The Irvington Reservoir

In the 1890’s, as Irvington’s sewer system was being constructed, the village wanted to ensure a clean supply of drinking water for its residents. Land rights were acquired on acreage outside the village limits along Harriman Road, necessitating the relocation of the farmhouse that now stands at the junction of Harriman and Cyrus Field roads. Construction involved an interior rubble masonry core wall, an earthen embankment and a bottom surface of stone chips and gravel. The Irvington Reservoir was completed in 1900 and is home to a wide variety of migratory and all-season birds, including red-tailed hawks, loons, and great blue herons. No longer used for Irvington’s water supply, the reservoir feeds into the Hudson River. On the northern shore is a beautiful rock dedicated in 1984 to the Rev. Dr. Frederick Jenkins. While Pastor of the Irvington Presbyterian church from 1959-1984, he held Easter Sunday sunrise services overlooking the reservoir.