I’ve often driven past the Kensico Dam. It’s set back quite a bit from the road and from a distance it doesn’t look all that interesting. Still from time to time it occurred to me to get closer and take some pictures. But I kept putting it off. The other day I decided to go so an Uber, a short train ride, and a short walk and there I was.

The Official Website for Westchester County Government describes it as follows:

The Kensico Dam was built under the old dam that formed Lake Kensico, using stone taken from the adjacent Cranberry Lake Park. More electric power was applied for its creation than any other construction work for the Catskill water supply. The crushing plant at the quarry was the largest ever placed on contract work, and a railroad was built solely for the purpose of carrying debris from the construction site to landfills. At the quarry village, a school operated for the children, sewing classes for the women, and English language classes for the predominately Italian male workers.

The dam was completed in 1917. It is 307 feet high and 1,843 feet long, and forms the Kensico reservoir. It was acquired as parkland in 1963 from the New York City Watershed Commission and remains the property of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation.

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The park provides a unique setting for a wide variety of activities including cultural heritage celebrations and concerts, fitness classes and a fitness course, as well as areas for picnicking, in-line skating, walking and nature study.

During the holiday months of November and December, thanks to the Westchester Parks Foundation and its sponsors, the Kensico Dam Plaza is transformed into a winter wonderland full of sparkling lights and splendor. The annual Westchester’s Winter Wonderland Drive-thru Holiday Light Extravaganza.

Wikipedia provides significantly more information.

Taken with a Panasonic Lumix GX85 and Lumix G Vario 14-140 f3.5-5.6