St. John's Park

St. John's Park used to be a park in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was square-shaped. To the west, north, east, and south were Varick, Laight, Hudson, and Beach Streets.Bradley, Betsy, et al. "NYCLPC Tribeca North Historic District Designation Report"  New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (December 1992) p.12.  Quote" An impressive park, first known as Hudson Square and later as St. John's Park, provided a suitable setting for the new church and, as a private enclave, prompted the development of a refined residential neighborhood surrounding it. (The location of the park corresponds to what is now the Holland Tunnel Exit Plaza.)""20 Ericsson Place" and "20 Beach Street" on the New York City Geographic Information System map The park is now a traffic circle at the Manhattan end of the Holland Tunnel to New Jersey.White, Norval & Willensky, Elliot with Leadon, Fran (2010). AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. .

It used to be a farm belonging to a New Netherland farmer. Then, the country of England  gave the park to Trinity Church. The church built St. John's Chapel, as well as some townhouses, around the park. By 1827, people living in the area were very rich. In the 1850s, many rich people moved out. In 1866, Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the park for a railroad terminal. The terminal was destroyed in 1927. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Holland Tunnel was built in 1927.

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Category:Manhattan