Marine Park (Brooklyn park)
Marine Park | |
---|---|
Location | Marine Park, Brooklyn, New York |
Nearest city | New York City |
Coordinates | 40°35′53″N 73°55′15″W / 40.598047°N 73.920836°W |
Area | 798 acres (323 ha) |
Created | 1924 |
Operated by | New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |
Open | 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. |
Status | open |
Marine Park is a
Marine Park consists of recreational park areas and the Salt Marsh Nature Center, where marsh birds, cottontail rabbits, horseshoe crabs, and oyster toadfish can be found.
History
The area was a hunting and fishing ground for Native Americans from the nearby village of Keshawchqueren. Pits for cooking and preparing food dating from 800 to 1400 AD were uncovered in Marine Park, along with deer and turtle bones, oyster shells, and sturgeon scales. In the 17th century, the Dutch began to settle in the area, which had similarities to the marshland and coastal plains of the Netherlands. The land proved to be fairly good farmland and there was an abundance of clams, oysters, and game from the region as well.
In the early 20th century, as
The salt and fresh water mixture of the nature preserve and trail on the park land has had its own history. In the 18th century, George Washington made a stop for several days on the land nearby. There was a gristmill on the water at the time; in 1938, the mill burned down to the water level, leaving only the low tide wood pilings across the water that can be seen to this day. In the mid-20th century, the area was abused by trash and abandoned cars. At one point, it became a landfill, and trash piled to 60 feet (18 m) in certain areas. After a massive cleanup effort in the 1990s, the area was restored to its former glory, with exception of a few rusty car parts riddling the area and teens littering and causing arson to the dry tall Phragmites from time to time.
The park gained its land mass as a dump, leading to so many rats in the area that local children hunted them with bows and arrows in the 1960s.[4] One neighborhood boy was bitten by a rat in his sleep.[4]
Recreational facilities were built in the decades to follow, including the Pratt-White athletic field (1939) that was dedicated to the two fathers of Marine Park. A 210-acre (0.85 km2) golf course opened in 1963,
Facilities
Marine Park boasts the most park facilities in the borough of Brooklyn. It offers 2 Baseball fields 11 Softball fields 10 Basketball courts 3 Bocce courts 4 Cricket fields 2 Football fields 10 Handball courts 6 Pickleball courts 10 Soccer fields 12 Tennis courts 4 Playgrounds with spray showers 1 Adult Fitness Area 60+ Garden beds 2 Parking lots 1 Bike rental concession 1 Golf course 15 miles of walking paths including the .8-mile Oval track for bicycles, walkers and runners Several sports fields, and 0.83 mile-long running path were all built on the ancient Keshawchqueren burial ground.[6] Part of the park, including the fields north of Avenue U, were built atop Gerritsen Creek.[5]: 213
Marine Park also contains a golf course, which occupies the park's eastern half.[7] The 210-acre (85 ha) golf course opened in 1963 and contains a driving range.[5]: 213
New York Road Runners hosts a weekly 2.5-mile Open Run. [8]
Geographical features
Marine Park contains most of the remaining length of Gerritsen Creek. The head of the creek is located adjacent to the Salt Marsh Nature Center.[5]: 212 The creek's headwaters originally were located eight avenues north of its current source at Avenue U,[9] but the northern part of the creek was buried in a storm sewer in 1920. The creek has been described as one of the "fingers" that formed the original shoreline of Jamaica Bay.[10]
Mau Mau Island, also called White Island, is an artificial island within the park, located between two branches of Gerritsen Creek.[11] Created possibly by 1934,[5]: 213 it was made out of garbage.[12] It was supposed to be included within an expansion of the golf course, which was never built; a temporary bridge was the only object erected from this plan, and only the footers from this bridge remain.[5]: 213
The eastern part of Marine Park, to the east of Mau Mau Island, was originally part of an island called Riches Meadows. The island was bounded by two creeks, Mill Creek and Deep Creek, which then led to Mill Basin, located across Flatbush Avenue to the northeast.[5]: 213
Community center
The Carmine Carro Community Center, named for Carmine Carro, a local activist and park advocate who served as president for the Marine Park Civic Association, opened in March 2013.
Gallery
-
Overview of the Gerritsen Creek
-
Looking on the nature center building, from the shore
-
Sounds of nature near the salt marsh
-
Swans in the Creek
-
Walking path along the salt marsh
-
Along with sounds of cicadas
-
Flora of the salt marsh
-
-
Jogging path in Marine Park
References
- ^ "Expect Gerritsen Park Project to Go Through Next Week". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 27, 1923. p. 3. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ISBN 978-1581578867.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Tolchin, Martin (April 6, 1965). "Brooklyn's Marine Park Filled with Garbage, Rats and Junk". New York Times.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58157-566-8.
- ISBN 0300103883.
- ^ "Marine Park Golf Courses : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ Staff, NYRR (August 23, 2023). "Marine Park=NYRR". Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- US Army Corps of Engineers. Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
The more recent research showed the various stages of the modern history of Gerritsen's Creek, including how it used to extend approximately eight blocks further north than its current ending point at Avenue U in Brooklyn, N.Y.
- US Army Corps of Engineers. August 14, 2012. Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
"Gerritsen Creek is one of the original "fingers" of the great "hand" of Jamaica Bay, and over the last century it has been the victim of human intrusions that have damaged its ecological functioning," said Parks Commissioner Benepe.
- ^ Chaudhury, Nadia (July 26, 2011). "Sailing the High Seas of Brooklyn with Swimming Cities". The L Magazine. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
- ^ "Photos: Battle For Mau Mau Island Brings DIY Watercraft Party To Rockaway". Gothamist. July 29, 2019. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ Berke, Ned (March 4, 2013). "Marine Park's Long-Awaited Green Community Center Now Open!". Sheepshead Bites. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
- ^ "Carmine Carro Community Center Opens In Marine Park (press release)". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
External links
- NYC Parks - Marine Park History
- Salt Marsh Alliance - operates the Salt Marsh Nature Center
- NYC Parks Salt Marsh Nature Center
- Marine Park Alliance - Alliance assisting NYC Parks in caring for Marine Park
- Brief Background on History of Marine Park, Brooklyn [DEAD LINK]
- NYRR Open Run Marine Park