Millennium Park (Manhattan) facts for kids
Millennium Park is a small, green park located in the busy Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It sits right where Park Row and Broadway meet. This park is designed to look like a small forest, bringing nature into a very busy part of the city. It even has a loop for buses, which used to be a paved area but was turned into a green space around the year 2000.
Discovering Millennium Park
Millennium Park was officially opened in November 2000. The mayor at the time, Rudolph W. Giuliani, called it "a final gift from the 20th century to New Yorkers of the 21st." It was named Millennium Park because it was finished right around the start of the new millennium (the year 2000).
The David Rockefeller Clock
At the very southern end of the park, you'll find the impressive David Rockefeller Clock. This clock was put there to honor David Rockefeller, who was a very important leader at Chase Manhattan Bank for many years.
David Rockefeller was the youngest grandson of John D. Rockefeller, a famous businessman. David played a big part in keeping downtown Manhattan a strong business area. This was important because many companies were moving out of cities and into the suburbs back then.
Rockefeller helped save places like the South Street Seaport. He also helped build important structures like the World Trade Center and Battery Park City. The David Rockefeller Clock weighs 3,500 pounds and was designed to look like clocks from the late 1800s. It matches the old-fashioned fountains and lights in nearby City Hall Park.
