The village of Narrowsburg is located within the Town of Tusten. Benjamin Homan, a companion of the noted Indian fighter Tom Quick, settled near the big eddy around 1763. Most of the places along the Delaware that included the word “Eddy” were so named by the early raftsmen. Narrowsburg was first known as Homans’ Eddy until Mr. Homan left the area. It was then renamed Big Eddy by the raftsmen because it is located on one of the broadest places on the river and also the deepest above the tidewater. The name was changed to Narrowsburg about 1840, this time to identify it with the narrows just above the big eddy. The solid rock sides of the narrows form natural abutments for the several bridges that have spanned the river at this point. It was in 1810 that the New York State legislators granted the Narrowsburgh Bridge Company the right to erect the first bridge “across the Delaware River at the Narrows, in the Big Eddy,” and to collect tolls. This was a huge step forward for the small community. Quinlan, in his History of Sullivan County, states that for some reason this bridge had to be rebuilt in 1832. This fine new bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1846 and replaced by a covered suspension bridge 250 feet long and 22 feet in width. In 1840, Abraham Cuddeback built the Narrowsburg Hotel, which helped make the new name, Narrowsburg, familiar. The Erie Railroad reached Narrowsburg in 1848, opening up the Town of Tusten for more settlers and workmen. The station was built in 1850 and destroyed by fire in February 1918. The freight office, which was built about 1960, was converted to accommodate both passengers and freight. The railroad brought growth and prosperity to Narrowsburg. Many new stores, shops and other businesses sprang up in the community. Hotels were opened in town and country boarding houses thrived in the area.
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