Seward Park offers three full 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 bustle of the town. The park, named after New York Senator William Henry Seward (1801-1872), was the very first municipally ran playground in the US and a model for many others. With an opulent past and plenty of room to play, Seward Park Manhattan is one of the Lower East Side's treasures.
In the late 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organised games to public playgrounds. The ORL played an important role in establishing playgrounds in civic parks and is crucial 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 innovations including gymnastic equipment and recreation pavilion, marbe baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park went through a collection of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the New York City goverment and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finally completed by the addition of more playgrounds, shuffleboard, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and ice skating.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the encompassing Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by NYC. Many streets were closed and homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is suggested 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's attractive curving trails, playgrounds, sports facilities, plenty of benches, Seward Park is still a favorite place for residents of New York and travelers alike to play.
In the late 1890s the Outdoor Recreation League (ORL) worked to bring organised games to public playgrounds. The ORL played an important role in establishing playgrounds in civic parks and is crucial 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 innovations including gymnastic equipment and recreation pavilion, marbe baths, and meeting rooms made it a model for future play areas across the nation.
The history of Seward Park continues in the 1930s and 1940s, when the park went through a collection of transformations. A little of the park's east side was taken over by the New York City goverment and utilized for street purposes. In 1936, the park bought the Schiff fountain from Rutgers Park. The alteration was finally completed by the addition of more playgrounds, shuffleboard, horseshoe courts and an area for roller and ice skating.
The 1950s saw more transformations in Seward Park history. As the encompassing Lower East Side neighborhood grew, another section of the park was redeveloped by NYC. Many streets were closed and homes were built to replace tenement buildings.
The prevailing history of Seward Park is suggested 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 nearer to it's original 1903 appearance. With it's attractive curving trails, playgrounds, sports facilities, plenty of benches, Seward Park is still a favorite place for residents of New York and travelers 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.
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