truly the first bridge.

During my research, I was able to locate a map of the Bronx from 1776. It was a military map which showed known locations of British troops, and for logistical reasons it was important to include bridges over the Bronx River in the map.

On this 247 year old map, I was able to locate at least five bridges over the Bronx River. Most of the rivers seemed to carry the name of someone, perhaps the person who built it or whose land was nearby.

The map appears to note the existence of bridges called Delancy’s Mill [Bridge], Hunts Bridge, Valentine’s Bridge, Winter Hill Bridge, and Chatterton’s Bridge. While there is some history known about some of these bridges, it is unclear which was built first and how substantial all of the bridges were.

Williams Bridge may not have been built by John Williams

Another twist to the origin story of Williamsbridge road suggests that the bridge over the Bronx River existed prior to John William’s purchase of the land in the 1700s. According to some sources, the Williams Bridge was built in the 1670s, which means that it may have become known as the “Williams’ Bridge” years after its construction.

This means that even though the bridge may have been named after John Williams, due to his ownership of adjacent property, he may not have constructed the bridge.

Conclusion

I hope that you have found this article about how Williamsbridge Rd. got its name to be interesting. The Bronx has a very rich and complex history that can be examined in many layers, and the Williamsbridge Rd story is just one example of this.

If you have any questions about something that you read here, please let me know below.

Thanks for reading today!

The post How Did Williamsbridge Rd in the Bronx Get Its Name? appeared first on New York Street Names.

What was the original name of Broadway?

When the Europeans arrived to New York City, the Wecquaesgeek people were living in what is now known as Manhattan. Their main north-south trail on the island follows almost exactly what we now know as Broadway.

While the name that the Wecquaesgeek gave to this trail has been lost to history, we know that the Dutch widened this original trail built by these indigenous Americans and called it “Heeren Wegh“, which translates from Dutch to English as “Gentlemen’s Way”.

Eventually, the Dutch lost control of Manhattan to the English. As the story goes, the English were impressed by the width of the street and decided to call it the very original “Broad Way”, which eventually became “The Broadway Street”, then “Broadway Street”, and now just “Broadway”.

Exactly Where Is Broadway?

Most people outside of New York City don’t realize that Broadway is a main thoroughfare through Manhattan. In fact, it is the oldest north-south route in the entire city.

The road runs north from Battery Park near the Netherland Monument through the entire length of the island of Manhattan into Westchester County.

The most famous part of Broadway is located between West 40th Street and West 54th Street.

The photograph above was taken at Trinity Church Wall Street, a building that was completed in 1790. This church is home to a church community that has been active for more than 300 years, even though the original building was burned during the Revolutionary War.

The intersection of Broadway and Wall Street, another famous NYC street, is only a few blocks north of where the road begins.

What year did Broadway get its name?

Prior to the Treaty of Westminster of 1674, Manhattan was under Dutch control, which means that in the 17th century, the road was known by its Dutch name. The exact year that Broadway was changed to its current name is unknown, but by 1776, the road was called “The Broadway Street” on maps.

In short, Broadway has been known by its current name, or some form of its modern name, for more than 250 years. If the British renamed the road immediately after the Treaty of Westminster, the result would be that Broadway has had its name for about 350 years.

Broadway has one of the longest-used street names in the history of the United States.

The image below shows a portion of a map of Manhattan that was produced in 1776, which happens to be the same year that the Declaration of Independence was signed. You can see part of “King George Street” on the map – that’s just one street that didn’t keep its name over time, even though Broadway did.

What does the term Broadway refer to?

Most people have heard of Broadway in the context of some of the amazing shows that are put on there. We know that some actors would love to “be on Broadway”, for example, and be seen by the more than 14 million annual visitors to live performances put on in the district.

Not everyone is aware that the Broadway theater district is made up of many (at least 41!) professional theaters, a few located located directly on and the rest near the road of Broadway. This means that “being on Broadway” is referring to being cast in a part in one of the shows that will be seen in one of these many professional theaters.

Who decided on the name of Broadway?

There is no record as to exactly who decided to change the name from Heeren Wegh to Broadway (or the Broad Way). We can only assume that sometime in the late 1600s, English speakers began to refer to the road in this way, and the name stuck over time.

Eventually, Broadway became the official name and began to show up on maps.

Conclusion

I hope that you found this article about the origin of the name Broadway for the street in Manhattan, New York City, to be interesting. If you have any questions about something that you read, please let me know in the discussion below.

Thanks for reading about the streets of New York today!

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