Colonization (1652-1776)
The Tannery Brook was just outside the stockade, or wooden fence, built to defend the Dutch colonists against the Native Americans. Colonists built a dam on the brook at North Front St., creating a pond to power their grist mill.
The Early Republic (1777-1871)
Kingston transitioned from an agricultural village to a city, and the Tannery Brook increasingly supported industries. Tanneries were adjacent to the brook at North Front St. and Saint James St.
The Sanitary City (1872-1946)
The City of Kingston (incorporated in 1872) took on many engineering projects, including constructing drinking water, storm sewer, and sanitary sewer systems. Large properties that had supported agriculture were divided into small residential lots. The Tannery Brook provided opportunities for recreation, including ice skating on Carter's Pond at Lucas Ave.
Urban Renewal, Suburban Development (1947-1999)
A flood control project to protect Kingston Plaza included burying the Tannery Brook just before it reached the Esopus Creek. Other sections of the Tannery Brook were buried and piped to make room for new development, and many historic buildings were demolished to create new parking lots.
Toward a Sustainable City? (2000-present)
Severe rain storms in spring 2011 caused a sinkhole to open on Washington Ave. near Linderman Ave. At this location, the Tannery Brook was diverted away from its historic channel and entered a tunnel under Washington Ave. Damage from the sinkhole and associated repairs closed Washington Ave. to traffic for five years. What will it take to move toward more a sustainable city?
We can compare historic maps to see changes in the Tannery Brook's path through Kingston over time.
The Tannery Brook flows north through Uptown Kingston, toward the Esopus Creek.
