Duane Park

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• Location: Hudson Street entrance
• Description: Two plaques
• Materials: Bronze
• Dimensions: Each plaque H: 1'8" W: 1'9"
• Cast: 2000
• Dedicated: August 20, 2000
• Fabricator: Metal Arts
• Inscription: (proper left plaque):
  DUANE PARK / (space) / DESIGN / (space) / ORIGINALLY AN OPEN COMMONS, / THE PARK WAS LATER ENCLOSED BY AN IRON FENCE. / BY 1870 IT HAD BEEN ENLARGED AND LANDSCAPED / WITH TREES, LAWN AND SHRUBS ACCORDING TO A DESIGN / BY PARKS CHIEF ENGINEER MONTGOMERY A. KELLOGG / AND CHIEF GARDENER IGNATZ A. PILAT. / (space) / IN 1887, AS PART OF A CITYWIDE EFFORT TO / IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO ENCLOSED PARK LANDS, PARKS / SUPERINTENDENT SAMUEL PARSONS JR. AND LANDSCAPE / ARCHITECT CALVERT VAUX DESIGNED A PLAN WITH / PATHS CURVING IN FROM EACH SURROUNDING STREET. / (space) / IN 1940 CHIEF CONSULTANT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT / GILMORE D. CLARK AND PARKS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT / JANET PATT REDESIGNED THE PARK IN A / FORMAL BEAUX-ARTS STYLE, AND A CENTRAL FLAGPOLE / INSCRIPED WITH DUANE PARK'S HISTORY WAS ADDED. / (space) / THE 1999 PLAN, BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT SIGNE NIELSEN, / REPLACED PAVED AREAS WITH PLANTING TO EVOKE / THE MORE PASTORAL 1887 DESIGN OF THE PARK. /
  
  (proper right plaque):
  DUANE PARK / (space) / ORIGINS / (space) / DUANE PARK WAS THE FIRST OPEN SPACE ACQUIRED / BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK SPECIFICALLY FOR USE AS / A PUBLIC PARK. IT IS LOCATED ON DUANE STREET, / WHICH WAS NAMED FOR JAMES DUANE, NEW YORK'S FIRST / MAYOR (1784-89) AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. / (space) / THE PARK IS THE LAST REMNANT OF GREENSWARD OF THE / ANNETJE JANS FARM GRANTED IN 1636 BY GOVERNOR / WOUTER VAN TWILLER TO ROELOFF AND ANNETJE JANS. / AFTER THE DEATH OF ROELOFF JANS, HIS WIDOW MARRIED THE / REVEREND EVERARDUS BOGARDUS, SECOND MINISTER OF THE / DUTCH CHURCH OF NEW AMSTERDAM, AND THE FARM BECAME / KNOWN AS THE DOMINIE'S BOUWERY, OR THE MINISTER'S FARM. / (space) / IT WAS SOLD IN 1670 TO THE ENGLISH GOVERNOR, / SIR FRANCIS LOVELACE, BUT WAS LATER CONFISCATED BY / THE DUKE OF YORK AND DEEDED IN 1705 TO TRINITY CHURCH. / (space) / THIS TRIANGLE WAS PURCHASED FROM TRINITY CHURCH / BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN 1797 FOR THE SUM OF / FIVE DOLLARS, TO BE USED AS A PARK FOR THE PUBLIC. /