Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
NATURAL PLAYGROUND
Far-Famed Palisades of the
Hudson Ideal Spot.
WONDERFUL PLATEAU
cARPETED FROM SPRING TO WIN
TER WITH ABUNDANT FLORA.
The Delights Of Camping Out at Base
Of the Cliffs Face-Follow-
Ing the Footpath.
Written Cor The Star.

Written Cor The Star
To New Workers generally the far-famed
Palisades of the Hudson have long. been q
source of pride, and afforded a magnificent
view from the pleasure drives bordering the
western edge of Manhattan Island. But
only recently has New York awakened to
the fact that this great towering sheer
cliff of basaltic rock is an ideal natural
playground and taken proper advantage of
the knowledge.
About three years ago the writer found
himself on a certain holiday on top of the
palisades some distance above the spot op-
poste the location of Grants tomb He
walked along the edge of the cliff for a
number of miles. and only occasionally did
he meet with stranger, and that stranger
almost invariably bore the stamp of one in
digenous to a New Jersey village.
All that summer he frequented the pail
sades, but at no time did he experience any
evidene which would tend to show that the
palisades were used by a large body of
persons for recreative purposes.
The next year, however, there was a no.
ticeable change. People with lunch bas-
kets were met frequently on the ferryboats
travelling between the palisades and the
metropolis, and there were many family
parties whenever the opportunity made
them possible. Today 1t is safe to say that
scores of persons go to the palisades where
one went two years ago so suddenly have
the palisades become a popular resort with
those New Workers who delight to get in
touch with green and Towering nature and
revel in magnificent views.
The Playground Proper
That portion of the palisades favored
most by New Workers as a natural wonder
playground stretches from the historic rev.
olutionary village of Fort Lee, two miles
above the spot opposite Grants tomb, to
the fishing hamlet of Alpine, opposite Yonk-
ers, some eight miles to the north of Fort
Lee. OF this stretch that portion between
Fort Lee and the fashionable suburb of
Englewood, three miles away, is most fire.
quented
Within the space covered by these three
miles city folk, strong for a scent of flow
ering things, gather by the thousands on
pleasant holidays, half holidays and Sun
days. And they are drawn from all walks
of life and from all the nationalities that
go to make New York the most cosmopoli-
tan of all cities.
Here a group of swarthy italian Young
men, ditch dggers six days OF the week
are seated boulder perilously near the
edge of the cliff, and while six of them en-
gage in friendly game of cards the sew
enth tickles their musical sense by drawing
monica. Close by o fashionably dressed
young woman and her escort occupy a
shelving rock and dangle their feet over
the edge of the cliffs face, some three hun
bred feet in height.
A little farther up the palisades on a
point furnishing unobstructed view up
and down the majestic Hudson for miles,
family of the comfortable class is enjoy
ing the contents of capacious basket
Linger IN the vicinity a short time and you
will see the father hunt up a long plank
place 1t across the great stump of a tree
and in a moment his three little girls will
be see7sawing alphabetically, with a drop
Of over four hundred feet to the rivers
brink but a few PAGES away.
Walk northward still farther, to that
grove of elms and oaks, and there you will
behold a social organization of Firms from
Brooklyn making merry, according to the
age-old ways of the mother country. Many
of the women are dressed in national cos