13. Oldest Surviving Bridge: High Bridge
Crossing the Harlem River, High Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge in New York City. Completed in 1848, it connects the Bronx to Manhattan. Built in the style of a Roman aqueduct, it did indeed carry water into New York City through the Croton Aqueduct system until 1917.
When the masonry arches were determined to be a hazard to shipping by the Army Corps of Engineers, local organizations fought against the full demolition of the bridge. Today, the central span is reinforced with steel from a 1927 alteration. The span was closed to the public for over forty years but re-opened to pedestrians in the summer of 2015.