Sunday, 18 August 2013

New York City Parks: Gramercy Park

By Jeff Myers


Gramercy Park is a non-public fenced-in park situated between East 20th Street and East 21st Street in the Manhattan part of New York. The history of the park is just as rich and diverse as the city of New York itself. The area that's now Gramercy Park Manhattan started off as swamp land. In 1831, a developer named Samuel B. Ruggles (1800-1881) put forth the concept of a park on the property then owned by James Duane called Gramercy Farm.

Gramercy Park history started with the draining of marsh land and the creation of parcels of land around what became the park. Initially the landscaping of the personal park began, encircled by a fence erected in 1833 that still exists today, occurred over the next fifteen years. Additional planting in 1916 slid the park's proper and formal design. Gramercy Park New York was opened to Union squaddies in 1863 to express thanks for shielding the park in the time of the the Civil War.

Gramercy Park history contains the districts surrounding the park. The Player's Club and a couple of NYC's first flats are among the well regarded architectural structures in the area. A statue of 19th century actor Edwin Booth as Hamlet was placed in the park by The Player's Club in 1916. Many of the city's oldest churches are found in the area with a once Underground Railroad location. A Victorian mansion that once served as a home for former State governor Samuel J. Tilden. It is also home to one or two charity foundations that are also situated in the important areas surrounding the Gramercy.

There once was an attempted effort to run a cable car through Gramercy park in 1890, although it was defeated by those looking to preserve the park. In 1966, part of the park was designated a historic district. The area incorporating the park was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. A 4.5 ton bronze sculpture known as Fantasy Fountain was added in 1983. Gramercy Park remains one of New York's two privately owned parks, owned by the owners of the encompassing properties as intended by Mr. Ruggles when he first suggested the concept for a park in 1831. Presently, the park is still famous for its spring blooming flowers and lush greenery that brighten up the park well into autumn.

The park area surrounding the park has kept its sense of style, regularly matched against London's West End. Zoning laws mean no building in the area is higher than 20 stories tall. However, many older buildings in the area are just three to six stories tall. Gramercy Park Hotel was added to the location in 1925 and remains a popular place for New York visitors to visit. A bunch of cafes and bars known as Irving Place remains a popular place for New York locals and visitors to assemble. The history of Gramercy Park is as rich and varied as the city of New York itself and continues to please all who enjoy the park.




About the Author:



 

Copyright © 2011 Computer Technologies | Design by Kenga Ads-template