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The Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center, formerly known as Recreation Center 59, has been a vital community resource since the early 20th century. First purchased by the City in 1906 for use as a playground, the park parcel spanned mid-block lots from West 59th to West 60th Streets. Soon thereafter, the 60th Street Bathhouse opened on site. By 1942, the park Read more...
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Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) is legendary for his pioneering role as the first black professional baseball player in the major leagues. He was born in Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919 and raised in Pasadena, California. Robinson’s success was foretold at the University of California at Los Angeles, where he became the first student to earn letters in four sports: baseball, Read more...
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During the course of his forty years in public life, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) had a profound influence on the formation of the American legal and political system. He began his career as a lawyer and a farmer and became a champion of equal rights, religious freedom and public education. In 1776 Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. He went on Read more...
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Madison Square Park is named for James Madison (1751-1836), a Virginian who was the fourth President of the United States (1809-17). Madison earned the title “father of the Constitution,” from his peers in the Constitutional Convention. He also co-authored The Federalist Papers (1787-88) with New Yorkers Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. Madison was Secretary of State from 1801-09, serving through Read more...
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This property is named in honor of civil rights leader Roy Wilkins (1901-1981). Born in Missouri and raised in Minnesota, Wilkins grew up with an interest in journalism and civil rights. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Wilkins worked for The Kansas City Call, a weekly paper dedicated to African-American issues. In 1931, he began his Read more...
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This park is the second largest in Queens. The site is named for The Alley, an 18th century commercial and manufacturing center formerly located here. The origin of that center’s name is the subject of some debate. One theory is that “alley” refers to the shape of the glacier-made valley. Another holds that colonial travelers, who passed through the valley Read more...
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Forest Park is one of the natural treasures of New York City. The Wisconsin glacier molded this land 20,000 years ago and left the Harbor Hill Moraine, a series of small hills known as “knob and kettle” terrain, within Forest Park. The land was inhabited by the Rockaway, Lenape, and Delaware Native Americans until the Dutch West India Company settled Read more...
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A pristine stretch surrounding a preserved Civil War fortress, Fort Totten Park provides not onlyrecreation and relaxation but a fascinating glimpse into New York’s past. Year-round, New Yorkers flock to Fort Totten Park to enjoy its special events, natural wonders, and historic buildings. On hot summer days, swimmers can take a dip in the pool and sunbathe around its grassy Read more...
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The rolling terrain of Cunningham Park was carved out by glaciers nearly 20,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans, ancestors of the Mantinecocks, were the first people to settle in the area, arriving about 7000 years ago. They fished, hunted, and later farmed near the shores of Little Neck and Flushing Bays. Dutch colonists arrived in the area Read more...
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City Hall Park, located in downtown Manhattan, has played a key role in New York civic life for centuries, from its Colonial beginnings as a rebel outpost to its current function as the seat of City government. The land has been used, among other things, as a pasture, a prison, a parade ground, a public execution site, an almshouse, an Read more...
