Seward Park brings three acres of green space to Manhattan's Lower East Side. Located 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 ran playground in the United States and a model for many others. With a rich history and lots of room to play, Seward Park New York is one of the Lower East Side's treasures.
In the late 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public playgrounds. The ORL played an important role in building playgrounds 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 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 like marble baths, recreation pavilion and gymnastics equipment, and meeting rooms made it a model for future playing areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a collection of transformations. A part 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 alteration was finished by the addition of horseshoe courts, a basketball court, more playgrounds and an area for roller and an ice skating area.
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 NYC. Many streets were closed and homes were built to replace older apartment buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is indicated by a 1999 reconstruction that payed homage to the initial 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving trails, plenty of benches, playgrounds, sports facilities, Seward Park is still a fave place for residents of the Big Apple and visitors alike to play.
In the late 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organized games to public playgrounds. The ORL played an important role in building playgrounds 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 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 like marble baths, recreation pavilion and gymnastics equipment, and meeting rooms made it a model for future playing areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park underwent a collection of transformations. A part 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 alteration was finished by the addition of horseshoe courts, a basketball court, more playgrounds and an area for roller and an ice skating area.
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 NYC. Many streets were closed and homes were built to replace older apartment buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is indicated by a 1999 reconstruction that payed homage to the initial 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's stunning curving trails, plenty of benches, playgrounds, sports facilities, Seward Park is still a fave place for residents of the Big Apple and visitors alike to play.
About the Author:
Jeff Myers has been interested in Parks in New York City 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.