Local Historians Saved Pelham's Beloved Split Rock When the Thruway Was Built

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On October 18, 1958, the New England section of the New York State Thruway that carved its way through the Town of Pelham opened to traffic.  The original plans for that section carried the roadway directly into the path of Pelham's beloved "Split Rock," a giant glacial boulder that has been a Pelham landmark and part of Pelham lore for hundreds of years.  Due to the work of a small group of local historians and history buffs led by Pelham Town Historian Ed Browne and Bronx Historian Theodore L. Kazimiroff, Split Rock was saved from being blasted to smithereens by Thruway engineers.  Instead, after the historians approached engineers involved with construction of the Thruway about the issue, the path of the new Thruway was relocated a few feet north of the originally-planned route.  Split Rock was saved.

Split Rock from an Unusual Perspective:  The "Back"

(i.e., Side Away From Split Rock Road) on January

5, 1919 with Two Unidentified Individuals Atop the Boulder.

Photograph Courtesy of the Office of the Historian of

the Town of Pelham.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

Ms. Johanna Sophia Berger (1906-1999)

Stands Within the Split of Split Rock in 1942.

Photograph Taken by Her Son, Rich Berger,

With His Father's Kodak Folding Camera

Using Eastman Kodak 116 Roll Film for the

Creation of 2-1/2 x 4-1/4 Inch Negatives.

Note How Close Split Rock Road Came to

the Boulder and the Wooden Guardrails

Along the Roadway In the Background.

Photograph Courtesy of Rich Berger.

NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

Detail from Undated Post Card Showing Split Rock in

About 1915.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Split Rock in 1898.  Photograph by "Henshaw."

Photo Courtesy of The Office of The Historian of The Town

of Pelham.  NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

I have written about Split Rock on numerous occasions.  See, e.g.:

Fri., Jan. 09, 2015:  The Closing of Split Rock Road in December, 1937.

Wed., May 21, 2014:  The Story of Split Rock Road, Named After Split Rock, a Massive Glacial Boulder.

Mon., Mar. 28, 2005:  Split Rock:  A Pelham Landmark for Centuries.

Wed., Oct. 26, 2005:  Remnants of the Battlefield on Which the Battle of Pelham Was Fought on October 18, 1776.

In addition to providing the rare images of Split Rock above, today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of a number of articles that mention the successful efforts of Messrs. Browne and Kazimiroff to save Split Rock.  Another mentions the opening of the new Thruway in 1958 and provides information about the history of Boston Post Road which the New England Section of the New York State Thruway that opened on October 18, 1958 paralleled.  

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"The Bronx In History
By JOHN McNAMARA
Historic 'Split Rock' Was Saved From Blasting for Superhighway

Historian Edgar Browne of Pelham points out that an original Indian trail still exists in part in Pelham Bay Park, known as Split Rock road.  The entire area from City Island to the Pelhams was then inhabited by a tribe of Mohegan Indians known as the Siwanoys or 'Water People' because they lived close to Long Island Sound, and were excellent fishermen.

It was along this trail from the Shore Road North to Boston Road that a famous battle of the Revolutionary War was fought.  Then,

The Bronx in History
(Continued from Page 14)

as now, it was called Split Rock Road and derived its name from a large glacial boulder which lies just a few feet from the New England Thruway.  The boulder is generally believed to have been split in two by glacial action millions of years ago.  In modern times the cause of the split has been the subject of many legends.  One of these is that the rock was split by a seed growing into a tree.

The rock was for many years marked with a bronze tablet, erected in 1911 by the Colonial Dames of the State of New York, commemorating the memory of Anne Hutchinson, who lived in the vicinity.  For safekeeping, the tablet was later affixed to an outside wall of St. Paul's Church in Mount Vernon, within sight of the split rock itself.

When the Thruway was under construction, it was at first planned to blast away the boulder to make room for the superhighway.  Mr. Browne and Dr. Kazimiroff, Bronx County Historian, and other persons interested in local landmarks asked the engineers if the rock could not be saved.  The line for the new road was moved a few feet north, and the ancient rock remained untouched, an enduring reminder of a colorful past."

Source:  McNamara, John, The Bronx In History:  Historic 'Split Rock' Was Saved From Blasting for Superhighway, Bronx Press Review, Feb. 14, 1963, p. 14, cols. 1-3 (copy reviewed courtesy of Mr. Jorge Santiago of the Northeast Bronx History Forum).  

"Westchester Today!
Split Rock:  Saved from Thruway Path

Split Rock Road, hundreds of years ago, was an Indian trail that extended from City Island to Pelham.  Today it has been largely swallowed by other roads, or has been permanently dissected.  One of these segments, now fully developed with homes, runs from Boston Post Road in Pelham Manor to the New England Thruway. 

The old trail, after following what is now City Islande Avenue, turned east for a distance.  This portion is now part of Shore Road.  The trail turned north near the present entrance to the Split Rock Golf Course, went past Boston Post Road in Pelham Manor, turned slightly east and connected with Wolf's Lane.  It continued on to Colonial Avenue and there branched off in several directions.  

The entire area from City Island to the Pelhams was then inhabited by a tribe of Mohegan Indians by a tribe of Mohegan Indians known as the Siwanoys, or 'Water People,' because they lived close to Long Island Sound and were excellent fishermen.  It was they who blazed the original Split Rock trail.  The wooded area around the trail was the scene of inter- and intra-tribe meetings and religious ceremonies.  

Many modern roads and highways have similarly followed routes established long ago by Indian tribes.  

'Like today's road engineers,' says Edgar Browne, Pelham town historian, 'the Indians followed the routes of least resistance, and although modern highways actually do not cross the land whereon they trod, they still follow in the general direction that the Indian broke his trail.'

Scene of Famous Battle

It was along this trail from the Shore Road north to Colonial Avenue that a famous battle of the Revolutionary War was fought.  Washington had been forced to retreat from New York City toward White Plains in October 1776.  The British, hoping to cut him off, sent their warships under General Howe up Long Island Sound and landed their army at Pell's Point, near City Island.

A small American brigade headed by General John Glover, using the stone walls of the countryside for cover, kept firing at the enemy and then retreating to the next wall in a delaying action.  Under this harrassment, Howe and his troops took a whole day to advance from Pell's Point to approximately where the Pelham Memorial High School now stands on Colonial Avenue.

The British believed these local sharpshooters were the advance guard of Washington's army.  That night they encamped on Wolf's Lane near the site of the high school, and Washington slipped past them under cover of darkness.  Several days later Washington sent a letter to Glover and his men, praising them for their brave action.

Rock a Glacial Boulder

Split Rock Road derived its name from a large glacial boulder which lies between Shore Road and Boston Post Road, just a few feet from the New England Thruway.  It is near the place where Anne Hutchinson, in 1642, founded the first white settlement in the valley of the river which bears her name.  The following year, incensed by the murder of 100 of their tribesmen by the Dutch, a usually peaceful tribe of Algonquins destroyed several settlements, killing all inhabitants.  Mrs. Hutchinson's settlement was among them.

The boulder is generally believed to have been split in two by glacial action millions of years ago.  In modern times the cause of the split has been the subject of many legends.  One of these is that the rock was split by a seed growing into a tree.  Possibly, though, this story rose because of the weeds and shrubs growing in the crevice.  

The rock was for many years marked with a bronze tablet erected in 1911 by the Colonial Dames of the State of New York.  Later the tablet was removed and installed on an outside wall of St. Paul's Church in Mount Vernon.  The inscription reads:  'Anne Hutchinson, Banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 because of her devotion to religious liberty this courageous woman sought freedom from persecution in New Netherland near this spot.'

Road Cut by Thruway

Split Rock Road became a dead end street in Pelham Manor many years ago when the Split Rock Golf Course was extended.  The recently built Thruway then cut it in two, leaving a short stretch in Pelham Manor.

A longer section over the New York City line winds through the golf course on the other side of the Thruway and is no longer a through road.  Other segments of the old trail from city Island to the Shore Road are now parts of modern roads, as are sections north of the Post Road.

The rock itself is situated in a small triangular sector formed by the Thruway, the Hutchinson River Parkway and the ramp exit from the parkway to the Thruway, just a few yards away from one of the golf course's greens.

When the Thruway was under construction, it was at first planned to blast away part of the boulder to make room for the superhighway.  Mr. Browne and several other persons interested in local history asked the engineers if the old landmark could not be saved.  Mr. Browne doesn't know whether their plea was directly responsible, but the line for the new road was moved a few feet north, and the ancient rock remained untouched, an enduring reminder of a colorful past."

Source:  Westchester Today!  Split Rock:  Saved from Thruway Path, The Herald Statesman [Yonkers, NY], Dec. 12, 1962, p. 5B, cols. 1-4.  

"Thruway Follows Route of Historic Old Boston Post Road
17th Century Trail Linked N.Y., Boston
By THOMAS A. HOCTOR
New Rochelle City Historian

The New England Section of the New York State Thruway which will be opened tomorrow is the first major thoroughfare to traverse Sound shore communities in Westchester since the ancient Boston Post Road was carved out of virgin wilderness late in the 17th Century.

The ribbon of concrete and steel which starts at Bruckner Blvd. in The Bronx and extends uninterrupted by hills, streams or fallen logs to a linkup with the Connecticut Turnpike at Byram, is in sharp contrast to the original Kings Highway which followed in part an old Indian trail known as the Westchester Path.

In August 1668, the Hon. Francis Lovelace arrived in New York to succeed British Governor Nicolls.  Under instructions to do all possible to further friendly relations between the colonies, he and Nicolls visited Governor Winthrop of Connecticut and the establishment of a 'ost or rail route was discussed."

On December 10, 1672, Governor Lovelace issued 'A Proclamation for a Post to goe monthly from this city to Boston and back againe.'

In January 1673, the first rider 'active, stout and indefatigable' left the fort at the lower end of Broadway, New York, on his long journey to Boston.  His first change of horses was to be at Hartford and he was to complete the round trip within a month's time.

In the words of Lovelace in a letter to Winthrop, 'It would be much advantageous to our design, if in the intervall you discourse with some of the most able woodmen, to make out the best and most facile way for a Post, which in process of tyme would be the King's best highway. . .'

274 Mile Trip

The early road was rough and twisting.  It was 274 miles from New York to Boston over the Forest Path.  From New York to New Rochelle, 28 miles.  Later in 1697, the istance had been cut to 23 miles and a milestone bearing the inscription, '23 miles to N. York 1771.' may be seen today in the foundation of a building on the southwest corner of Huguenot and Lawton Sts.

The stone originally stood on the north side of the Boston Post Rd. now Huguenot St., east of the home of Elias Guion, near the present entrance to No. 261.

Only portions of the Old Post Road remain today in New Rochelle.  On April 7, 1800, a charter was granted to a group of prominent Westchester County citizens to construct and operate a turnpike from Eastchester to Byram.

Work on the road began in the summer of 1800.  Three important sections of Main St. in New Rochelle owe their origin to this project:  namely, West Main St. from the Pelham line eastward to the King's Highway; Main St. from its junction with Huguenot St. opposite the Public Library eastward to the junction with Huguenot St. opposite the Naval Armory; and East Main St. from its junction with Old Boston Post Rd. near Lispenard Ave. eastward to a point where they unite again opposite Cherry Ave.

A toll house stood astride the western end of Main St. near Everett St., one end of which was left open for the passage of vehicles.

Tolls Listed

Here are some of the tolls.  Every score of sheep or hogs, 6 cents.  Every horse and rider or led horse, 4 cents.  Every sulkey, chair or chaise with one horse, 10 cents.  Every phaeton, chariot, coach or choachee, 20 cents.  Every cart drawn by two oxen, 9 cents.  Every sleigh or sled, 6 cents.

The late Mrs. George Forbes in an interview with a Standard-Star reporter, recalled her childhood as the daughter of the toll house-keeper.

Thus Main St. became the principal thoroughfare in New Rochelle after 1800.  By the time it was opened the Post Rider had given way to the stage coach as mail carrier.  The running time between New York and Boston had been cut to two days.

As it curves up from its beginning in The Bronx, the Thruway sweeps over historic ground.  On iron stilts it crosses the Split Rock Road in Pelham where Col. Glover and his men on the morning of October 18, 1776, held back the British eager to outflank Washington's ragged army retreating to White Plains.

It crosses Kings Highway and the present Post Road and in the vicinity of Union Ave. and Division St. slices through ground which recently held the remains of New Rochelle's first settlers.  It dives under North Ave. once known as 'The Road to the White Plains,' and reaches street level and the first toll booth at the New Rochelle-Larchmont line.

Thruway and Post Road run parallel sometimes within a few blocks of each other all the way to Byram.  The old Post road has witnessed a parade of traffic during its 290 odd years from Post riders to diesel trucks.

When Jack McMahon, properly costumed, rides up Main St., New Rochelle tomorrow to lead the Thruway Celebration parade, he'll portray the ancient Post rider, the men who beat the trail for Post Road and Thruway which followed."

Source:  Hoctor, Thomas A., Thruway Follows Route of Historic Old Boston Post Road, Herald Statesman [Yonkers, NY], Oct. 17, 1958, p. 14, cols. 1-8.  

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