Beneath our feet lies a story of transformation. That story involves horses, water and a city’s thirst. We are standing at the Jerome Park Reservoir in the Bronx. It is more than just a body of water. The Jerome Park Reservoir is a testament to New York City’s ever-evolving needs.
This reservoir wasn’t always a reservoir. Time jump to the 1860s. Imagine a vibrant racetrack, the Jerome Park Racetrack. It was named after Leonard Walter Jerome. He was Winston Churchill’s maternal grandfather. The inaugural Belmont Stakes thundered across this very ground in 1867. The track was a hub of excitement. It was the “nursery of American racing”.
But the growing city needed water more than races. In 1894, New York City acquired the land. The racetrack closed. Plans transformed the space into a reservoir. Construction began and completed in 1906. The Jerome Park Reservoir was born.
Initially, it was envisioned as two basins. It was designed to hold two trillion gallons of water. The west basin sparked with water, but the eastern basin remained a construction pit. Still, it stored enough water to supply Manhattan and the Bronx for ten days. An engineer compared its construction to the pyramids.
Fast forward to today. The Jerome Park Reservoir still plays a vital role. It provides about 10 percent of New York City’s drinking water. The water arrives via the New Croton Aqueduct. The reservoir connects to the Croton Water Filtration Plant since 2015.
Look around you. Notice the schools nearby. DeWitt Clinton High School, Bronx High School of Science, and Lehman College surround the reservoir. Lehman College sits atop the site of the unbuilt east basin. The planners felt it evoked the Acropolis of ancient Athens. The students hiked the slopes with heavy backpacks on their way to class.
In 2008, the Jerome Park Reservoir was drained for the construction of a water treatment plant. The bottom of the reservoir was exposed. The water returned in 2011.
The city invested millions to upgrade the Jerome Park Reservoir. Gatehouses were refurbished. Fencing and security systems were installed.
There were calls to make its shoreline more accessible to the public. The city rejected the idea because of security concerns. A pilot program opened the perimeter to the public for tours.
The Jerome Park Reservoir is a blend of history. It is a blend of engineering, and community. It is a vital part of New York City’s infrastructure. As we conclude our visit, remember the story beneath the surface. Remember the horses, the races and the ever-flowing water. It’s a story of a city’s thirst. The city forever adapts to meet the needs of its people.