Lincoln Park (Jersey City)
Encyclopedia
Lincoln Park is an urban park
in Jersey City, New Jersey
with an area of 273.4 acres (110.6 ha). Opened in 1905, it was originally known as West Side Park. The park was designed by Daniel W. Langton and Charles N. Lowrie, both founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects
.
The park consists of two distinct sections: Lincoln Park East, 150.4 acres (60.9 ha), and Lincoln Park West, 123 acres (49.8 ha). The sections are named for their positions relative to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck, which passes between them, and are connected by foot and vehicular bridges over the highway. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is part of wetlands restoration project adjacent to the Hackensack River
. The Hackensack RiverWalk
is a partially completed greenway
along the banks of the river running the length of the Hudson County shoreline. The East Coast Greenway
also traverses the park.
parks system. The Hudson County Parks Commission was created in 1903, and began work on the park in 1904. The park was built primarily on undeveloped swamp and the privately owned Glendale Woods. By 1925, 85 acres (34.4 ha) of land had been reclaimed from the Hackensack River in the western portion of the park. The park was expanded again in 1938 with the acquisition of additional properties along the Hackensack River
. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is part of 31 acres (125,452.7 m²) wetlands restoration project on a former landfill site adjacent to the Hackensack River
unveiled in July 2011. It is hoped that the nearly $10.6 million development will enhance bird and fish populations.. A section of the East Coast Greenway
crosses through the park, which is site of one of five kiosks in the state for the project
The park was the home of the Jersey City Skeeters
of the Eastern and International League
s from 1904 until 1934, when the team relocated to Syracuse, New York
.
s, seven baseball fields, a cricket pitch, three children's playgrounds, the Charlie Mays
running track, five basketball courts, two football fields, two soccer fields, and four handball/paddleball courts. This section of the park also contains a 3 acres (1.2 ha) lake available for fishing. The lake has also been used for model yacht
racing. In 2009, a suspected virus resulted in a large number of carp
dying in the lake.
Lincoln Park West consists primarily of wetlands as well as Joseph J. Jaroschak Field, the facility for the baseball, softball, and soccer teams of Saint Peter's College. This section formerly had batting cages and a driving range
. In 2011, these were demolished and construction was begun on a nine-hole public golf course, the first public course in Hudson County.
s, several maintenance buildings, and the Park Administration Building. The Administration Building houses offices as well as the Hank Gallo Community Room.
nightclub in New York City, as a restaurant.
The restaurant is regularly used for meetings and events. Many well known people have attended private and public events at the venue. In 1963, Frank Sinatra
attended his parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration at Casino in the Park. In 1991, the Hudson County Democratic Organization was addressed by then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton
. It is also the location of weekly meetings of the Rotary Club of Jersey City.
in the park is Lincoln the Mystic
, a statue by James Earle Fraser commissioned in 1929 by the Lincoln Association of Jersey City. The sculpture was dedicated on June 14, 1930. 4,000 people attended the unveiling and the crowd was addressed by New Jersey Governor Morgan F. Larson. The park is also home to the world's largest concrete monument, the 365-ton fountain designed by Pierre J. Cheron at the center of the park's traffic circle. The fountain is 53 feet (16.2 m) tall, and contains 27 frog-shaped spouts and 150 lights.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
with an area of 273.4 acres (110.6 ha). Opened in 1905, it was originally known as West Side Park. The park was designed by Daniel W. Langton and Charles N. Lowrie, both founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects
American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects, with more than 17,000 members in 48 chapters, representing all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 42 countries around the world, plus 68 student chapters...
.
The park consists of two distinct sections: Lincoln Park East, 150.4 acres (60.9 ha), and Lincoln Park West, 123 acres (49.8 ha). The sections are named for their positions relative to U.S. Route 1/9 Truck, which passes between them, and are connected by foot and vehicular bridges over the highway. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is part of wetlands restoration project adjacent to the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. The Hackensack RiverWalk
Hackensack RiverWalk
Hackensack RiverWalk a is partially constructed greenway along the Newark Bay and Hackensack River on the west side of the Bergen Neck peninsula in Hudson County, New Jersey...
is a partially completed greenway
Greenway
-People:* Barney Greenway , British death metal vocalist* Brian Greenway , Canadian guitarist and vocalist* Chad Greenway , American football player* Francis Greenway , Australian architect...
along the banks of the river running the length of the Hudson County shoreline. The East Coast Greenway
East Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway, or ECG, is a project to create a nearly urban path linking the major cities of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, for non-motorized human transportation...
also traverses the park.
History
Lincoln Park was the first park in the Hudson CountyHudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
parks system. The Hudson County Parks Commission was created in 1903, and began work on the park in 1904. The park was built primarily on undeveloped swamp and the privately owned Glendale Woods. By 1925, 85 acres (34.4 ha) of land had been reclaimed from the Hackensack River in the western portion of the park. The park was expanded again in 1938 with the acquisition of additional properties along the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is part of 31 acres (125,452.7 m²) wetlands restoration project on a former landfill site adjacent to the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
unveiled in July 2011. It is hoped that the nearly $10.6 million development will enhance bird and fish populations.. A section of the East Coast Greenway
East Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway, or ECG, is a project to create a nearly urban path linking the major cities of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, for non-motorized human transportation...
crosses through the park, which is site of one of five kiosks in the state for the project
The park was the home of the Jersey City Skeeters
Jersey City Skeeters
The Jersey City Skeeters were a minor league baseball team which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey. The club started in the 1860s and by 1870 joined the National Association of Base Ball Players....
of the Eastern and International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
s from 1904 until 1934, when the team relocated to Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Athletics and recreation
Lincoln Park East contains many sports fields and recreational facilities. There are 21 outdoor tennis courtTennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, seven baseball fields, a cricket pitch, three children's playgrounds, the Charlie Mays
Charlie Mays
Charles "Charlie" Mays Sr. was an American Olympic athlete and Democratic party politician from Jersey City, New Jersey. He was an eleven-time Amateur Athletic Union All-American, nine-time AAU champion in the long jump and six-time champion in the 440-yard dash...
running track, five basketball courts, two football fields, two soccer fields, and four handball/paddleball courts. This section of the park also contains a 3 acres (1.2 ha) lake available for fishing. The lake has also been used for model yacht
Model yachting
Model yachting is the pastime of building and racing model yachts. It has always been customary for ship-builders to make a miniature model of the vessel under construction, which is in every respect a copy of the original on a small scale, whether steamship or sailing ship...
racing. In 2009, a suspected virus resulted in a large number of carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
dying in the lake.
Lincoln Park West consists primarily of wetlands as well as Joseph J. Jaroschak Field, the facility for the baseball, softball, and soccer teams of Saint Peter's College. This section formerly had batting cages and a driving range
Driving range
A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
. In 2011, these were demolished and construction was begun on a nine-hole public golf course, the first public course in Hudson County.
Structures and buildings
Lincoln Park East has four gazeboGazebo
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest...
s, several maintenance buildings, and the Park Administration Building. The Administration Building houses offices as well as the Hank Gallo Community Room.
Casino in the Park
Just south of the Lincoln Park Lake is Casino in the Park, a catering facility owned by the county and leased to a private operator. The original structure was built as a clubhouse for the tennis courts, but was underutilized due to the distance between them. It was used as a summer museum by the Jersey City Public Library before being leased to Ray Dillman, manager of the El MoroccoEl Morocco
El Morocco was a 20th century Manhattan nightclub frequented by the rich and famous in the 1930s and 1950s. It was famous for its blue zebra-stripe motif and its official photographer, Jerome Zerbe.-History:In 1931, John Perona , an Italian...
nightclub in New York City, as a restaurant.
The restaurant is regularly used for meetings and events. Many well known people have attended private and public events at the venue. In 1963, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
attended his parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration at Casino in the Park. In 1991, the Hudson County Democratic Organization was addressed by then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. It is also the location of weekly meetings of the Rotary Club of Jersey City.
Former facilities
Skeeters Park was a baseball field with bleachers and a grandstand with a seating capacity of 8,500 people, built in 1902. A nine-hole golf course was built on 140 acres (56.7 ha) of the western portion of the park in 1925. The park also had a concrete swimming pool 40 by near the athletic fields.Art
The primary piece of public artPublic art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
in the park is Lincoln the Mystic
Lincoln the Mystic
Lincoln the Mystic, also known as the Abraham Lincoln Memorial, is a bronze statue by James Earle Fraser.It is located at Lincoln Park in Hudson County, New Jersey, near the beginning of the Lincoln Highway.-History:...
, a statue by James Earle Fraser commissioned in 1929 by the Lincoln Association of Jersey City. The sculpture was dedicated on June 14, 1930. 4,000 people attended the unveiling and the crowd was addressed by New Jersey Governor Morgan F. Larson. The park is also home to the world's largest concrete monument, the 365-ton fountain designed by Pierre J. Cheron at the center of the park's traffic circle. The fountain is 53 feet (16.2 m) tall, and contains 27 frog-shaped spouts and 150 lights.
Monuments and memorials
The park also contains several monuments and memorials.- The Jersey City Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Memorial was dedicated on May 28, 1926. The bronze sculpture is 9 feet (2.7 m) tall and depicts a marching Civil War soldier in dressed in a full uniform. Originally intended to be placed in Hamilton park, the memorial was installed by the executor of the estate of Edward J. Donnelly, Sergeant, Company C, 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry5th New Jersey Volunteer InfantryThe 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry was one of four regiments formed by Governor Charles Olden upon requisition of President Abraham Lincoln on July 24, 1861. The regiment departed for Washington, DC on August 24, 1861 and camped at Meridian Hill...
.
- The Farrier Memorial, a 6 feet (1.8 m) bronze statue of a firefighter atop a domed granite base of 15 feet (4.6 m), was a bequest by Police Captain Frederick T. Farrier to honor the Volunteer Fire Department and was dedicated on November 21, 1931.
- The Great Irish Famine Memorial, erected by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, is a celtic crossCeltic crossA Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...
of 18 feet (5.5 m) and was dedicated on May 8, 2011.