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The Mohegan Indians who first lived and fished along the Bronx River called it Aquehung, or "River of High Bluffs." Swedish settlers in the 1600s began establishing hydraulic mills manufacturing paper, flour, pottery, tapestries, barrels and snuff. In 1915, the completion of the Kensico Dam diverted the upper part of the River and reduced the Bronx River's water supply by one-quarter. The rise of industrialism, specifically the construction of the New York Central Railroad turned the valley into an industrial corridor and the Bronx River degenerated into an "open sewer" or human and industrial waste. During the reign of city planner, Robert Moses, the Bronx River and its communities were divided by the construction of new highways. The City of New York Parks and Recreation has partnered with numerous community organizations to help clean up the river. Today, it is home to hundreds of species of native plants and animals and one can find bikers, fishers, and sunbathers along its banks.
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