THE FERRY ROAD ON LONG ISLAND BY EUGENE L. ARMBRUSTER THE I N D I A N S
Fulton Street and its ferry landing play the most important part in the history of Brooklyn. Two centuries passed by before Brooklyn became a city, and during that period, whiler there were settlements in other parts of the town, Brooklyn as a. compact community, was confined to this small portion between the ferry and Red Hook Lane. Fulton StrEet and its ferry landing existed, however, in a primitive form, to be sure, for centuries before the first white man set foot upon Long Island soil. Tracing the history of this island road is a highly interesting study, for its beginning is fulton Ferry and its end is Montauk Point. Upon Manhattan Island wasa certain parcel of land, cultivated by the Indians, which attracted the attention of Governor Wouter Van TWILLER, this connoisseur of good lands, in the early days. The Indians called it Sappohanican and upon it Greenwich Village was built in later times. The North River was its western boundary and its eastern line was formed by a creek, coming from the upper part of. the island and running into the North River; this creek was called Bestevaer Killetje. At the same point another creek flowed into the river coming from the chain of swamps and ponds, which were connected with each other by streams of water, and stretched across the island from west to east. One of these ponds was the famous Fresh Water Pond, or Collect. From the Collect a creek flowed into the East River near the Bestevaer Swamp, known as the Old Wreck Brook or the Old Kil. Thus the Bestevaer Killetje and the Old Kit formed one continuous waterway and cut Manhattan Island into two islands. The various bands of the Big Bird and Big Animal tribes living in Westchester County and on the New Jersey shore, used this water route on visiting their fellow tribesmen which dwelt upon Long Island. Hence the names Bestevaer Killetje and Bestevaer Swamp, i.e., old men's or wise men's creek swamp. The old men or wise men of these bands journeyed over this creek and past this swamp to the council place, which was upon the Green Hills, the ridge which forms the beginning of the so-called backbone of Long Island. This council place was called Bestevaer for the same reason for which these names were applied to the creek and swamp, and that vicinity is still known as Bedford, the anglicized form of the Indian name. Having reached the mouth of the Old Kil, the canoes of the Indians entered upon the East River, which they crossed, and the landing was made in a cove at a point which is to-day known as Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn. From this cove an Indian trail led to the council place, at a point where the lands of the Big Bird and Big Animal tribes joined. Another branch led to the main village of the Canarsee Indians on Jamaica Bay, called Keshkechqueren. The Canarsee, coming from the bay, reached the council place by way of a creek, which was also known as Bestevaer Kil, and in later days, under the English rule, as Bedford Creek. Haying used the creek as far as it was possible for the canoes, the journey was continued upon an Indian trail leading to the council place. Near the latter was a depression in the hills and the trail met here the one coming from the landing place. The aborigines crossed the river from the mouth of the Old Kil in a straight line and landed in the cove on the Long Island shore. The Dutch made their ferry landings at the identical places. The one on Manhattan Island was at what is now Pearl Street, in back of Peck Slip. Bestevaer Swamp, later known as Beekman's Swamp, was here; the Dutch called it Bestevaer Kreupelbosch. The swamp was covered with bushes and such vegetation as is generally found on swampy grounds, the tides of the river covered the tract at times as far as beyond present Gold Street, and that section is to this day known as the "Swamp".NEXT.. BRUIJKLEEN COLONIE Back To FERRY ROAD Main Back To TOWN Main Return to BROOKLYN Info Main Page