Up the Creek Without a Shovel

How many significant waterways does the BQE cross? Two, right? The Newtown Creek and the Gowanus Canal. I thought so too. But then I began to wonder why there was a Bushwick Inlet on Wallabout Bay west of the BQE and the Bushwick neighborhood all the way east of the BQE. Time for some research!

Bushwick Creek original path

Fortunately, I stumbled right away onto a short film by Brian Walsh called Bushwick Creek: The Movie. In it, he traces the history of Bushwick Creek from an active waterway, one that reached much farther inland than it does today, to the present-day Bushwick Inlet, now slated to become a public park. It's a filthy, filthy story, from the draining in of the marshes and filling in of the creek by the Dutch settlers, to make more arable (and sellable) land, to the centuries of contamination with oil and lots of toxic gunk. Suffice to say, you'll think twice before putting down roots in Greenpoint.

You will can lots more of the story and watch the entire film (about 20 minutes) here or watch the first section on Youtube below. Good work Brian! You're a latter-day Jed Clampett.