Fort Tryon Park

The Daily Plant : Monday, October 18, 2004

A NEW LOOK FOR FORT TRYON PARK

On October 6, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined community members and Parks & Recreation officials to cut the ribbon on two reconstruction projects at Fort Tryon Park. The reconstruction of Linden Terrace and Margaret Corbin Circle, two major architectural features of the park, has returned the sites to their 1930s splendor.

The two projects, completed at a cost of more than $600,000, included new pavement, benches, and the installation of a new drinking fountain at Linden Terrace. Funding for the project was allocated by the Mayor’s Office, Manhattan Borough President and City Council. In Margaret Corbin Plaza, the historic blue stone pavement has been replaced and new benches and wicket fencing have rejuvenated one of the park’s main architectural features. New drainage has also been installed to improve water flow throughout the site.

Linden Terrace and Margaret Corbin Circle represent the major architectural features at the southern entrance to Fort Tryon Park. John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the land for Fort Tryon Park to the City in 1931. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., son of the co-designer of Central and Prospect Parks. Olmsted Jr. transformed the site’s rocky topography and thin soil into a manicured landscape with promenades, terraces, wooded slopes, and eight miles of pedestrian paths, careful to preserve open areas and the spectacular views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. Rockefeller actively oversaw the construction of the park, which was opened to the public on October 12, 1935.

In reconstructing Linden Terrace and Margaret Corbin Circle, designers took meticulous care to match the original work done by Olmsted in the 1930s. The blue stone was laid in the same formation as the original design, and the reconstructed terrace and circle provide stunning views across the Hudson River.

Fort Tryon Park contains one of the highest points in Manhattan, towering above the Hudson River, offering magnificent views of the Palisades and the lower Hudson Valley that challenge the notion that Manhattan’s best vistas are experienced from its skyscrapers. The Friends of Fort Tryon Park, a volunteer organization, began clean-up and partnership efforts to ensure that the site will continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

Written by Ashe Reardon

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"It is always the secure who are humble."

G.K. Chesterton
(1874-1936)