Seward Park spans three full acres of green space to the 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 town. The park, named after Big Apple Senator William Henry Seward (1801-1872), was the very first municipally ran playground in the United States and a model for many others. With a rich history and plenty of room to play, Seward Park New York is amongst the Lower East Side's treasures.
In the latter 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organised games to public playgrounds. The ORL was instrumental in creating playing areas in municipal parks and is necessary 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 inventions including gymnastic equipment and recreation pavilion, marbe baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a series of transformations. A part of the park's east side was taken over by the NYC governent and utilised for street purposes. In 1936, the park purchased the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finished by the addition of more playgrounds, shuffleboard, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and ice skating.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the encircling Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by the city of New York. Many streets were closed and houses were built to replace apartment buildings.
The current history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the initial 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's beautiful curving trails, plenty of benches, playgrounds, sports facilities, Seward Park is still a fave place for New Yorkers and travelers alike to play.
In the latter 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organised games to public playgrounds. The ORL was instrumental in creating playing areas in municipal parks and is necessary 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 inventions including gymnastic equipment and recreation pavilion, marbe baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a series of transformations. A part of the park's east side was taken over by the NYC governent and utilised for street purposes. In 1936, the park purchased the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finished by the addition of more playgrounds, shuffleboard, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and ice skating.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the encircling Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by the city of New York. Many streets were closed and houses were built to replace apartment buildings.
The current history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the initial 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's beautiful curving trails, plenty of benches, playgrounds, sports facilities, Seward Park is still a fave place for New Yorkers and travelers alike to play.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has been interested in Parks in NYC like Seward park for many years. The author has written many articles about parks in New York City, including brief histories and top facts. For more information, please visit his site.
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