What Lies Between the Trees of New York City's Idyllic Rural Watershed? Artifacts of Urbanization
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2016-12-14

New York City engineered its idyllic rural watershed by transforming landscapes of production into landscapes  of  ruination,  isolation,  and  gentrification.  Farmlands,  timberlands,  quarries,  mills,  and other economically viable land uses were replaced with man‐made lakes, impenetrably dense forests, residential subdivisions, vacation homes, and mansions. This rurality was manufactured by  the city through a combination of condemnation, sale, and absorption that drove residents and businesses away. Using water quality  to justify  the clearance,  the watershed is now advertised as an ideal an unspoiled landscape. Archaeology of city‐owned lands up to 150km from the city, reveals how these places have long been an urban commodity and its Euro‐American residents have always been part of the urban system.

April M. Beisaw,Vassar College, Poughkeepsie NY.

Session 3: Urban | |  Rural
CHAT Annual Conference - Orkney 2016: Rurality