Seward Park spans a few acres of green space to Manhattan's Lower East Side. Found north of East Broadway and east of Essex Street, the park offers visitors a shady relief to the hustle of the big city. The park, named after New York Senator William Henry Seward (1801-1872), was the first municipally controlled playground in the US and a model for many others. With an opulent past and plenty of room to play, Seward Park New York is one of the Lower East Side's treasures.
In the later 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public play areas. The ORL played an important role in establishing playgrounds in civic parks and is important to history of Seward Park.
In 1897, the land that would one day become Seward Park was obtained by the city. The ORL transformed the area into a playground, including a children's garden and a running track. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other innovations such as a marble baths, recreation pavilion and gymnastics equipment, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the country.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a series of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the the city's government and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The evolution was finished by the addition of a basketball court, horseshoe courts, more playgrounds and an area for roller and an ice skating rink.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the surrounding Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by New York City. Many streets were closed and houses were built to replace older apartment buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the original ORL plan. The park now has a central oval with a spray shower and map of the Lower East Side, period lighting and furniture, and quotations from local residents spanning the neighborhood's rich history. These changes brought the park the nearest to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving walking paths plenty of benches, sports facilities, playgrounds, Seward Park is still a favorite place for residents of New York and visitors to play.
In the later 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public play areas. The ORL played an important role in establishing playgrounds in civic parks and is important to history of Seward Park.
In 1897, the land that would one day become Seward Park was obtained by the city. The ORL transformed the area into a playground, including a children's garden and a running track. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other innovations such as a marble baths, recreation pavilion and gymnastics equipment, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the country.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a series of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the the city's government and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The evolution was finished by the addition of a basketball court, horseshoe courts, more playgrounds and an area for roller and an ice skating rink.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the surrounding Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by New York City. Many streets were closed and houses were built to replace older apartment buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the original ORL plan. The park now has a central oval with a spray shower and map of the Lower East Side, period lighting and furniture, and quotations from local residents spanning the neighborhood's rich history. These changes brought the park the nearest to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving walking paths plenty of benches, sports facilities, playgrounds, Seward Park is still a favorite place for residents of New York and visitors to play.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has been interested in New York City parks like Seward park for many years. He has written many articles about NYC parks, including brief histories and the top most interesting facts. For more information, please visit his site.
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