July 26, August 3 at 6:30pm
with Mitch Waxman
Description
The history of Greenpoint is inextricably tied to Newtown Creek, an active waterway whose salt marshes and islands were filled in and paved over to make way for hundreds of factories and refineries. Greenpoint was reinvented as the location for the city’s largest and most modern sewage treatment plant. Among the sites to line the water was Peter Cooper’s glue factory, where the creation of edible gelatin resulted in heavy pollution; in later years, spillage from oil refineries would lead to Superfund status for Newtown Creek.
Join historian Mitch Waxman for a tour of Greenpoint that shows how the use and reuse of New York’s ancient streams can create a unique contemporary landscape. Intense real estate development proceeds despite the all-too-real legacy of environmental catastrophe, while Newtown Creek’s natural environment shows signs of re-emergence. Bring your camera, as the tour will be revealing an incredible landscape along this section of the troubled Newtown Creek Watershed.
Be prepared for rough terrain and possible heavy truck traffic. Dress and pack appropriately for hiking and hot weather. Closed-toe shoes are highly recommended. Bathroom opportunities will be found only at the start of the walk.
