The sun., 1909-02-28
PtRkS or THE BRONN.
system includes sixteen with an Area
Of 4.OOO Acres.


system includes sixteen with m Area
Of 4,OOO Acres.
Over 400 acres in parks ought to en-
title the Borough of The Bronx to be called
the playground Of Manhattan. The total,
to he exact, is % acres. which in
cludes III acres Of parkways and about
twenty acres OF small parks unnamed,
! ST. Mary's Park, the most southerly of
the Bronx system. is an attractive reserva-
tion Of vale and hill from which an extern
sive view is had Of the thickly settled sec
tion Of the borough. II formed part Of the
Gouverneur Morris estate, and il located
at st. AIMS avenue. 1i9th ST. eet and Rob-
bins avenue. IL contains 2S,7 acres.
Cedar Park. rocky ridge fringed with
cedar trees affords a fine panoramic view
Of the lower Bronx and upper Manhattan,
and forms the entrance to the Grand
Boulevard and ooncourse. IL has recently
been named Franz Sigel Park, says the
Westckester County Magazine. in honor Of
that distinguished General. whose home
was close by. II is at Walton and Mott
avenues and 15sth street. Its area is
( i7.i7 acres.
Dam Park on the Harlem River contain
a fine athletic field for the children Of the
public schools. and the olubhouses Of a
number of boat clubs whose members row
on the Harlem.
Ciairmont Park. picturesquely planted
upon plateau at 17Oth street, commands
an impressive view and possesses a variety
OF eminences. depressions and level
stretches, and has att ractive tennis courts,
ball diamonds and Sunday school picnic
grounds. II is thirty-eight acres in ex-
tent and in its Zbrowski mansion is the
Office Of the Commissioner Of Parks.
Crotona Parx (Bathgate's woods, Of
l54 acres, is also on high ground, Of di-
versifed topography. crowned with grand
old trees. IL contains a fine ball ground
and skating pond. Borough Hall. In
which are the Offices OF the borough
government. 10 in this park, which is con-
nected with BronI Park by Crotona Park |
wav.
Van Cortlandt Park. containing in all
i,lso acres. is a spacious reservation close
70 the northern boundary line Of the city /
In il is a parade ground. a great level |
plain OF $50 acres stretching over 500 |
yards in a straight line. surrounded on /
three sides by commanding hills, while !
to the south there is Z iine view for miles !
down the valley OF the Harlem.
The Van Cortlandt mansion, erected
in IiIs. was occupied by Washington for
a few days during the Revolution. II is
used by the Colonial Danes as a reposi-
tory for Revolutionary relics. Tall trees
surround the house and near il are me-
mortal drinking fountain TO Algernon 8
Sullivan, a window from the Rhinelander
sugar house-a Revolutionary prison
and a statue OF Adjt. Gen. Josiah Porter
OF the National Guard
It's charming lake. bordered with pond
lilies, is used for boating, skating and
curling. Baseball, football. golf and polo
to a considerable altitude TO the east, af-
fording a grand view clear To the Palisades
of the Hudson. Mosholu Parkway joins
this park with Bronx Park.
Pelham Bay Park. the great north
easterly reservation, with its l, i8 acres,
vice the area OF Central Park, embraces
a territory unsurpassed for purposes OF
public recreation by any park in the world.
With a magnificent waterfront OF nine
miles sand strewn and rock bound. on river,
bay and Sound. IL spreads inland with
broad stretches OF open meadow land
Aank ed by extensive woods. in which are
stately monarchs OF the forest centuries
Did.
Here still stands encircled by an iron
'ence what remains of the tree under
which Thomas Pell signed treaty OF
peace with the Indians in 1854. On the
River side is the famous
split Rock, near which Mrs. Anne Hutch
nson was murdered by the Indians,
IN this park near Glovers Rock Col.
Glover. with $50 Marblehead fishermen,
,eld Howes army in check October 1s
77e, aiding Washington in his retreat TO
White Plains.
The golf links. athletic field and bath
ng beach give pleasure to mutitudes OF
,eople. On Twin Island 10 the Jacob
/ Riis summer home. Bronx and Pei
lam Parkway connects this park with
Bronx Park.
Bronx Park-BronS the beautiful
or picturesque sylvan ioveliness and
omantic beauty ranks easily queen of
,arks. II is along the banks OF the river
Il that name and in it pave been located
wo great public institutions, the New
'ork Geological Park and the New York
Garden. each the peer OF any
hing Of it's kind the world over. The
,orillard mansion contains the Museum
4 the Bronx Society Of Arts and Sciences.
The natural beauties OF this park
urpass anything that mans ingenuity
an devise. Here Ia the famous 100 ton
ocking stone. Here is great white
ak whose girth ia ~ feet 4 inches, the
pread Of whose branches 10 90 feet and
'hcss age. according TO DR.. n. l.. Britton.
ireotor in chief Of the New York Bo-
anical Garden. lis not less than $50 years
a living witness Of the day when Henry
puyten Duyvil in 1909. On the west
ank, within the New York Botanical
arden. is the hemlock grove, an ever
reen forest Of forty acres.