Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park is a large urban park in the Bronx, NY. It has an area of 1,146 acres (4.6 km²), making it the third largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park and Flushing Meadows Park. It is run and operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
The park was named for Stephanus Van Cortlandt, who was the first native born mayor of New York, and the Van Cortlandt family which was prominent in the area during the Dutch and English colonial periods. Contained on its property is the Van Cortlandt House Museum, which is the oldest building in the Bronx.
History
New York City came into possession of the land and established the park in 1888. It was during this time that many sections of the park were developed, playgrounds were added, and particularly overgrown areas made passable. Still, other sections of the park were left wild and pristine.
Robert Moses' development plans in the 1930s called for the construction of the Henry Hudson Parkway and Mosholu Parkway to bisect Van Cortlandt Park and meet at a cloverleaf interchange in the center. The last remaining freshwater marsh in New York State was dredged and landscaped to accommodate construction.
The city's fiscal crisis in the 1970s caused much of the park to fall into disrepair, however renewed interest in recent times has remedied this to a degree.
Attractions
The Van Courtlandt Golf Course, the nation's first public golf course which opened in 1895, is located on the park grounds.
Van Cortlandt Park is considered by many to be the Mecca of cross country running, drawing teams from all over the northeast and the country to its many annual races.
External links
 | This New York City–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |