Jacob Riis Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jacob Riis Park |
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| Type | Public park |
| Location | Queens, New York City, New York, United States |
| Area | 262 acres (106 ha) |
| Created | 1937 |
| Operated by | National Park Service |
| Status | Open all year |
| Public transit access | Bus: Q22, Q35 |
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Jacob Riis Park Historic District
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | New York, New York |
| Built | 1932 |
| Architect | John L. Plock, Gilmore D. Clarke, Aymar Embury II, Clinton Loyd, Julius Burgevin |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Moorish |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000081 |
| Added to NRHP | June 17, 1981 |
Jacob Riis Park, also known as Riis Park, is a popular seaside park in Queens, New York City. It's located at the end of the Rockaway Peninsula, right next to the Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. This park is famous for its long sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean and its cool, old buildings designed in the Art Deco style.
The park was first bought by the city in 1912. It was named after Jacob Riis, a social journalist who pushed for the land to become a park. During World War I, the area was used as a naval air station. This station was even the starting point for the very first flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1919!
Many of the park's buildings and roads were built between 1936 and 1937. This was done by Robert Moses, a powerful city planner. He wanted Riis Park to be a great getaway for New Yorkers, much like Jones Beach State Park. The park was built along with the Marine Parkway Bridge, making it easier for people to visit.
In 1974, the park became part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and is now managed by the National Park Service. In 1981, the park was recognized as a special historic place.
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What Makes Jacob Riis Park Special?
Jacob Riis Park is at the western end of the Rockaway Peninsula. It stretches for about 1 mile (1.6 km) from east to west. The park's beautiful beaches are on the south side, facing the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, you'll find Jamaica Bay.
The park has two main roads: Beach Channel Drive and Rockaway Beach Boulevard. These roads help people get around the park and connect to other parts of the Rockaways. The way the roads are set up was planned back in the 1930s.
Three important buildings from the 1930s are key parts of the park's historic area. These are the bathhouse and two Central Mall buildings. Many parts of the park, including these buildings and the boardwalk, were updated between 1936 and 1937. This work was funded by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression.
The Historic Bathhouse
The bathhouse is a large building located near the middle of the park, facing the beach. It was first finished in 1932. Its original design had a Moorish and Byzantine style. Later, during the 1936-1937 renovations, Art Deco elements were added. This mix of styles makes the bathhouse unique.
The bathhouse is actually made up of four separate buildings connected by walls, with a large courtyard in the middle. The walls are made of brick. After the renovations, the whole building was painted light gray. It's the biggest building in the park, measuring about 640 feet (195 m) long and 250 feet (76 m) wide.
Entrance Pavilion
The front part of the bathhouse, facing Rockaway Beach Boulevard, is called the Entry Pavilion. It's a one-story building that still has its original Moorish and Byzantine features. It has two small towers at each end and an arcade (a row of arches) with five brick archways.
Beach Pavilion
The back part of the bathhouse, facing the beach, is known as the "beach pavilion." This section is two stories high. It was heavily updated in the 1930s, giving it its current Art Deco look. It has a large arcade on the ground floor. On the second floor, there's a section with rounded edges and glass brick windows. This area used to be a cafeteria or restaurant and was also used as a solarium (a sunny room).
The beach pavilion also has two tall, octagonal towers with copper roofs. Stairs used to lead from the beach up to the second-floor terrace, but these outdoor stairs have since been removed.
Wing Buildings and Courtyard
At the east and west ends of the bathhouse are two identical one-story buildings called the wing buildings. They originally held public bathrooms, a police station, and first aid stations. Now, they mostly contain visitor facilities, though bathrooms are still available.
The central courtyard in the middle of the bathhouse used to have many changing rooms and showers. These rooms had lockers for thousands of people. However, these changing rooms were closed and removed by 1988 due to maintenance issues. The courtyard is now an open space.
The Central Mall Area
Near the Marine Parkway Bridge, you'll find the park's central mall. This is a landscaped area that runs from north to south, connecting Beach Channel Drive to the main beach. It was even designed to line up with the Empire State Building, so you could see it in the distance!
At the south end of the mall are two buildings known as the Central Mall Buildings. These were built in the 1930s in the Art Deco style. They are one-story high and shaped like a semi-circle, forming a horseshoe together. The western building has offices and public restrooms, while the eastern building is used for concession stands and shops. A bandstand used to be between these buildings but was removed in 1954.
A bronze statue of Jacob Riis was placed near the western mall building in 1940. It was stolen in 1964, but a new one was put in its place in 2010.
The Boardwalk
A long boardwalk runs along the northern edge of the entire beach. Most of it was built between 1936 and 1937. The boardwalk separates the beach from other park areas like the bathhouse and the central mall. It's the main path for people walking through the park.
The boardwalk is 40 feet (12 m) wide, and even wider in front of the bathhouse. It was originally made of wood but was changed to concrete in 1970. The boardwalk sits on top of a concrete seawall, which helps protect the park from flooding and keeps the sand stable.
At the east end of the main beach, there's a special street clock called the Wise Clock or Riis Park Memorial Clock. It was built in 1891 and moved to the park in 1941. It has four faces and is a well-known landmark.
Parking Lot
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North of Rockaway Beach Boulevard is the park's large parking lot. It covers about 62 to 72 acres (25 to 29 ha) and is the biggest single feature in the park. When it was built, it was one of the largest paved parking lots in the world, designed to hold thousands of cars.
The parking lot used to be managed by different authorities, including the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, which was also run by Robert Moses. Parking fees collected from Riis Park even helped pay for the construction of the Marine Parkway Bridge. In 1974, the National Park Service took over the management of the park and its parking lot.
Other Park Features
At the west end of the park, there's an 18-hole pitch and putt golf course. It opened in 1938. There's also a New York City Fire Department station and a Park Police station nearby.
The park also has many areas for sports and fun. You can find baseball fields, basketball courts, handball courts, paddleball courts, and shuffleboard courts. There are also open grassy areas perfect for picnicking and grilling.
The Beaches
The beaches at Jacob Riis Park are divided into 14 sections, called "bays," which are numbered from east to west. The main beach has a unique crescent shape that opens towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Each bay is separated by concrete jetties (structures that extend into the ocean) and rows of wooden poles. These jetties help keep the sand in place. Next to Bay 1, on the east side, is Rockaway Beach, another public beach that stretches further east. A fence separates the two beaches.
Getting to Jacob Riis Park
Public Transportation Options
You can reach Jacob Riis Park using local buses. The Q22 and Q35 buses stop on Rockaway Beach Boulevard. During the summer, these buses stop right at the Riis Park bathhouse. The QM16 express bus also goes to the park from Manhattan.
The closest New York City Subway station is Rockaway Park–Beach 116th Street, which is east of the park. You can take the Q22 or Q35 bus from there to the park.
You can also take a ferry! The New York Water Taxi and NYC Ferry operate routes from Lower Manhattan that stop at Riis Landing, which is in front of Fort Tilden on Jamaica Bay. A free shuttle bus then takes you from the ferry terminal to different spots in the park.
Driving to the Park
If you're driving, you can get to Riis Park using the Belt Parkway. This parkway connects to the Marine Parkway Bridge. You can also use Cross Bay Boulevard from central Queens. During the summer months, there is a fee to park your car in the Riis Park parking lot.
Images for kids
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Neponsit Beach Hospital (pictured) was opened in 1915 on Riis Park land, before major park development
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Aerial view of NAS Rockaway in 1917
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The construction of the Marine Parkway Bridge, Riis Park (bottom right), and Fort Tilden (bottom left) in 1937. The ferry landings at Riis Park/Fort Tilden and Floyd Bennett Field are also present
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These two baseball diamonds were built on the former land of Neponsit Beach Hospital, which was ceded back to Riis Park in 1959
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