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 and bustle of the big old city. The park, named after New York Senator William Henry Seward (1801-1872), was the very first municipally controlled playground in the United States and a model for many others. With an opulent past and masses of room to play, Seward Park Manhattan is probably one of the Lower East Side's treasures.
In the latter 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public playing areas. The ORL played an important role in creating playing areas in community parks and is crucial 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 track for running and a children's garden. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other discoveries including recreation pavilion and gymnastic equipment, marble baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the land.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a sequence of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the the city's government and used for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finished by the addition of a basketball court, more playgrounds, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and an ice skating area.
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 the city of New York. Many streets were closed and family homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the original ORL plan. The park now features 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 closer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving walking paths sports facilities, playgrounds, plenty of benches, Seward Park is still a fave place for New Yorkers and visitors to play.
In the latter 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public playing areas. The ORL played an important role in creating playing areas in community parks and is crucial 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 track for running and a children's garden. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other discoveries including recreation pavilion and gymnastic equipment, marble baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the land.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a sequence of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the the city's government and used for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finished by the addition of a basketball court, more playgrounds, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and an ice skating area.
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 the city of New York. Many streets were closed and family homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 renovation that payed homage to the original ORL plan. The park now features 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 closer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving walking paths sports facilities, playgrounds, plenty of benches, Seward Park is still a fave place for New Yorkers and visitors to play.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has been interested in NYC Parks like Seward park for many years. Myers has written many articles about New York City parks, including the top most interesting facts and brief histories. For more information, please visit his site.
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