Marine Park (Brooklyn park) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marine Park
In winter
Location	Marine Park, Brooklyn, New York
Nearest city	New York City
Area	798 acres (323 ha)
Created	1924
Operated by	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Open	6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Status	open

Marine Park is a large public park in Brooklyn, New York City. It covers about 798 acres (3.23 square kilometers). The park is located next to the western part of Jamaica Bay. Much of the land for Marine Park was given to New York City by the Whitney family in 1920. Other important donors included Frederic B. Pratt and Alfred Tredway White, who gave 150 acres (0.61 square kilometers) in 1917.

The park is mostly a rich salt marsh. This marsh gets fresh water from Gerritsen Creek. Marine Park has areas for fun activities and also the Salt Marsh Nature Center. Here, you can find many different animals. These include birds like myrtle warblers and grasshopper sparrows. You might also see cottontail rabbits and ring-necked pheasants. In the water, you can spot horseshoe crabs and oyster toadfish.

Park History: From Marsh to Park
- Becoming a Public Park
- Cleaning Up the Park
Fun Things to Do at Marine Park
Park Features and Geography
Images for kids
See also

Park History: From Marsh to Park

Marine Park's Salt Marsh Nature Center

Long ago, this area was a hunting and fishing spot for Native Americans. They lived in a village nearby called Keshawchqueren. Scientists have found old cooking pits in Marine Park. These pits date back to between 800 and 1400 AD. They also found bones from deer and turtles, plus oyster shells and sturgeon scales.

In the 1600s, Dutch settlers came to the area. They liked it because it was similar to the marshlands in their home country. The land was good for farming. There were also lots of clams, oysters, and wild animals to hunt.

Becoming a Public Park

In the early 1900s, cities were growing fast. Some people wanted to turn Jamaica Bay into a big port for ships. They bought land along the bay, hoping to make money. But people like Alfred Tredway White and Frederic B. Pratt had a different idea. They gave their land to the city. Their gift came with one rule: the land had to become a public park.

The park grew slowly at first. By 1937, it was about 1,822 acres (7.37 square kilometers). That same year, city leaders officially named it "Brooklyn Marine Park."

Tree lines in the park

The natural areas of the park, with their mix of salt and fresh water, have a long story. In the 1700s, George Washington even visited the land nearby. There was a gristmill on the water back then. In 1938, the mill burned down. Today, you can still see the old wooden posts from the mill at low tide.

Cleaning Up the Park

In the middle of the 1900s, the park faced some problems. People used parts of it as a dump. Trash piled up very high in some places. But in the 1990s, a huge cleanup project began. The park was brought back to its natural beauty. You might still find a few old car parts, but the park is much cleaner now.

Fun Things to Do at Marine Park

Marine Park has many places for sports and activities. Over the years, new facilities have been added for everyone to enjoy.

Sports and Recreation

Pratt-White Athletic Field: This field opened in 1939. It is named after the two men who helped create Marine Park.
Golf Course: A large 210-acre (0.85 square kilometers) golf course opened in 1963. It was designed by a famous architect named Robert Trent Jones. This course hosts several golf tournaments.
John V. Lindsay Model Airport: This special area for model airplanes opened in 1971.
Ballfields: New baseball fields were built in 1979. In 1997, they were named after Rocco Torre, a police officer who loved baseball.
Courts: At the end of the 1900s, basketball, tennis, and bocce courts were rebuilt.
Lenape Playground: This playground at Avenue U was also improved.

Nature and Trails

Nature trails were created along Gerritsen Creek in the mid-1980s. These trails are perfect for walking and observing the many plants and animals in the park.

Carmine Carro Community Center

The Carmine Carro Community Center opened in March 2013. It is named after Carmine Carro, a local person who worked hard to support the park. This building is very "green" and uses energy-saving features. It has solar panels and a special system for heating and cooling that uses the earth's temperature. It also has a green roof.

Park Features and Geography

Marine Park has interesting natural features.

Gerritsen Creek

Most of Gerritsen Creek runs through Marine Park. The start of the creek is near the Salt Marsh Nature Center. The creek used to stretch much further north. But in 1920, the northern part was buried in a storm sewer. The creek is like one of the "fingers" that shaped the original shoreline of Jamaica Bay.

Mau Mau Island

Inside the park, there is an artificial island called Mau Mau Island, also known as White Island. It is located between two parts of Gerritsen Creek. This island was made from garbage, possibly by 1934. There were plans to make it part of the golf course, but that never happened. Only the base parts of a temporary bridge remain.

Riches Meadows

The eastern part of Marine Park, east of Mau Mau Island, was once an island called Riches Meadows. This island was surrounded by two smaller creeks, Mill Creek and Deep Creek. These creeks then led to Mill Basin.