Hell Gate is the oldest place name of these three. Dating back to New Amsterdam's Dutch colonial period, Hell Gate is a corruption of the Dutch name "Hellegat" which meant "hell channel." It refers to the narrow and treacherous strait of water separating Astoria, Queens, from Ward's Island, and connecting the Long Island Sound to the East River. The Encyclopedia of New York City tells us that Hell Gate earned its name from sailors navigating the shallow channel's strong currents and rocky reef. Hundreds of ships have sunk into Hell Gate, including the British ship Hussar, which in 1780 shipwrecked whilst carrying a significant amount of silver and gold. Its treasure is still sought by divers. The Army Corps of Engineers widened and deepened the channel in the nineteenth century using "the greatest quantity of explosives ever attempted in a single operation." The feat drew over fifty thousand spectators to the shores of the East River to watch the geyser-like spectacle caused by the detonation. Spanning the waterway is the Hell Gate Bridge, a picturesque railroad bridge which links New York City to New England. Although some places in the city take their name from Hell Gate, such as the Hell Gate Station Post Office, Hell Gate officially refers to the waterway and its bridge, not to a neighborhood or other piece of land.