Seward Park brings three acres of green space to the Lower East Side. Situated north of East Broadway and east of Essex Street, the park offers visitors a shady relief to the hustle of the big old 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 a rich history and masses of room to play, Seward Park New York 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 play areas. The ORL played an important role in establishing play areas in municipal parks and is important to history of Seward Park.
In 1897, the land that would one day become Seward Park was obtained by New York City. The ORL transformed the area into a playground, including a children's garden and a track for running. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other inventions including recreation pavilion and gymnastic equipment, marble baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future playgrounds across the country.
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 NYC governent and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park purchased the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The transformation was finished by the addition of more playgrounds, horseshoe courts, shuffleboard 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 homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The existing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 refurbishment that payed homage to the first 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 the nearest to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's beautiful curving trails, sports facilities, plenty of benches, playgrounds, Seward Park is still a favourite place for residents of New York and travelers alike to play.
In the latter 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public play areas. The ORL played an important role in establishing play areas in municipal parks and is important to history of Seward Park.
In 1897, the land that would one day become Seward Park was obtained by New York City. The ORL transformed the area into a playground, including a children's garden and a track for running. Opening on October 17, 1903, the park's other inventions including recreation pavilion and gymnastic equipment, marble baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future playgrounds across the country.
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 NYC governent and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park purchased the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The transformation was finished by the addition of more playgrounds, horseshoe courts, shuffleboard 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 homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The existing history of Seward Park is marked by a 1999 refurbishment that payed homage to the first 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 the nearest to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's beautiful curving trails, sports facilities, plenty of benches, playgrounds, Seward Park is still a favourite place for residents of New York and travelers alike 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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