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Columbus Park (Manhattan)

Summary

Columbus Park formerly known as Mulberry Bend Park, Five Points Park and Paradise Park, is a public park in Chinatown, Manhattan, in New York City that was built in 1897.

Columbus Park
Xiangqi (Chinese chess) players and onlookers in the park in 2008
Map
LocationChinatown, Manhattan
Nearest cityNew York City, United States
Coordinates40°42′53.5″N 73°59′59.5″W / 40.714861°N 73.999861°W / 40.714861; -73.999861
Operated byNew York City Department of Parks and Recreation

American photojournalist Jacob Riis (best known for How The Other Half Lives) is generally credited with "transforming Mulberry Bend from a 'notorious slum' to a park" in order to improve tenement dwellers' quality of life in the neighborhood.[1]

History edit

Prior slum edit

 
Baxter Street in Mulberry Bend c. 1890, now destroyed;[2] photographed by Riis

During the 19th century, Mulberry Bend (a curve of Mulberry Street) was the center of the Five Points neighborhood, the most dangerous ghetto area of immigrant New York.

Before the park's establishment, Mulberry Bend was an alley Riis considered the "foul core of New York’s slums."[3] The Bend is the site of Riis's 1888 photograph, Bandits' Roost, 59 1/2 Mulberry Street.[4][5]

Photographer and social activist Jacob A. Riis, "friend of the tenement house children,"[6] campaigned for the creation of the park.

1897 establishment edit

In 1897, due in part to Riis's advocacy, Mulberry Bend was demolished, tearing down "several blocks" of what the American Park and Outdoor Art Association called "the worst tenement-houses in the world."[7]

William Dean,[8] captain of Manhattan's Sixth Precinct,[9] stated in 1897,

The establishment of Mulberry Bend Park is one of the greatest blessings that could be bestowed on the people of this precinct, as it eradicated one of the worst blocks in the city, which was made the home of a horde of the most depraved and debased classes, male and female, of all nationalities. Since the eradication of this block, the whole neighborhood has taken a change, and decidedly for the better.[7]

The same year, Riis praised the park's positive effects on the impoverished children and the neighborhood crime rate:

The troublesome boys had not moved away. They had found something better to do than smashing lamps and windows and getting themselves arrested. They had a place now to romp in. That was all they wanted...In healthy play, youthful energies find a safe outlet.[7][6][10]

20th century edit

A postcard claims it was widened circa 1905.[11]

In 1911, Frederick Law Olmsted[12] and Calvert Vaux completed a redesign of the park, which was then renamed Columbus Park.[13][14][15]

21st century edit

As of 2013, the park often serves as a gathering place for the local Chinese community, where "the neighborhood meets up here to play mahjong, perform traditional Chinese music... [and] practice tai chi in the early mornings."[16]

In 2019, a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen by Lu Chun-Hsiung and Michael Kang was permanently installed in the northern plaza of the park. The plaza was also renamed for the founder of the first Republic of China, who lived in Manhattan's Chinatown for a time.[17][18]

In October 2021, a large-scale crochet mural made of over 1,500 flowers was put up on the fences of Columbus Park by Chinatown Yarn Circle and Think!Chinatown.[19] The project and its flowers are "in tribute to AAPI community builders, embodying collaboration, triumph over struggle and inspiring future generations."[19]

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ unav (c. 1900). "Mulberry Bend Park". Community Service Society photographs. doi:10.7916/ckwz-x130. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "Museum of the City of New York - Baxter Street Alley in Mulberry Bend, now destroyed". collections.mcny.org. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Riis, Jacob August (1914). How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, pp. 55-56. Charles Scribner's Sons.
  4. ^ Bandits' Roost, 59 1/2 Mulberry Street, The Art Story
  5. ^ Michael Burgan, Exposing Hidden Worlds: How Jacob Riis' Photos Became Tools for Social Reform, Compass Point Books, 2018, pp. 8-9
  6. ^ a b Gardening. Gardening Company. 1899. p. 57.
  7. ^ a b c Association, American Park and Outdoor Art (1897). Report of the American Park and Outdoor Art Association. The Association.
  8. ^ Writ of Certiorari and Return. 1902.
  9. ^ "6 Precinct - NYPD". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  10. ^ Parks, New York (N Y. ) Committee on Small (1897). Report of Committee on Small Parks. Brown.
  11. ^ "Museum of the City of New York - Mulberry Bend Park. New York". collections.mcny.org. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  12. ^ "Park designer Olmsted made a lasting mark on Midwest". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  13. ^ Coneybeare, Matt (August 25, 2017). "Vintage Photograph Shows Lower East Side's Mulberry Bend Park Circa 1905". Viewing NYC. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  14. ^ "Mulberry Bend | CultureNow". themuseumwithoutwalls.org. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  15. ^ "Columbus Park". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  16. ^ Nelson, C. (April 19, 2013). "24-Hour Introduction to Chinatown". NewYork.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  17. ^ Maisel, Todd (November 12, 2019). "Chinatown park plaza renamed for Dr. Sun Yat-Sen with bronze statue". www.amny.com. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  18. ^ Pereira, Sydney (February 6, 2019). "Chinese Revolutionary Honored With LES Statue". Lower East Side-Chinatown, NY Patch. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  19. ^ a b Rahmanan, Anna (January 5, 2022). "This massive crochet mural in Chinatown is made of over 1,500 flowers". Time Out New York. Retrieved January 21, 2022.

External links edit

  •   Media related to Columbus Park (Manhattan) at Wikimedia Commons


Manhattan is the most popular city in New York City. This diverse city is made up of 64 Neighborhoods and 4 primary sections. Manhattan, originality named ‘Mannahatta’ was inhabited by the Lenape people. Later in 1664 the British took control of the colony and named it New York. The city is made ups of 4 primary sectors Downtown, Midtown, Uptown, and Harlem and The Heights. The areas south of 14th Street are considered part of Downtown. Midtown extends from 14th Street to the southern border of Central Park at 59th Street. Uptown is 60th to 116th Streets and north of 116th is considered Harlem.[1] In these 4 primary sections are 64 neighborhoods including; Alphabet City, Battery Park City, Bloomingdale District, Bowery, Carnegie Hill, Central Park, Chelsea, Chinatown, Civic Center, East Harlem, East Village, Financial District, Fort George, Garment District, Governors Island, Gramercy, Greenwich Village, Hamilton Heights, Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen (Clinton), The Highline, Hudson Heights, Hudson Square, Hudson Yards, Inwood, Kips Bay, Lenox Hill, Lincoln Square, Little Italy/Nolita, Lower East Side, Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville, Marble Hill, Meatpacking District, Metropolitan Hill, Midtown, Midtown East, Midtown South, Morningside heights, Murray Hill, Noho, Nomad, Randall’s Island, Roosevelt Island, Rose Hill, Soho, South Street Seaport, Spanish Harlem (El Barrio), Stuyvesant Town, Sugar Hill, Sutton Place, Theater District (Times Square), Tribeca, Tudor City, Turtle Bay, Two Bridges, Union Square, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Washington Heights, West Village, World Trade Center, and Yorkville.[2]

Downtown Manhattan are known as the areas below 14th Street and commonly well known as the business hub of New York. This includes some well known areas like Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bride entrance, Financial District, World Trade Center cite, and historic Seaport District. This was the original start of the city back in 1624 and is the southern part of the island. This is the oldest part of the city with arrays of architecture, soaring skyscrapers, and historical areas.[3] The NYTimes has a walking tour of this area that can be found here: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/travel/TOUR-LM.html

Midtown Manhattan, the tourist hub of the city, is filled with everything that makes the city what it is. This section is known as the areas between 14th street and the south boarder of Central Park on 59th street. In 1807 the city planners of the city began to create a grid system and was finalized 4 years later for the plans to create Midtown Manhattan. Some famous landmarks/areas in Midtown include; Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Empire State Building, Bryant Park, Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and Carnegie Hall.[4] The NYTimes has a walking tour of this area that can be found here: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/travel/TOUR-MID.html?scp=1&sq=Magnificent%2520Tree&st=cse

Uptown Manhattan is located from the south end of Central Park to to not most point of it spanning across 60th street to 116th street. This specific area of Manhattan is one of the most sought after places to reside in with neighborhoods such as the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side. Along the east side of the island is also a small island, Roosevelt Island, commonly used in the 19th century for prisons, institutions, and rehabilitation.[5] The NYTimes has a walking tour of the Upper West Side that can be found here: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/travel/TOUR-WS.html?ref=untapped-new-york.ghost.io

Harlem and The Heights are all of the neighborhoods in Manhattan above 116th street. Harlem is known internationally as the Black Mecca of the world, but has been home to the Dutch, Irish, German, Italian, and Jewish. This was originally farmland when it was first settled back in 1658 and undeveloped for about 200 years. The IRT subway line was finished in 1904 and people assumed this would make Harlem desirable to relocate to. With such easy access to the city, many developers built apartments and home anticipating the move from lower to upper Manhattan. Unfortunately, this was an over speculations and most places were left unsold. A real estate agent, Philip A. Payton, approach many of the landlords with proposition to have black families move into these home, eventually creating ‘Black Harlem’ in the early 1900’s. During this time the Harlem boomed with culture and artistic expression also known as the ‘Harlem Renaissance’ in the 1920’s.[6] Here is a short walk through of Harlem from the NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/arts/design/harlem-virtual-tour.html

Overall, Manhattan is a very large city spanning over 13 miles long[7] of city, history, and opportunity. Spanning through 4 primary sections, this city offers thousands of places to visit and discover.

  1. ^ https://www.gobeyondthesquare.com/post/manhattan-uptown-downtown-and-the-places-in-between-2
  2. ^ https://www.cityneighborhoods.nyc/manhattan-neighborhoods
  3. ^ https://infographicworld.com/downtown-manhattan-the-little-known-history-of-downtown-manhattan/
  4. ^ https://thedisabilityguys.com/the-history-of-midtown-manhattan/
  5. ^ https://rioc.ny.gov/161/Island-History
  6. ^ https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/education/residencies-fellowships-and-training/harlem-hospital-center/about-harlem-hospital-center/our-history/harlem-and-new-york-city#:~:text=Harlem%20is%20known%20internationally%20as,territory%20for%20approximately%20200%20years.
  7. ^ https://www.nyctourism.com/visitor-info/#:~:text=Manhattan%20Island%20is%20roughly%2013.4,across%20at%20its%20widest%20point.