Good for kids
Yes
Newtown Creek East Branch in Maspeth
Comments (12)
At the end of 58th Road, youll find the remnants of Maspeth Toll Bridge Co.’s Plank Road, which crossed the Newtown Creek in the 1800s. Part of the wooden structure is still visible in the intertidal zone, and bridge anchorages are still clearly visible on both the Queens and Brooklyn side, at Maspeth Avenue. The bridge connected the early communities of Maspeth and Newtown, crossing through what Mitch Waxman describes as “the hellish expanse of Fuhrman’s Island (home to Peter Cooper’s Glue Factory and Conrad Wissel’s Night Soil and Offal Dock, amongst other notorious or malodorous occupants)” to bring products to market in Williamsburg and, via early ferry service, to Manhattan. Today we see the view of the Empire of Concrete, near where the Maspeth Holders once stood. Thanks to Newtown Creek Alliance for the history, the cleanup, and the restoration plantings. I like the rogue bamboo grove adjacent to the DSNY parking lot. Beware of the thriving poison ivy.
Kudos to the Newtown Creek Alliance for clearing the access point on Plank Road, and for shedding light on the creek’s ecology & forgotten industrial history. Great spot to launch a canoe or kayak.
Total reviews rating 4.6
12 Reviews for Newtown Creek East Branch 2023:
Review №1
2021-11-14Newtown creek is one of New York’s best spots to see the changing foliage in autumn. All the invasive and native plant communities have dramatic orange,yellow, and red fall colors. Despite the advanced industrial environment and polluted water ways, these plants thrive in the most unexpected places. Community stewards both public and private help create green spaces along the creek. The east branch has a lovely bamboo jungle path along the water that is secluded and quiet, a nice escape from the noisy roads and smoggy air of the industry behind the warehouses.
Review №2
2021-11-14No area quite captures the industrial history of New York City more then Newtown Creek, and the East Branch section in particular is an amazing route to explore. Plank Road, with its wild vegetation and scenic view of the creek, is a wonderful place to take in the sunset and experience the underappreciate charm of Newtown Creek.
Review №3
2021-11-13The remnants of Plank Road emerging out of Newtown Creek’s East Branch. A great spot to explore the historical industrial zone of Newtown Creek. With a huge remediation effort throughout the creek the East Branch is a site that allows you to see the creek through a different lens, with lots of spaces to explore and even launch a kayak or cano.
Review №4
2021-11-15As busy as the area may be there are moments of beauty found along the hidden waterway. Just walk a bit west towards the sanitation department depot and you’ll come across flora and scenery that center you, in such a bustling and high volume area
Review №5
2021-11-15One of the best locations to get a close-up view of Newtown Creek. If youre lucky, the tide will be high and the water will seem relatively clean. Not sure if you can still really call it a creek. It doesnt receive rainwater runoff via streams anymore, mostly just sewage via CSO pipes. Keep your eye out for Canada Geese. Theyre not exactly a rare sight, but its still nice to see wildlife interacting with this waterway. A little sad, too.
Review №6
2021-11-25Despite the dense industrial environment surroundings, Newtown Creek brings hope that we can preserve and recover those fragile green spaces left in the city. Shout out to Marie Lorenz for her wonderful tour and the inspiration she brought with her readings.
Review №7
2021-11-14I continue to be impressed by the myriad of learning opportunities that Newtown Creek provides. Marie was a wonderful guide, providing us with yet another unique perspective on this part of the creek. It was enriching to think of the East Branch through an artist’s lens, staying open to what the environment was trying to show us, not just how we’ve been socialized to view industrialized landscapes. Highly recommend checking out this part of the creek!
Review №8
2021-11-12A tributary of the Newtown Creek, the East Branch originates at Metropolitan and Onkerdonk Avenues, at a CSO pipe that drains 586,000,000 US gallons annually into the creek, the East River, the harbor estuary, and eventually the ocean. Willis says that the East Branch is the least popular of the Newtown Creek tributaries but I think it is the best.
Review №9
2021-11-13I was taken by how much vegetation I saw thriving in the least likely spots--in the cracks of concrete, matted up in plastic, just feet away from a CSO outfall. How resilient! We caught a very lovely sunset at the end of Plank Road. Shout out to the Newtown Creek Alliance for putting in the work to take care of this offbeat public waterfront spot!
Review №10
2021-11-15Off the beaten path exploration.If you want to see the inner workings of NYC, the guts so to speak, this is your place. With a solid 200 years of industrial grade pollution, The East Branch of Newtown Creek is the forgotten back alley, the dead-end sidewalk of its industrial corridor neighborhood. In case you wondered where your packages went between you and the freighter or airplane, or who picks up and delivers your package, this place is for you! If you wanted to know where your trash, your recyclables or your old car goes after it leaves your house, this is your place. Neglected corners abound. Not recommended for nighttime visits.