Newtown Creek - Brooklyn

Newtown Creek - Brooklyn. An Historic Waterway. , Freshwater streams mingled with the Atlantic Ocean's saltwater creating an area bursting with fish and wildlife, now known as Newtown Creek. American Indians hunted and fished the creek's marshlands and shorelines. Dutch colonists arriving in the mid-1600s discovered the creek's abundant natural resources and named their settlement "Boswijck" meaning "town of the woods." They logged trees in the forest and farmed the fertile land along the creek's shore. Taking advantage of Newtown Creek's water depth and natural harbor, townspeople were to ship their harvests to markets in Manhattan., During the Industrial Revolution of the 1880s Newtown Creek became an important industrial area. Shipyards, petroleum and sugar refineries, along with porcelain, iron, glass, and copper works sprung up along the shoreline. Ships offloaded raw materials and loaded finished goods destined for global markets. The area's industrial rise came with a devastating ecological price: toxic manufacturing by-products dumped into the creek polluted the water and poisoned the bottom land. Fragile wetlands were filled in and bullheaded shorelines prevented freshwater from entering the creek, destroying habitat for many aquatic species. By the 1960s Newtown Creek was one of the country's most polluted waterways., While the Newtown Creek area remains an industrial corridor it is changing as New Yorkers rediscover this historic waterfront. Natural habitat restoration has resulted in the return of some species of fish and waterfowl. Creating open space for recreation and re-development of underused land for residential and manufacturing uses is on-going. Businesses and local artists are opening shops, offices and studios in refurbished factories alongside existing industry. People are once again connected to the waterfront. The neighborhood is transforming with the addition of parks and public access to Newtown Creek making it more welcoming and environmentally sustainable.