56 REPORT OF THE 



•• Dyker Meadow Park would adjoin the government property 

 at Fort Hamilton. The northern and western part of this tract 

 is slightly elevated land, with a few good trees. From this part 

 of it there is an unobstructed view of Gravesend bay and the 

 Atlantic ocean. The remainder of the tract is soft marsh, with a 

 small creek flowing through it. A fine, sandy beach, nearly half 

 a mile long, is by far the most valuable part of this tract, and 

 should certainly be secured for the public enjoyment, even if the 

 land in the rear cannot be obtained at a reasonable price. There is 

 every reason to suppose that much of the adjoining government 

 land can be used by the public as a local park and playground 

 without detriment to the purposes for which the government 

 holds it. The land south of Cropsey avenue could be dredged 

 out in part, to form a salt water pond. The material thus ob- 

 tained could be used to fill the marshes to a suitable level for 

 playgrounds. Such a park, facing as it does upon a fine, great 

 beach, and used in connection with part of the government prop- 

 erty, would be as large a local park as could reasonably be de- 

 manded in that party of the county. 



" In our opinion it is only necessary to secure at this time, for 

 small parks and playgrounds, such pieces of land as have some 

 special features, such as trees, which are not likely to be obtain- 

 able later, or such as are more conveniently located than any 

 lands which would likely to be unoccupied later, or such as are 

 needed as a concession to the idea of a substantially equal dis- 

 tribution of some of the advantages of local parks." 



Sixth — After receiving the report of Messrs. Olmsted, Olm- 

 sted & Eliot, I made a personal examination of the sites recom- 

 mended and approved by them, as well as of many of the sites 

 which had been suggested or offered at the public hearings here- 

 inbefore referred to. I also personally inspected and examined a 

 large number of sites in various parts of the city of Brooklyn 

 which had not been suggested or offered. In view of the present 

 condition and future growth and wants of the County of Kings, 

 I do hereby select and locate the following sites in said county, or 

 adjacent thereto, as being in my opinion proper and desirable to 

 be reserved, set apart and taken by said county for public parks : 



I. About five hundred acres of land, along the ridge of hills, 

 between Cypress Hills Cemetery and Richmond Hill. This will 



id a fine breathing spot, especially for the residents of the 

 .'I'd sections of the Eastern District of Brooklyn, besides 



giving to the County of Kings one of the finest natural parks in 

 world. For the boundaries of this property see Map " A," 



which is made a part of this report. 



II. A part of the property known as " Dyker Meadow," ad- 



