Hackett Park

W 254 St, Riverdale Av, Henry Hudson Pkw

Bronx

Directions via Google Maps

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

Bound by West 254th Street, Riverdale Avenue, and the Henry Hudson Parkway, this park honors the achievements of educator Dr. Frank S. Hackett (1878-1952). Hackett was born in Albany, New York, the son of Bartholomew, a draftsman, and Elizabeth Clark, a dressmaker. He attended Trinity High School and was admitted to Columbia University. Following graduation, Hackett remained at his alma mater, becoming an English instructor. After a brief period working for a publisher, he served as Assistant Headmaster of the Berkeley School, located on East 43rd Street, between 1905 and 1907. In 1907, Hackett founded the Bronx-based Riverdale Country School with his first wife, Francis Dean Allen. (Together, the Hacketts had six children: Allen, Stephen, Daniel, Frederick, Robert, and Elizabeth.) Located near present-day Riverdale Park, the private school opened with a budget of $500, four teachers, and twelve male students. The school was founded on Dr. Hackett’s innovative “…

Show Disclaimer