CHAPTER VII 

 THE PARKS 



The Parks Show Nature in Her Happiest Mood — Broad Acres Yield to Sport 

 and Sentiment — Scenes Hallowed by Sacrifices and Struggles of Our 

 Ancestors — A Page of Old History — The Bronx Beautiful Society. 



^HAT has already greatly added to the attractiveness 

 of The Bronx is its splendid chain of parks and recrea- 

 tion places. All the boroughs have beautiful parks, 

 but in none has Nature been more lavish in her handi- 

 work than in those located in The Bronx. 

 In April, 1883, the Legislature of New York, in the face of 

 much opposition, passed an act authorizing an appointment of a 

 commission to select one or more parks beyond the Harlem River. 

 This commission was duly appointed, and they marked out the 

 sites of the three large parks — Pelham, Bronx and Van Cortlandt 

 — and of three little ones — Crotona, Claremont and St. Mary's. 

 The commission consisted of Luther R. Marsh, President; Waldo 

 Hutchins, Louis Fitzgerald, Charles L. Tiffany, George W. McLean, 

 Thomas J. Crombie, William W. Niles, and John Mullay, Secretary, 

 nearly all of whom had been from the beginning conspicuously 

 active in the movement. 



The chief objection raised against the purchase of park land 

 was that the parks would be a heavy expense to the city, and that 

 the money was needed for other purposes. But this was met by 

 the argument that the acquisition by the city of the parks would 

 raise the value of real estate in their neighborhood, and that the 

 city would profit by the increased taxable value of the property. 

 This was shown to be the case in regard to Central Park. The 

 experience of other cities, particularly Chicago and Boston, was 

 cited to substantiate this statement. 



In June, 1884, the legislature passed an act giving possession 

 of the six parks to the City of New York, and directing the 

 Supreme Court to appoint a commission to appraise the lands. 

 This was done,*and the land became the property of the City at a 

 cost of $9,000,000. 



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