“Aquehung” echoes in the wind. This is the old name for the Bronx River. It means “River of High Bluffs”. Today we are at Deep Creek. It is connected to the Bronx River.
The Bronx River is a little-known marvel. It winds 23 miles through Westchester and the Bronx. It starts at the Kensico Reservoir. The Bronx River is unique. It is the only major watercourse in the city that is not fully tidal.
For centuries, this green corridor has been a source of life. People fish, stroll, bike, and boat here. They connect with nature. But the river’s story has dark chapters.
The Mohegan people first lived here. They fished and thrived. In the 1600s, European traders arrived. They trapped beavers for fur. Jonas Bronck bought land from the Mohegans. A hundred years later, mills lined the river. They produced paper, flour, and snuff. The river powered them all.
The 1840s brought the New York Central Railroad. The valley became an industrial hub. Sadly, the river suffered. By the late 19th century, it was an “open sewer”.
In the 1920s, the parkway’s creation offered some protection. The real turnaround began in the 1970s. That’s when the Bronx River Restoration started. The Bronx River Alliance expanded this work in the 21st century.
Today, the Bronx River teems with life. It is a restored ecosystem. You might spot wildlife here. The Bronx River Alliance works hard. They protect, improve, and restore the river. They want it to be a healthy resource. It should be ecological, recreational, and educational. It should benefit all the communities it touches.
Deep Creek is a part of this revival. The East River receives streams from the Bronx. Pugsley Creek is one of them. It is now a small inlet. Once, it reached much further inland. Pugsley Creek Park is a 50-acre sanctuary. It separates Soundview and Castle Hill.
The route of Soundview Avenue is old. It runs along Cornell’s Neck spine. Pugsley was a 19th-century landowner here. You can see the name on Pugsley Avenue.
By 1996, Pugsley Creek had its current shoreline. Residences cover the filled creek. But an undeveloped block remains on Bolton Avenue. It is a reminder of Pugsley Creek’s past.
A trail was dedicated in Pugsley Creek Park in 2009. People enjoy biking, walking, and bird watching. The entrance is at Lacombe and Pugsley Avenues.
Inside the park, ravines show where the stream once flowed. The salt marsh floods at high tide. Salt marsh cordgrass and phragmites thrive here. It is a wetland between land and water.
At sea level, Pugsley Creek is an East River extension. Little water flows from its watershed. A Combined Sewer Outfall pipe discharges during heavy rain.
A staircase leads to the creek near Castle Hill Point. An informational sign tells about native wildlife. You might see canvasback ducks, fiddler crabs, and snowy egrets. This was part of a salt marsh restoration.
The Bronx YMCA is on the eastern side of Castle Hill Point. It overlooks the East River. It had an outdoor pool. Just like the old beach clubs nearby.
As you explore Deep Creek remember its history. People are working to keep the river alive. They want to honor its indigenous past. They strive to maintain its natural beauty.