Croton Distributing Reservoir, Water reservoir in Midtown Manhattan, United States
The Croton Distributing Reservoir was a large water tank in Midtown Manhattan occupying a full city block between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It had tall granite walls about 50 feet high that enclosed water storage for the city's supply system.
It was built between 1837 and 1842 as the first major solution to New York's urgent need for clean drinking water. The project transformed how the city provided water to its rapidly growing population.
The promenade atop the walls served as a social meeting place where New Yorkers strolled and watched the city grow while gazing toward distant cliffs.
The site is centrally located in Manhattan and well-connected to the rest of the city, making it easily accessible. Today the location remains a busy urban area where visitors can explore the neighborhood and its history.
The granite foundation of the former reservoir remains buried beneath the current New York Public Library at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Visitors unknowingly walk above the remnants of this 19th-century structure while browsing books in one of the city's most important buildings.
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