The Boulevard running from Pelham Bridge to the bridge south of the West ^besti r village causeway is of recent origin, hut the road wliich runs from Westcheater village to the Bronx at the south end of the village of West Farms was originally known as the Westchester turnpike. The road known now as the East Chester road, extending from the Bleach to the East Chester line, and sometimes called the Boston

road, is a coniinuaiiou of the Coles road mentioned in the chapters on West Farms and Morrisania.

Bkiugjos IX THE TowxsHii'.-- William's Bridge, the most northerly of the bridges in the township which cross the Bronx, has already been mentioned in our colonial account. The next bridge south of it at the Bleach was constructed when Pelham Avenue was authorized by the Laws of 18()4 and 1860.

The bridge at Lydig's Mills was built probably about the time the road from Westchester to the mill was constructed, though a wading-place existed there after the construction of the dam. The other bridges over the Bronx were constructed in comparatively late years ; that in the centre of the village when the road from Tremont to Westchester was opened. All the bridges over the Bronx are now maintained at the joint expense of the township and the city of New York.

Pelham Bridge, which crosses East Chester Creek at ihc head of East Chester or Pelham Bay, was authorized as follows :

By a legislative act of March 16, 1812, Herman Le Roy, James Harvey, William Bayard, John Bartow, Richard Ward, Elbert Roosevelt, Daniel Pelton, Joshua Eustace and John Hunter were incorporated as the East Chester Bridge Company, and authorized to build a toll-bridge from the farm of James Harvey, in the town of Pelham, to the point of Throgg's Neck called Dormer's Island. \Vithin a few years a storm destroyed the bridge, and on April 12, 1816, the General Assembly empowered the company to sell ts property and franchises at public auction, the purchaser to become the owner of the franchise for forty-five years.