Lincoln Park (Jersey City) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lincoln Park |
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| West Side Park (1905–1930) | |
Lincoln Park Lake
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Jersey City, New Jersey |
| Area | 273.4 acres (110.6 ha) |
| Created | 1905 |
| Operated by | Hudson County, New Jersey |
Lincoln Park is a large urban park in Jersey City, New Jersey. It covers about 273.4 acres (110.6 ha) of land. The park opened in 1905 and was first called West Side Park. It was designed by Daniel W. Langton and Charles N. Lowrie. Both were important members of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
The park has two main parts: Lincoln Park East and Lincoln Park West. Lincoln Park East is about 150.4 acres (60.9 ha) big. Lincoln Park West is about 123 acres (50 ha). A major highway, U.S. Route 1/9 Truck, runs between them. Bridges connect the two parts for both cars and people walking. The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is a special area. It is part of a project to bring back natural wetlands near the Hackensack River. The Hackensack RiverWalk is also being built along the river. This path will run along the entire Hudson County shoreline. The East Coast Greenway, a long trail, also goes through the park.
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History of Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park was the very first park in the Hudson County park system. The group that manages the parks, the Hudson County Parks Commission, started in 1903. They began working on Lincoln Park in 1904. The park was built on what used to be swampy land and private forests. By 1925, about 85 acres (34 ha) of new land was created from the Hackensack River. The park grew even more in 1938. More land was added along the Hackensack River.
The Lincoln Park Nature Walk is a 31-acre (130,000 m2) wetlands restoration project. It was built on an old landfill next to the Hackensack River. This project opened in July 2011. It cost about $10.6 million. People hope it will help more birds and fish live in the area. A part of the East Coast Greenway crosses through the park. Lincoln Park is home to one of five special information kiosks for this project in New Jersey.
The park was also once home to a baseball team. The Jersey City Skeeters played there from 1904 to 1934. They were part of the Eastern and International Leagues. The team later moved to Syracuse, New York.
Fun Activities and Facilities
Lincoln Park has many places for sports and fun. It is divided into two main sections.
Sports and Recreation in Lincoln Park East
Lincoln Park East has lots of sports fields. There are 21 outdoor tennis courts. You can also find seven baseball fields and a cricket pitch. Kids can play at three different playgrounds. There is a running track named after Charles Mays. The park also has five basketball courts, two football fields, and two soccer fields. You can play handball or paddleball on four courts.
This part of the park also has a 3 acres (1.2 ha) lake. You can go fishing in the lake. People have also used the lake for racing model yachts. In 2009, many carp fish in the lake died. This was thought to be caused by a virus.
Sports and Recreation in Lincoln Park West
Lincoln Park West is mostly made up of wetlands. It also has Joseph J. Jaroschak Field. This field is used by the baseball, softball, and soccer teams from Saint Peter's University. This section used to have batting cages and a driving range. In 2011, these were taken down. Construction began on a new nine-hole public golf course. This was the first public golf course in Hudson County. It opened in May 2015 after environmental work and landscaping.
Buildings and Structures
Lincoln Park East has four gazebos. These are open structures where people can relax. There are also several buildings for park maintenance. The Park Administration Building is also here. This building has offices and the Hank Gallo Community Room.
Casino in the Park Event Hall
South of the Lincoln Park Lake is Casino in the Park. This is a place where events and parties are held. The county owns it, but a private company runs it. The building was first built as a clubhouse for the tennis courts. However, it was too far from the courts to be used much. It was used as a summer museum for a while. Then, it became a restaurant.
Many famous people have visited Casino in the Park. In 1963, Frank Sinatra celebrated his parents' 50th wedding anniversary there. In 1991, then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton spoke at an event there. The Rotary Club of Jersey City also holds weekly meetings there. The city leases the building to a private business. As of 2019, there are plans to tear down and replace the building.
Old Park Features
A baseball field called Skeeters Park used to be in the park. It had seats for 8,500 people. It was built in 1902. This was the home field for the Jersey City Skeeters baseball team.
In 1925, a nine-hole golf course was built. It covered 140 acres (57 ha) in the western part of the park. The park also had a concrete swimming pool. It was 40 by 130 feet (12 by 40 m) big and was near the athletic fields.
Art and Monuments
Lincoln Park is home to some important art and memorials.
The main piece of public art is Lincoln the Mystic. This is a statue by James Earle Fraser. It was ordered in 1929 by a group in Jersey City. The statue was officially shown on June 14, 1930. About 4,000 people came to see it. The Governor of New Jersey, Morgan F. Larson, spoke at the event.
The park also has the world's largest concrete monument. This is the Lincoln Park Fountain. It weighs 365 tons! Pierre J. Cheron designed it. It is in the middle of the park's traffic circle. The fountain is 53 feet (16 m) tall. It has 27 spouts shaped like frogs and 150 lights. The fountain was fixed up and shown again on June 16, 2016. This restoration cost $7.2 million.
The park also has other monuments and memorials:
- The Jersey City Civil War Memorial was dedicated on May 28, 1926. This bronze statue is 9 feet (2.7 m) tall. It shows a Civil War soldier in full uniform. It was originally meant for another park. However, it was placed here by the person in charge of Edward J. Donnelly's estate. Donnelly was a Sergeant in the 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.
- The Farrier Memorial is a 6-foot (1.8 m) bronze statue of a firefighter. It stands on a 15 feet (4.6 m) granite base. Police Captain Frederick T. Farrier left money for this statue. It honors the Volunteer Fire Department. It was dedicated on November 21, 1931.
- The Great Irish Famine Memorial was put up by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. It is an 18 feet (5.5 m) tall Celtic cross. It was dedicated on May 8, 2011.
Images for kids
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Three of the baseball fields, with Pulaski Skyway and smokestacks of the Kearny Generating Station in background
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Ceremonial opening of East Coast Greenway segment in the park
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Lincoln the Mystic at eastern entrance
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Lincoln Park Fountain
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Civil War memorial
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Detail of the Farrier Memorial
