4. A Lake in Alley Pond Park Used to Serve as a Drinking Water Source

Oakland Lake, previously known as Mill Pond, is one of the many beloved natural features in Alley Pond Park. Although it is now a rehabilitated site, it used to serve as a municipal water source in the 19th century, when the lake was acquired by the Village of Flushing. After the consolidation of the five boroughs in 1898, the body of water was transferred to the City’s Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity.

Bayside pumping station was eventually constructed on the site and remained in use for a period of time before the City began to source water from upstate reservoirs and aqueducts. However, claims reveal that people drank from the lakeside springs as recently as the 1950s, according to NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.