The Hudson River is full of urban myths
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/10/the-hudson-river-is-full-of-urban-myths Version 0 of 1. We West Side boys used to swim in the Hudson River off Gansevoort Street pier, across the road from what is now the High Line (New York to revive river swimming with $20m floating pool in East River, 9 October). Even then – 60-plus years ago – it was frowned on. What the grown-ups warned us about was not the genuine risk we ran of typhoid. Rather, they regaled us with the story of the boy who dived in the river and got his head stuck in a milk can and drowned. Like many urban myths this may have had a basis in some actual occurrence – probably dating from the mayoralty of Fernando Wood in the mid-19th century. If all the boys we were told of who drowned with their heads in milk cans were at the bottom of New York’s rivers there wouldn’t have be much room for the shipwrecks and the gangsters in cement galoshes.Patrick CarrollHelston, Cornwall • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition New York Rivers Swimming Fitness letters Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on WhatsApp Share on Messenger Reuse this content |