One of my favorite stories of New York City history is that the Croton Reservoir once stood on the site of the 42nd Street library.
The reservoir was opened in 1842 as an above ground, man-made lake, holding 20 million gallons of water. It became a place for people to promenade.
There was a walkway on top of it. Edgar Allan Poe enjoyed strolling around the massive structure. In 1853, right behind the reservoir, The Crystal Palace was erected for an exhibition on what is now Bryant Park. The reservoir was no longer needed by the 1890s, and was torn down.
In 1911, the library officially opened. It is a great and beautiful building.
Wikipedia informs that some of the reservoir's original foundation can be found in the South Court of the library. I'll have to look for it next time I'm there.
These early images of reservoir and library are taken from the New York Public Library Digital Archive.
The research room in 2006.
Photo by David Iliff. Changes are pending in the beloved library. Will stacks of books be removed to open more of this glorious space to the public? Will it lose the peace and quiet and easy access to a deep archive that attracts scholars and researchers? After reading this article in
The Nation, I am worried.
One of my childhood treasures.
Be sure to browse the other pages of Sepia Saturday; click below.
