Visiting the Bronx Swamp Before It's Drained

Looking for an end of summer day trip? We suggest avoiding the Bronx Swamp, which Nate Kensinger described as a "flooded railroad line below the streets of Mott Haven" that is home to birds, rats, raccoons, mosquitos and maybe a dead body or two. Even though it's acknowledged as a health risk, and the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene sprays it regularly "with larvacide to curb the spread of mosquitos potentially infected with the West Nile Virus," the photographer still made a journey out there.

Apparently the swamp is set to be drained of its stagnant bright green water as part of a "major cleanup." City Room recently noted that the action is taking place after "neighborhood residents raised concerns about odor, accumulation of garbage and refuse, and a presence of standing water that is conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes and other pests, and rats. The city will seek to hold the owners of the swamp, which sits on private property, responsible for the cost of the cleanup.”

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on August 31, 2009 1:27 PM

Comments [rss]

aspiringrapper

Those could be photos of the tracks at the Fordham Road D train station.

BrooklyniteMike

"The city will seek to hold the owners of the swamp, which sits on private property, responsible for the cost of the cleanup.”

That looks like railroad to me, so who are the owners of this private property?

ganghiscon

From Nathan's website:

The railroad line underneath the waters of the Bronx Swamp was "formally abandoned" in 2004 by the CSX Corporation, according to the NY Daily News, but - as one resident stated in The Epoch Times - "I've lived here for 17 years and the water's been there just as long."

Qraymond

Really nice photos. What a strange place.

schizofriendly

beautiful in a yucky way...

Koopa

But where will Blinky the three-eyed fish live?

HOTCUP

While you're at it, might want to take care of the swamp growing in Astoria Park's derelict diving pool. West Nile spawning pool directly next to one of the city's most frequented public pools.

Polite New Yorker

I salute the photographer who braved this area to give us these photographs. Hopefully Forgotten NY will lead a tour there before it is drained. How does one reach the swamp?

JacqueMehoff

only if we bring Bloomberg campaign signs.

maatthias

When will gothamist have a proper photo viewing applet that doesn't reload the page every time you go to next photo? So awkward.

Politburo

Never. Having to reload the page generates more ad views.

Manitoba2

plus 1e+64

felixthecat2

People are dumb to support Bloomberg. Also people are filthy to toss all their trash in that swap and poor rats were cleaning up these people's filth. Now the rats and raccoon will be killed.

nicemarmot

Well why don't you try to rescue them Felix? There's still time!

felixthecat2

I don't even know where this is? Never heard of Mott Haven but I think the Swamp looks cool and needs to be clean not drained. Cool to have a swamp but people are so filthy and toss trash all over city

Dead Himmler

Rats are more filthy than people.

felixthecat2

Rats are extremely clean creatures, spending almost a third of their waking life grooming.

Dead Himmler

Rats are parasites living off of people. They should all be terminated.

felixthecat2

You are the parasite living off my tax money on your fraudulent worker comp leave. You should be terminated. You hate others because you know quite well how disgusting you are.