Dana Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dana Park |
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Dana Park as viewed from Lark Street
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Albany, New York |
| Area | .2 acres (810 m2) |
| Created | 1826 |
Dana Park is a small green space in Albany, New York. It covers about .2-acre (810 m2). This park is special because it holds a memorial for a famous scientist, James Dwight Dana. This memorial also works as the last horse watering trough in Albany.
The park is located where three streets meet. These are Delaware Avenue, Lark Street, and Dana Avenue. Madison Avenue also joins nearby. This makes it a busy spot in the city. Dana Park is important to several local neighborhoods. These include Hudson-Park, Park South, and the Lark Street area.
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History of Dana Park
In December 1826, the city leaders of Albany made a decision. They said that Delaware Square would become a public park. This would happen once its current lease ended. The park was officially named Dana Park on Arbor Day in 1901. Mayor Blessing dedicated it. The park was named to honor James Dwight Dana. He was a very famous geologist from Utica.
In 1903, a group called the Dana Natural History Society built a fancy fountain in the park. This society was started in 1868 and was only for women who loved science. The fountain was a trough for horses to drink from. Horses used it until the late 1940s. The last horses known to use it pulled bread wagons for Freihofer's Baking Company. In 1988, the fountain was connected to the city water system again. It was then used by the Albany Police Department's mounted patrol horses.
The Dana Memorial
The Dana Memorial is a special stone monument. It honors the geologist James Dwight Dana. This memorial also includes the last horse trough left in Albany. The memorial has cool carvings on it. You can see features of ancient sea creatures like trilobites, crinoids, and eurypterids.
The Dana Natural History Society put up this memorial in 1903. Today, this society is the oldest group of female naturalists in the United States. The fountain part of the memorial also collects water. This water is used to help water a small garden in the middle of the park.
Fun Activities at the Park
Dana Park is a lively place with different activities.
Farmer's Market
Every Thursday during the summer, a farmer's market is held here. You can find fresh local produce and other goods.
Little Free Library
There is also a Little Free Library book box in Dana Park. This is a cool program where you can take a book to read. You can also leave a book for someone else to enjoy. It's a free way to share stories with the community.
