Jones's Wood facts for kids

Jones's Wood was a large area of farmland in Manhattan, a part of New York City. It was located right next to the East River. This land used to belong to two rich families, the Schermerhorns and the Joneses. Today, the area where Jones's Wood once stood is part of Lenox Hill, which is in the Upper East Side of New York City.

History of Jones's Wood

Tomb of David Provoost (1857)

The farm was about 132 acres large. Its 19th-century owners called it the "Louvre Farm." It stretched from what is now Third Avenue all the way to the East River. It also went from about 66th Street to 75th Street.

A successful businessman named John Jones bought this farm from the family of David Provoost. John Jones wanted a country home close to New York City. The Provoost house, which became Jones's home, was near where 67th Street is today. After John Jones died, the farm was divided among his children. His son James kept the house and its land. His daughter Sarah married Peter Schermerhorn, a ship owner. She received the part of the farm closest to the city. Peter Schermerhorn lived in a small house overlooking the river on this land.

The 19th Century and Park Ideas

In 1818, Peter Schermerhorn bought more land next to his wife's share. He named his property Belmont Farm. They moved into a nicer house on this land, which was near 64th Street. This house survived for a long time, even after a big fire in 1894. It was finally taken down after 1903. Today, the largest part of Jones's Wood that still exists is where Rockefeller University is located.

Plans for a Public Park

In the 1850s, people started suggesting that Jones's Wood should become a large public park. This idea eventually led to the creation of Central Park. At first, many thought Jones's Wood would be the perfect spot because it was a beautiful, wooded area by the East River. Newspapers like the New York Tribune and the Post wrote about how lovely Jones's Wood was.

A state senator named James Beekman pushed for the city to buy the land. In 1851, a plan was approved to get the Jones's Wood property. The New York Herald newspaper said it would be like Hyde Park in London.

However, the Jones and Schermerhorn families did not want to sell their land. So, Senator Beekman introduced a bill to allow the city to take the land using eminent domain. This means the government can take private land for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell, as long as they pay a fair price. This bill passed in 1851.

But there were problems. Many people living far uptown, like in Harlem, didn't want to pay for the park through taxes. People on Manhattan's West Side also complained it was too far for them to visit. A famous landscape designer, Andrew Jackson Downing, thought a park should be at least 500 acres and more central. The Jones and Schermerhorn families also sued the city. They successfully stopped the plan, and the law was later found to be against the constitution.

The arguments about a city park then moved to ideas for what is now Central Park. Some people wanted to make Battery Park bigger, but rich merchants didn't agree. As a compromise, Battery Park was expanded a little. Even as support for Central Park grew, some people still wanted Jones's Wood to be the park. There were even disagreements among them about where the park's borders should be.

As Central Park gained more support, those who wanted Jones's Wood Park claimed that Central Park supporters were just trying to make money from land deals. Central Park had more support partly because it was in the middle of the island. Also, the Central Park site was home to a low-income community called Seneca Village. Central Park supporters argued that this area needed to be redeveloped.

Supporters of Jones's Wood Park kept trying to get their site chosen. They even used unfair methods. In 1853, Senator Beekman tried to prevent newspapers from reporting on a vote. People on both sides of the debate created petitions, and many signatures were not real. Most people just wanted a large city park, no matter where it was.

The debate became very intense in mid-1853. Both Beekman and Senator Edwin Morgan (who supported Central Park) presented competing bills. The Jones and Schermerhorn families sued again to stop the Jones's Wood bill. In January 1854, a judge named James I. Roosevelt stopped the second Jones's Wood bill from taking effect. This made Jones's Wood supporters very upset.

Jones's Wood Hotel

Peter Schermerhorn died in 1852. Over the next ten years, the Jones and Schermerhorn families found that the city was growing rapidly around their estate. People were stealing fruit from their orchards, and German beer gardens were popping up nearby. So, they decided to lease part of their land for a business.

This led to the creation of the Jones's Wood Hotel. It was a popular picnic spot and resort. The old Provoost house was expanded to include a dance hall, a shooting range, and other sports facilities. In the 1860s and 70s, Jones's Wood became a favorite place for working-class New Yorkers. They would arrive by boat or horsecar to enjoy beer, sports, speeches, and lively shows. These kinds of fun activities were not allowed in the new Central Park.

The owner, Valentine Mager, advertised that his grounds were "the only place on the Island where a person can enjoy or make himself comfortable." Many groups held events there, like the Caledonian Society for Highland games. The famous tightrope walker Charles Blondin also performed there.

The northern part of the farm was divided into smaller lots in 1855 and sold for homes.

By 1873, the old "Wood" was disappearing as trees were cut down for construction. Different owners ran the amusement park areas. John F. Schultheis bought some land and built his "Coliseum" around 1874. It was a huge building with seating for 14,000 people. He also created another picnic area called "Washington Park."

A building by the river, which some thought was a chapel, was rented as a bathing house by the Pastime Athletic Club in 1877. They stayed there for twenty years.

In 1894, a big fire swept through Jones's Wood. It burned about 11 acres of land. Many buildings were destroyed, and 50 horses died. The Jones house burned down, but the Schermerhorn house was saved. Today, Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Hospital for Special Surgery are located on this site.

The 20th Century

In 1903, John D. Rockefeller bought the remaining part of the Schermerhorn farm for $700,000. This land stretched from 64th Street to 67th Street. Today, this is the site of Rockefeller University.

By 1911, the Schermerhorn country place was being used for new buildings. The name Jones's Wood was kept alive in Jones Wood Gardens. This was a very exclusive private garden created in 1920. It was for residents of a group of thirteen row houses built nearby. Only twelve keys were given out for this garden.

See also

In Spanish: Jones's Wood para niños