Gowanus Canal Historical Timeline.

1600 to ????

The name of the area is taken from that of Chief (sic) Gowane of the Canarsee Indians.

1636

Jacob Van Corlaer makes first recorded purchase of lands from the Canarsee Indians.

1661 to 1709

Early tidal mills constructed along Gowanus Creek.

1704

Construction of Gowanus Road connected New Utrecht to the tidal mills on the Gowanus Creek.

1776

The Battle of Long Island is fought largely on the south side of Gowanus Creek. American troops withdraw over the creek at Freeke's tidal mill.

1836

Three tidal mills are in operation along the Gowanus Creek, Cole's, Denton's and Freeke's. These mills will soon begin to close because the Erie Canal allowed inexpensive grain to be brought from upstate New York and the Midwest.

1837

The first proposal is made to improve the Gowanus Creek for navigation.

1841 to 1847

The construction of the Atlantic Basin on the Buttermilk Channel initiates the industrialization of the Brooklyn Waterfront.

1847 to 1849

First plans for a canal submitted to Common Council. These plans called for a 5,400 foot long canal, 100 feet wide and 14 feet deep. Bulkheads were to be 4 feet above mean high water.

1853 to 1854

Construction completed to approximately the present-day end point. The canal was 100 feet wide but many of the banks were unimproved and lined with squatters shanties.

1855

New York City appoints Canal Commissioners to oversee additional construction and maintenance. City bonds are authorized for financing this work.

1857 to 1865

Sewers and streets are laid out in the area around the canal. Additional wetlands are drained.

1858

First sanitary sewers empty into the canal.

186?

Carroll Gardens manufactured gas plant begins operations on the north side of the canal. The site is bounded by Smith Street on the north and Huntington Street on the west. Additional facilities are located along the canal at Fourth and Hoyt Streets.

1865

Four of the five street crossings of the canal are in place.

1866

New York State approves completion of the canal and construction of private basins.

1868

Canal and Sewer Commissions agree that sewer lines would run to the East River and not in to the canal. This agreement was never honored.

1870

Canal Commissioners disbanded. Canal operation and maintenance were turned over to the city.

1872 to 1874

Canal is essentially complete including five private basins.

1880

Thirty-one firms handling lumber, coal, firewood, hay, grain, oil, building materials, and chemical fertilizers are using the canal.

1889

The Carroll Street retractable bridge is opened. As of 2004 it is one of only four such bridges remaining in the United States.

1889

The Third Avenue Bridge was rebuilt and enlarged. This bridge is still in operation today.

1891 to 1899

The Greene Street storm sewer is connected to the head of the canal via a 17-foot wide rectangular pipe. It was hoped that this arrangement will provide sufficient fresh water to flush the canal. (see 1902 to 1904)

1895

Brooklyn Union Gas acquires the Carroll Gardens manufactured gas plant. Note: the wharves serving the plant are referred to as the Citizen's Works Dock on the Corps of Engineers documents.

1900 to 1932

Peak of canal operations when 50 to 60 businesses used the canal. About 70% of the vessel traffic was bulk cargoes.

1902

The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Corporation opens a new power generating station along the canal. Coal delivered by water supplied 32 boilers. The station had 2700 kW generators for both AC and DC power.

1902 to 1904

Failure of the Greene Street sewer flushing system leads to a redesign. A second storm sewer outlet is constructed at DeGraw Street but this still does not provide sufficient flushing.

1911

The canal's pumping system is put into operation near Douglass and Butler Streets. It brings in fresh water from the Atlantic Ocean to keep the canal flushed clean.

1920 to 1930

Between 23,000 and 25,000 vessels transit the canal each year.

194?

The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Corporation power generating station is closed. As of 2004 this building did not have Landmark Status although it has been recommended.

1950 to 1955

Brooklyn Union Gas closes and demolishes the Carroll Gardens manufactured gas plant.

1960

The canal's pumping system is shut down.

1964

The Gowanus Expressway is opened.

1965

Approximately 25 businesses and city agencies are using the canal and basins.

1969

Brooklyn Union Gas sells the site of the Carroll Gardens manufactured gas plant.

1975

New York City acquires two parcels of land at the site of the Carroll Gardens manufactured gas plant through condemnation proceedings. Two other parcels remain in private hands.

1978

Approximately 9 businesses and city agencies are using the canal and basins for commercial navigation.

1995 to 1999

The canal's pumping system is rebuilt. The new system can move 200,000,000 million gallons (754,000 cubic meters) daily.

2000

Five businesses are using the canal for the movement of oil, stone, and building materials"

2004

1000 Commercial vessels transit the canal annually.

2004

US Army Corps of Engineers completes Cultural Resources Study of the canal.

The information in the above timeline was taken from the US Army Corps Of Engineers 2004 Cultural Resources Survey of the waterway.

Note: Despite the small number of businesses using the canal, there were still 1000 commercial vessel transits as recently as 2004.

Superfund Sites on or near the Gowanus Canal (courtesy New York Department of Environmental Conservation):

Gowanus Village I LLC, C224099,40:40'39,73:59'18,430 Carrol St,153 2nd St., subsurface soils and groundwater, volatile organic compounds: semi volatile organic compounds: chlorinated solvents.

Whole Foods Site, C224100, 40:40'29,73:59'21,220 3rd St.,360 3rd Ave, soil and groundwater, volatile organic compounds: semi-volatile organic compounds (specifically PAHs including napthalene and mixed xylenes): metals, benzene (groundwater @ 66 ppb), acenaphthene (groundwater @ 24 ppb): phenol (groundwater @ 5 ppb): and lead (groundwater @ 27.5 ppb)

K - Citizens MGP - Carroll Garden,V00360,,,5th Street, Smith Street, soil and groundwater, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds: MGP residuals (including coal tar and petroleum products),, Contamination is present to at least 120 feet below grade.

USPS Gowanus Site- former MGP Metropolitan, V00405,,,2nd Avenue,12th Street, Significant subsurface soil and groundwater, MGP tars and NAPLs containing BTEXs and PAHs,, From 1880 to the late 1930's the Metropolitan Works manufactured gas plant (MGP) operated on the site. Site was remediated but groundwater wells continue to produce tars that are removed and disposed of periodically. Site now occupied by a Lowe's Homecenter.

This information posted by:

Kevin Olsen

Instrumentation Specialist

College of Science and Mathematics

Montclair State University

April 2007.

http://blake.montclair.edu/~olsenk/