Baisley Pond Park
A Reflection of Queens' Past
Baisley Pond is located in the South Jamaica section of Queens in a residential neighborhood. This means many people live near Baisley Pond.
What comes to mind when you think of a pond? What colors do you see in the map below?
Baisley Pond and its surrounding neighborhoods
The History of Baisley Pond
Most of Queens was very rural in the past. Many farms were located all over what we now know as the borough of Queens.
In the 1700s, farmers living in the town of Jamaica dammed, or put a barrier in front of, a stream called Cornell Creek, and two other streams to create a pond that could power their grain mill.
The mill and its machinery are powered by the force of gravity as water pours over the water wheel and causes it to turn. Creating the pond to raise the water level allowed a mill to be powered from the water flowing down from the top of the dam. The water wheel would power the machine used to grind the grains.
In the 1800s, the land was owned by a farmer named David Baisley, and that’s how the pond got its name.
Some of Baisley Pond's former names include Mill Pond and Jamaica Pond.
Jamaica Pond, today's Baisley Pond, is the focus of this map. Image Credit: J.P. Kirkwood
Nearby Brooklyn was an urban area in the 1800s. As the population grew, Brooklyn would need resources. What are some of the things that people need to stay healthy and happy?
The city of Brooklyn needed water for its residents and businesses. At the time, most of their water came from wells and cisterns, located underground. Soon, leaders of Brooklyn learned they would not have enough water.
Where could they look for new sources of freshwater?
Compare Brooklyn (Kings County) and Queens (Queens County) using the map to the right. Brooklyn is on the left of the red line. Queens is on the right of the red line. Look for the thin lines representing streets and a busy city.
Use the zoom buttons to help you. If you are having trouble viewing the historic map, click the button in the upper right hand corner to make the map larger.
Where would you rather get your drinking water from? Why?
Brooklyn decided to look east to Queens and Nassau Counties for fresh water. The rural streams, lakes and ponds were much cleaner than the wells of the dense city.
Baisley Pond as a Reservoir
Water Works
Can you find Baisley Pond on this map? Explore by clicking around and using the zoom buttons to help you.
In 1856, Baisley Pond was chosen as a source for Brooklyn’s water by the company in charge of the monumental task of building a water system for the city.
The reservoir was connected to a long aqueduct, or tunnel for water. The aqueduct was built from Nassau County all the way west to the Ridgewood Reservoir , on the edge of Brooklyn. Look just a bit down from Baisley Pond and follow the dark blue line to see the path of the aqueduct.
Pumping stations pushed the water westward. When it reached Brooklyn, a massive pump forced the water into the Ridgewood Reservoir that sits atop a hill. That pump was located at Atlantic Avenue and Logan Street.
Why might it be a good idea to place a water source upon a hill?
This historic map is from 1904. Map Credit: A. C. Veatch.
Preparing Baisley Pond for its role as a drinking water source required lots of work. For starters, the pond would have to be much deeper than a traditional pond, and have a structured bottom lined with stone. In addition, the vegetation and deep mud compromised the pond’s water quality. The digging and construction unearthed quite a surprise…
A view of the gate house and weir, which kept water in and out of the pond. Image Credit: George B. Brainerd, Gate house and weir at Baisley's Pond, Brooklyn Water Works, 1878 ca., photographic print, V1972.1.113; Early Brooklyn and Long Island photograph collection, ARC.201; Brooklyn Historical Society.
A Buried Secret
During the construction on Baisley Pond, workers discovered six molar teeth and several bone fragments in the mud. These bones belonged to a mastodon! The mastodon was alive 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. It likely got trapped in a deep, muddy swamp. By the way, it was during this ice age that the ridge where the Ridgewood Reservoir is was formed. That hill was formed when the glacier melted and the big boulders that it carried were deposited.
Mastodons were quite massive! Image Credit: Charles Knight, via Wikimedia Commons
Baisley Pond Park
The population of Jamaica began to grow in the late 1800s. Waste and sewage would flow south from the main town into Baisley Pond. Soon, Baisley Pond had become so polluted that, by the 1890s, it was not uncommon for it to be periodically ‘cut off’ so it would not contaminate the rest of the Ridgewood Reservoir system.
Also, by 1898, Brooklyn’s appetite for water had grown so strong that it joined with Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island to form Greater New York City. This allowed both Brooklyn and Queens to access the new Catskill Water System that provided water to New York.
After World War I, the population of the neighborhood grew even more. In response, Baisley Pond Park was created in 1914. Parks Commissioner Robert Moses added playgrounds, tennis and handball courts, and athletic fields in the 1930s.
An aerial view of Baisley Pond Park in 1940. Image Credit: NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, via NYC Archives
Baisley Pond South
In the past, a stream from the pond continued south. When Baisley Pond served as a reservoir, the water connected to the aqueduct at Conduit Avenue. This is about four blocks south of the main pond. After Baisley Pond Park was constructed, this southern section that connected to the aqueduct was abandoned.
However, in the 1980s, New York City bought the land to extend Baisley Pond Park, ensuring that the former streambed would remain preserved as a park for the community. - NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
A view of Baisley Pond Park's athletic fields. Image Credit: Nicholas Persaud
Baisley Pond Park is a popular destination for the residents of South Jamaica. However, there are residents in the park, too - plants and animals! Let’s get to know the critters who call Baisley Pond home.
Life at Baisley Pond
Lily Pads
Floating on top of the water, these unique plants are a crowning jewel of Baisley Pond. The pads float on top of the water and bloom a lovely white flower. They provide a safe shelter for fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
Image Credit: Nicholas Persaud
Willow Tree
Offering relaxing shade over the pond, beautiful willow trees love water and wet soils. You can be sure that there is water beneath the ground where a willow tree is present.
Largemouth Bass
These fish love to hide in dense weeds and beneath lily pads to strike and catch smaller fish. They are a favorite of local anglers. - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
American Bullfrog
These amphibians lay their eggs in the calm waters of the pond. When they grow up, they relax amongst the lily pads and snack on the various insects in the area.
Musk Turtle
Something smell funny? These reptiles release a strong odor in order to scare predators away! They love the slow-moving waters of Baisley Pond. - Reptiles Magazine
Redhead Duck
Identified by their unique color, these beautiful ducks enjoy feasting on the plentiful vegetation at Baisley Pond.
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into a very unique slice of Queens history and how this park once played a critical role in providing a vital resource to the residents of Brooklyn.
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