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About Us
> History of Branch Brook Park
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(continued
from History of Branch Brook Park - page 2)
A
proposal for the erection of a new administration building was approved
in 1914, when the N.J. Legislature passed a bill that included the
necessary $100,000. The exterior was described as Italian in character
with brick and terra cotta, and paintings just under the eaves of
the tile roof. The architect was Harold Van Buren Magonigle from
New York. In the 1920's Harmon Hendricks presented the Park Commission
a gift of 20 acres of land which extended the park northward into
Belleville and was eventually made into an 18-hole golf course.
During WWI and WW2 the park was used as a tent city for the Army
where they held training exercises and recruited volunteers from
the area. Once it was a landing site for the US Postal Service.
Bi-winged airplanes carrying mail landed on a short field within
the park where bails of hay rimmed the end of the runway to prevent
accidents. The old Morris Canal that ran alongside the Park, from
Newark to the Delaware River, was abandoned and became the Newark
subway. The subway became an important linkage to the Park.
Distinguishing
Features:
- A
large lake, meandering streams, and in the north, the Second River
channel.
- Spectacular
view of the Sacred Heart Cathedral across the lake. . Playgrounds,
ballfields, basketball, tennis, horseshoes.
- The
famed "Cherry Blossomland."
- Annual
10-k run at cherry blossom time.
- Greenhouse
acts as a central nursery and horticulture center for the entire
park system.
- The
park system maintenance center and garage.
- The
park system administration building, built in 1915--listed on
both the state and national historic registers.
- The
northern division meadow is one of the largest recreational open
green spaces to be found in Essex.
- Senior
citizen center, originally a boat landing shelter.
- Walled
remains of the old Newark reservoir.
- Near
the reservoir a mound and its retaining stone wall are designed
to resemble an ancient ruin.
- Roller
rink--completed in 1995, site of the park system's Centennial
Birthday Celebration.
- Four-mile
park drive.
- Pedestrian
bridges, Park & Bloomfield Avenue bridges and the railroad bridges
in northern extension are striking architectural features.
- Ballantine
Gateway.
- Meeker
Mound Pavilion.
- Sculptured
lions which flank a formal boat landing were originally stationed
in front of the old Newark Prudential building.
Send
us your comments and suggestions! E-mail us at webmaster@branchbrooknj.cjb.net
Click
here for a Branch Brook Park photo exhibit
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