292 The Story of The Bronx 



of the condemnation proceedings. Pelham Bay Park, which 

 lies in the Chester district of the Borough, was thus secured 

 to the city seven years before the section in which it lies 

 became a part of the city of New York. Since that time, many 

 more acres have been added to The Bronx parks for parkways 

 and small parks, so that the total number of acres is now 

 4142 with an assessed valuation of $56,627,600, divided among 

 forty-eight large and small parks and four parkways, the actual 

 cost to the city being $14,982,581. 



Franz Sigel, or Cedar Park, as it was originally called, 

 though not fully vested in the city until June 4, 1885, was a 

 public park in 1880, as the author visited it several times in 

 that year, or earlier. It lies between East 153d and 158th 

 streets, and between Walton and Mott avenues, overlooking 

 the Harlem River and the great freight yards at Melrose. 

 Its original name was derived from the number of cedar trees 

 which occupy the ridge between the valleys of Cromwell's 

 Creek and Mill Brook, upon which the park is located. When 

 Washington and Rochambeau made their grand reconnaissance 

 in August, 1 78 1, it is stated that they came as far south as the 

 commanding outlook of Cedar Park, from which they could 

 readily examine through their glasses the town of Harlem 

 on the other bank of the river and the British fortifications 

 there. The park comprises 17.5 acres. General Franz Sigel, 

 a conspicuous leader in the political disturbances in Germany 

 in 1848, came to this country in consequence of the failure of 

 the movement for popular rights and settled in the West. 

 During the Civil War, he did good service for the Union. 

 During the latter part of his life, he lived in the Borough, not 

 far from Cedar Park. He died in 1902; and, in order to pre- 

 serve his memory, the Board of Aldermen, in December, 1902, 

 changed the name of the park from Cedar to Franz Sigel. 



