Henry Hudson Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henry Hudson Park
Type	Urban park
Location	Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, New York City
Created	1938
Operated by	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Henry Hudson Park is a lovely small park in New York City. It is located in the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood of Bronx. You can find it where Kappock Street and Independence Avenue meet. The park has a special spot called Half Moon Overlook. From here, you can look down at the Spuyten Duyvil Creek. This overlook is named after the Halve Maen, the ship that explorer Henry Hudson sailed.

Exploring Henry Hudson Park

This park is named after the famous English explorer, Henry Hudson. He is also the namesake for the nearby Hudson River, Henry Hudson Parkway, and Henry Hudson Bridge. The park is a great place to relax and learn about history.

The Henry Hudson Monument

In 1906, people decided to build a monument. It would celebrate 300 years since Henry Hudson arrived in what is now Lower New York Bay. The project faced many delays. But in 1909, the city got the money needed.

By 1912, a tall column was put in place. It was about 100 feet (30 meters) high. This column was designed by Walter Cook. Soon after, the money for the project ran out.

Finishing the Monument

The project was brought back to life in the late 1930s. This happened thanks to Robert Moses. He was a very important city planner in New York. By 1938, the area around the monument became a park. A large bronze statue of Henry Hudson was placed on top of the column. This statue is about 16 feet (5 meters) tall. It was sculpted by Karl Bitter and Karl Gruppe.

Community Efforts at the Park

Henry Hudson Park has been improved over the years. It had big renovations in 1989 and 1995. These improvements were largely due to a local community leader named Paul Cymerman. He worked hard to make the park better.

Paul's Park

Paul Cymerman was very dedicated and volunteered a lot of his time. Because of his efforts, a small playground area in the park was renamed Paul's Park in 2003. This was special because it was the only park in New York City named after a living person at that time. After he passed away in 2004, the community kept working. They continue to help keep the park safe and clean for everyone.

Images for kids

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  The statue of Henry Hudson in Henry Hudson Memorial Park in Spuyten Duyvil.