Wow. I was at the doctors today for my 3 month checkup, and he had a topographic map of Manhattan on the wall, that covered the area from 34th to about just below the George Washington Bridge. It also showed the East shore of Jersey, including Weehawken and West New York, etc. The map was from 1954, updated again in the 60's and finally updated in '79. But it still called "certain" things by their old names, such as the Westchester Rapid Transit, which I think is now the Lexington Ave Line up in the Bronx? That's what it looked like. (Oh, the map covered the West Side of the Bronx too). The New York Connecting Railway was also mentioned. I don't think off hand that they lasted into the late 70's! There were also a lot tracks along the Jersey side too , some right across from where I live, that I'm sure were gone already when the map was updated. I used to watch the trains out of my tenth floor window facing the river, but 3 few blocks from it. I always used binoculars. Must be a good mile and a half. No wonder I'm half blind today! As for being "updated", All yards and mainlines were under the name Conrail. ANYWAY! I was looking at the old 60th St. yard and noticed from 60th to about 62nd, in the South West corner of the yard, there was a Union Stockyard! I never knew that there was a stockyard in the yard. That really amazed me, and darn if I didn't happen to look at that map I never would have known that! Union Stockyard sounds like such a "familiar" name. Anyone ever heard of it before? He also had another map that these worn out eye balls had a hard time reading, but it was another topographic map of Hoboken in the 20's. That one also mentioned a lot of different railroads in Hoboken. Could it be possible that these names that were called "railroads", were really streetcar lines? I mean I remember one as being called "The Hoboken St. Railroad".........
John, that map was a real find! Ya know, the US Geological Survey (USGS) might give you some website hits on their old maps of the area. The whole Country was re-surveyed in the 30's as part of Roosevelt's plan to recover from the "Great Depression". If not the USGS, then maybe one the University's in or around the City. I think the "Westchester Rapid Transit" that you refered to was probably the Boston and Westchester Railway. It was an interurban line that went northeast out of the Bronx on to Mount Vernon, etc. The B&W built roadbed, laid rails, and built stations, but I don't think it ran many trains, if any at all. I do remember that one of the subway companies took over alot of the B&W ROW and facilities. At any rate, I found a whole bunch of info on the B&W on a website you put me onto a while back ... either http://www.oldnyc.com/index.html , or http://www.nycshs.org/ , or maybe another(?). Sorry that I can't be more specific Regards the "Stock Yards" ... now that you mention it, I remember my Mother telling me about them ... Do you think Google might give you some hits on "New York City Stock Yards"? Later
Barb, thanks very much. Take a look at one of the hits from your Google search ... American Memory - Library of Congress I could spend all day wandering through that site
Hank, if you need any searching done let The Night Owl Surfing Network fulfil your needs. Your welcome Hank anytime
Union Stock Yards was the name of the huge stockyards district in Chicago's south side. Most of the major meat packers were there. The space still survives 'though mostly as vacant land in the process of developement. The entry arch survives as an historic landmark. It had its own separate elevated railroad branch, the Stockyards branch with stops named for Swift, Armour, Packers Ave etc. and its own telephone exchange (YArds)and its own arena. The International Amphitheatre. A chicago district is named "Back of the Yards" for its location south and west of the stockyards. Upton Sinclairs book about the excesses and problems of the meat-packing industry were based on the Union Stock Yards. CT
I imagine there is a connection between the ones here and there. The tracks and some buildings in the 60th St. yard were still in place up until the 80's but no sign whatsoever of a coral or stockyard in my old yard. I have a funny feeling the cattle were taken by truck to New York Butchers which was the last BIG slaughterhouse in Manhattan. It was on 11th Ave in the high 30's, and had "green" (Copper? Bronze?) steer heads on the outside of the building. My Father worked there when he came into the City from the farm on Long Island. I think it was his first job in the City (?). That would be a rather short distance from the yard. He has told me the cows were brought in by truck........... I doubt he would remember if the cattle came out of the yards. He may not even have known anyway. I will ask. Can't hurt!
