Indian Paths in the Great Metropolis
The broad tract of level land on which this station was situated, extending north of the waters of Rechewanis and lying east of the Indian trail, between 108th street and 123d street, was known to the natives as "Conykeekst."11 The queer name may have been more correctly Quinnikeek. As in other situations, the name was probably applied equally to the local settlement (98) and to its vicinity. The tract was waterless, save for one small
AND MONOGRAPHS
INDIAN PATHS
brook which flowed diagonally northeastward from a source at 114th street near Second avenue, and reached Harlem river at 123d street near Avenue A, or Pleasant avenue, passing within about three hundred feet of the place at which the native objects were found, as above described.
The situation of Conykeekst, if such was the station's name, was without shelter on the west, except for the forest growth, and it may therefore be assumed to have been unoccupied in the winter season, and during the rest of the year to have been an oystering and fishing camp.
St Nicholas Avenue
The parting of the Manhattan path from the Harlem trail appears to have been at 110th street, on the east side of Lenox avenue, the Harlem trail passing off diagonally to the east, and the main path continuing in a northwesterly direction into our present St Nicholas avenue at 111th street. The path probably ran along the easterly side of the avenue, on
INDIAN NOTES
UPPER MANHATTAN
the line of the old Harlem lane, which was the successor of the Indian thoroughfare. The course headed directly across the level meadowlands now covered by modern Harlem, toward the foot of Washington Heights. Along its route at or near 115th street, at Seventh avenue, the pioneer white settler fixed the location of his clearing, Vredendal, or "Quiet Vale," the home of the Montagne family.