Rachel Carson Playground
This playground, like the school across the street, honors the environmentalist author Rachel Carson (1907-1964). Born on May...

Railroad Park
This park takes its name from the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), whose tracks form the area’s southwest boundary. The rai...

Railroad Park
This park at the intersection of Courtlandt Avenue, East 161st, and East 162nd Streets in the Bronx neighborhood of Melrose ta...

Railroad Playground
This park is located between East 91st and East 92nd Streets on Ditmas Boulevard. It was originally called Ditmas Playgr...

Raimonda Playground
Paul Raimonda (1922-1988), an outspoken community leader in Long Island City, Queens, was born on July 5, 1922. He attend...

Rainbow Playground
What was here before?In 1638 Willem Kieft “purchased” a large area between Wallabout Bay and Newtown Creek from th...

Rainey Park
Dr. Thomas Rainey (1824-1910), a resident of Ravenswood, Queens, spent 25 years of his life and most of his fortune advancing ...

Ralph Bunche Park
This oasis opposite the United Nations honors a titan of 20th century diplomacy. It was named in 1979 for Ralph Johnson Bun...

Ralph DeMarco Park
What was here before? In 1652, this area was part of Newtown. Subsequently, it became part of the village of Astoria in 183...

Ralph Ellison Plaza
What was here before? In the mid-1800s, this hilly area of northern Manhattan was mostly rural. The expansion of the city&r...

Ralph H. Hoist Triangle
Ralph H. Hoist Triangle honors a diligent community steward. Ralph H. Hoist (1922-1990) was born in Philadelphia and attended...

Ramon Aponte Playground
This playground honors Ramon Aponte who as president of the West 47th (now 47th/48th) Street Block Association initiated the l...

Ranaqua
Ranaqua, the Bronx headquarters of NYC Parks, is located in the southeastern part of Bronx Park, east of the northbound lanes ...

Randall Playground
Randall Playground serves the residents of the Castle Hill Houses. This sprawling group of buildings is one of the housing pr...

Randall Playground - House Sparrows in New York City Parks
If you look around Randall Playground, you will probably see house sparrows (Passer domesticus). This small, brown bird has a...

Randall’s Island
Dutch Governor Wouter Van Twiller purchased Randall's Island, then known as Minnahanonck, from Native Americans in 1637. Over ...

Randolph Walker Park
What was here before?The neighborhood’s history dates to the 1668 plantation of Governor Francis Lovelace (1621-1675). A...

Raoul Wallenberg Forest
What was here before?This was the site of a rambling brick mansion erected in 1890 on a grassy hillside estate overlooking the...

Raoul Wallenberg Playground
Raoul Gustav Wallenberg (1912-?) grew up in one of Sweden’s wealthiest and most prominent families. Fluent in Engli...