FT. TRYON PARK
In centuries passed, this breathtaking 67-acre site located at the tip of northern Manhattan – now known as Fort Tryon Park – was frequented by local tribes of native Americans and later visited by early Dutch settlers. Named for the last British governor of the Province of New York, Sir William Tryon, the park occupies one of the highest points on the island, featuring sweeping views of the Hudson River, George Washington Bridge and the New Jersey Palisades.
Throughout the centuries, Fort Tryon Park shifted in and out of private ownership, but each of its overseers worked diligently to preserve the area’s beauty. During the 1900s, the park was privately owned by a succession of wealthy New Yorkers until John D. Rockefeller bought the property in 1917. Rockefeller enlisted the Olmstead brothers, heirs of the designer of Central Park, to re-design Fort Tryon for public use. After the property’s revitalization was completed, Rockefeller donated the land to the New York City and Fort Tryon Park officially opened its gates to the public in October 1935.
The Olmsteds’ plans created promenades, terraces, wooded slopes, meadows and eight miles of pedestrian paths, carefully preserving open areas and spectacular views of the Hudson and Palisades. The site also features the distinctly designed Heather Gardens – fully restored in 1988 – in addition to several other areas of beauty and repose, including the Abbey Lawn, Billings Lawn and Linden Terrace – now popular sites for visits by local neighborhood residents, tourists and patrons of New York Restoration Project’s (NYRP) New Leaf Restaurant & Bar.
Today, parkgoers picnic, run, play and enjoy the historic architecture that has survived and thrived within the park. Pristine river views make the park a perfect setting for outdoor lunches, bike rides and strolls. Beyond serving as an oasis of natural beauty – as evidenced by its exceptional gardens and grounds – Fort Tryon Park is also home to The Cloisters museum and gardens, unique in its dedication to manmade artifacts from the Middle Ages.
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