History

Native Origins 

The East River's origins took place about 11,000 years ago during the Wisconsin Glaciation. As a result, it is technically a drowned valley as the land subsided and filled with sea water. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, Manhattan was occupied by the Lenape, a group of Native Americans located along the East Coast of the present-day United States. For the Lenape, the river was central to their lives for transportation, fishing and trading. They used marsh grass to feed their cattle and local fish to fertilize their crops. Dutch settlement of what later became New Amsterdam began in 1623, with some of the earliest settlements being along the river. Waterfront developments would continue with a ferry running between Brooklyn and Manhattan in 1642, and the river's first pier being built in 1647. After the British took over the colony in 1664, the shipbuilding industry also started to develop as New York started exporting flour. The river would continue to serve as an essential part of New York's transportation routes, being used in the American Revolution for maritime transport. Following the war, developments would take place around the river, and in the river itself. 

Major Developments 

As previously mentioned, the East River has undergone major changes in infrastructure development over the past few centuries. One major development worth mentioning was the narrowing of the river's lower portion. This lower segment, the part of the river that separates Manhattan and Brooklyn, was historically one of the busiest and most important channels in the world. Therefore, from 1686 on, retaining walls were built to expand usable waterfront property. In essence, retaining walls were constructed and then filled with ship balast, household refuse and other debris. The newly formed land was used for factories and other structures needed to support the rising maritime trade.

Another major development project was the clearing of Hell Gate. Hell Gate is a tidal straight within the East River separating Astoria, Queens, from Randalls and Ward islands, which was a major travel route between the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. During the 1800s, merchants and other interested parties petitioned to have obstructive rocks removed from Hell Gate as they made travel through the area significantly more difficult. Removal efforts began in 1849 with French Engineer Benjamin Maillefert, who removed some of the rocks. Then, in 1851, the project was taken over by the US Army Corps of Engineers, led by General John Newton. The Corps used a combination of explosives, mining and steam drills to remove reef and other rocks from Hell Gate. 

The twentieth century brought advancements in transportation and infrastructure along and across the East River. The Williamsburg Bridge, for instance, opened in December 1903. The bridge provided additional transport between Manhattan and Brooklyn, taking pressure off of Brooklyn Bridge, and promoted the growth of Williamsburg and surrounding neighborhoods. Further access between Manhattan and Brooklyn was created when the first subway tunnel was built between the two boroughs in October 1904. The tunnel provided fast and efficient public transport between the two boroughs supporting economic growth and urban development. Finally, the shoreline of the East River became the location of the limited-access East River Drive (later renamed FDR Drive) in 1955. Similarly to the previous two developments, the opening of the FDR Drive provided fast and convenient transit along the north-south route of Manhattan, relieving congestion from local interior streets. 

In the past 25 years, the East River has seen several important developments in recreational and transportation infrastructure. In 2011, NY Waterway, a private transportation company, began a ferry service between East 34th Street and Long Island City. The service was an instant hit, and from June to November 2011 the ferry saw a ridership of 350,000, 250% of the initial projected ridership. Hornblower Cruises would eventually buy the rights to the route in 2017, and service would be expanded significantly as all five boroughs are currently served across six routes. In October 2020, Verdant Power successfully installed three turbines near Roosevelt Island in the East River that would use its strong currents to produce electricity. Named the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project, it aimed to test the performance of marine energy turbines in an area with strong tidal currents. The turbines now supply electricity to Roosevelt Island through a local Con Edison grid.