East River State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marsha P. Johnson State Park
East River State Park
View of Marsha P. Johnson State Park with the East River and Midtown Manhattan in the background
Type	State park
Location	Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Area	11 acres (4.5 ha)
Created	2007
Operated by	New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Visitors	1,464,993 (in 2014)
Open	Year round

Marsha P. Johnson State Park is a cool 11-acre park in Brooklyn, New York. It's located in the Williamsburg neighborhood. You can find it along the East River, and it has awesome views of the Williamsburg Bridge and Midtown Manhattan.

This park first opened in 2007. It was built on the site of an old train station. In 2020, the park was renamed to honor Marsha P. Johnson. She was an important activist who worked for equal rights for all people. This park is the first state park in New York named after an LGBTIQA+ person.

Discovering Marsha P. Johnson State Park's Past

How the Park Began

Marsha P. Johnson State Park is built on an interesting spot. It used to be the site of the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal. This was a big railroad terminal that opened way back in 1870. It was the first train station of its kind in Brooklyn.

The park officially opened its doors to the public on May 26, 2007. It's a special place for people to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Park Rules and Fun Activities

Unlike some other parks nearby, Marsha P. Johnson State Park closes when the sun goes down. There are also a few rules to know. For example, you can't bring dogs into the park. Also, bicycle riding is not allowed inside the park area.

In 2009, the park became a popular spot for music lovers. Big music concerts that used to happen at McCarren Park Pool moved here. The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) helped make this happen. They chose Marsha P. Johnson State Park for future live performances. Because of these concerts, the park is sometimes called the Williamsburg Waterfront.

Honoring Marsha P. Johnson

In 2020, the park got its new name to honor Marsha P. Johnson. She was a brave and important activist. She worked hard to fight for the rights and equality of LGBTIQA+ people. This renaming was a big deal. It made this park the first state park in New York to be named after an LGBTIQA+ person.

New York state governor Andrew Cuomo announced the renaming in February 2020. He officially rededicated the park in August 2020. At the renaming event, Governor Cuomo also shared exciting news. He said that new art and signs would be added inside the park. These additions would help tell the story of Marsha P. Johnson's important work.

Gallery

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  Entrance sign

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  Facilities in the park

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  One of five historic information boards inside the park

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  The park in winter