New-York tribune., 1908-05-17


land in the four other hoToughs Within the lase
fifteen wears over four thousand acres have been
set aside in The Bronx for use as parks Ihe to,al
acreage Of park land in the city is about f'-'9.
divided as follows Manhattan. 1888; Brooklyn and
queens 1855 Richmond. So. and The Bronx. 412l-
In The early SOS The Bronx was a region com
prsins large number of prosperous business and
residential districts. which included Mott Haven.
Port Morris. Morrisania, Melrose. West Farms
West Chester. Fordham. fremont Williannsbrldge
NyoodlaRn Casanova. Hunts Point. Van Nest and
Bavchesfer All these places and many adjacent
sections now form great and thriving commit
rirv with many wide avenues stretching from the
Harlem River the northern limits Of the city
a distance Of many miles, and with broad parkllse
boulevards extending from the easterly hank OF the
Hudson River the westerly shores Of Long Isl
and Sound
\ PARK WITH A BEACH.
The Tsronx is the only borough of the entire
city which contains within its borders park
bordering for many miles Long Island Sound
IN the waters which touch that fine stretch
of beach The public may enjoy bathing. This
beach front forms the easterly border Of Pelham
Bay Park. The park comprises 1856 acres. so 1t
Is little than tNiCe the area Of Central PARK
which for many years has been popular pleasure
ground of thousands Of persons living on Manhat-
Tan Island According many landscape archi-
1ccts. public pleasure grounds surpass in beauty
Pelham Bay Park. No park in this city exceeds
il in area. Not only docs II possess magnificent
waterfront bui extends many miles inland and
includes many areas Of open meadow land. fanked
fy extensive woods. in which are trees many
centuries old
MANY HISTORIC PLACES.
Pelham Bay Park is also historic parcel ot
land Within lis borders and enciroled hl an iron
fence stiIl stands tho tree under which Thomas
Pen signed treaty Of peace with the INDIANS in
1.54 In park Is also place near t1IoNers
Rock where Colonel Glover, with 55l Marblehead
fishermen held Hoae's army in check on October
< l776 aiding Washington in his retreat 10 White
Plains. The park las several athletic fields and
picnic grounds.
The next largest park in The Bronx is Van ]
t-o74lanir which lies in the 1lorthvesterly of
;lc borough and is bordered by high class and |
fourisns residential district. It comprises a little
over 1.122 acres. It Is bounded by the city nne' |
Broadway and Van CortIandt and Mount Vernon |
avenues. 4 more beautifully laid out tract Of land |
II would be difficult ind The park is frequently
referred TO as "a spacious, stately reservation
POPULAR PARADE GROUNDS.
1t is noted especially fer large parade ground
which great. level plain. comprising one hun
dred and fifty acres and extending over ffteen I
hundred Yards in straight line The parade |
ground u hordercd by commanding hills on The |
cast west and north. and on the south by the |
charming valley Of the Harlem. This park. too |
is an historic parcel of land. In it Is The Van |
Cortlandt mansion. erected in 174S which oc-
.lpied l,v Washington few DAYS during the ReNo-
lution. Is used a repository for ReFo-
!fonary relics ny the colonial Danes Tail trees
.lrirte the grounds OF the house. and near by are
a memorial drinking fountain to Algernon s. Sulh-
,-an and 4 statue of Adjutant General Josiah Por-
ter Of the national guard. The park has charm
in- lake and several large ponds Among the rec
rearions which the public enjoy WITHIN us
beautiful borders besides athletic games fsuch
as baseball football golf and polo, boating. skat-
ing and curling From tho westerly end of the
mark = grand view Of the Palisades may be had
The Bronx Park is also a large park reservation
and is one o the popular pleasure grounds
north of the Harlem River II comprises nearly
seven lr71ndred and twenty acres. and fronts on
Boston Road East 1920 street. Southern Boulevard,
Burke ard Norris Park avenues. White Plains
Road and the grounds Of Fordham College. II is
frequently called ''the park beautiful owing 10
its picturesqueness and its rural beauty 1t takes
its name from the river which flows through 1t
In the park great public institutions,
rar,el1 the New York Geological Park and the
New York Botanical Gardens. In the former are
10 be found nearly every known beast, bird and
reptile amid surroundings nearly like their na-
tive homes possible, while in the latter is bo-
ranical museum. where the commerciasn of plant
life is fully illustrated and where beautiful crys
tai palace built years ago. in which tho
iuxuriant vegetation Of tropical jungle Is TO be
found
ROCKING STONE OF ONE HUNDRED TONS
The natural attractions of the park include lo1-
-o- rocking stone md great white oak whose girth
IS Il feet 4 inches the spread of whose branches
IS as feet whose is said TO be more than
three hundred and fifty years. There are also
within the park pine trees which tower over one
hundred and fifty feet skyward. Besides. there is
the hemlock grove evergreen forest Of forty
acres where -'bounteous nature has laVished her
gifts unstintinsly. in perfect abandon Of rustic
rerel-y." Here also will be found a succession
IF f1IIls and valleys knobs and ravines great,
.hady lanes
SOME PUBLIC PLEASURE GROUNDS.
4 The other park lands OF The Bronx include:
Franz sisel Park, Of about eighteen scree.
bounded by Walton and Mott avenues and 1Ssth
street.
c-rotona Park Of about hundred and nfty-
&c acres bounded by Fulton. Third, Arthur and
fremont avenues and Crotona Park South East
end North
bounded by Teller and Clay avenues and Belmont
and 10th streets.
E5cbo Park. Of four acres. at III. junction Of
Burnside and fremont avenues
ne Voc Park OF about six acres, fronting In
Fo-dbana Road, Aqueduct and sedgwick avenues
and lSsth street
wscon1b-s Dam Park, OF tventyseven acres.
<-onrirr In Jerome and Cromwell avenues. 1s2d
street and the Harlem River
Meirose Park, OF nearly an acre, bounded by lslst
en5 1920 streets and Courtlandt and Park avenues.
Poe Park Of about three acres. ct 1e2d street and
hingsbridge Road
Pea tIiT Park Of about half acre, fronting
4, Pelham Webster and Park avenues.
81 rarnes's Park. nearly twelve acres. bounded
hv Jerome and Creston avenues and East 1s4st
street. -
bounded by 81. AIMS, ST Mary ana hopohs
avenues and 18TH street
r-ntversttv Park bordered by Cedar and sedswick
avenues and 1s1st street
washington Bridge Park. Of about eight acres.
bounded by sedgwick avenue. Washington Bridge
and the Harlem River
MANY FINE BoULEVARDs.
Moreover. there are about twenty-one acres Of