Park Row, Leeds facts for kids
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Park Row is a well-known street in the heart of Leeds city centre, which is in West Yorkshire, England. It acts like a dividing line between the main business areas and the busy shopping districts. Park Row connects two important places in Leeds: City Square and The Headrow.
For a long time, especially from the 1860s up until around the year 2000, Park Row was a very important street for businesses. Many big banks, insurance companies, and other financial businesses had their offices here. Today, the street is much more varied. You can find homes, restaurants, and bars in buildings that used to be banks or offices.
The buildings along Park Row show how architecture and what people needed from buildings have changed over time. You can see styles from the first offices built in the 1860s all the way to modern buildings from the late 20th century. The street got its name, Park Row, because it was once the eastern edge of a large park. This park was used by the local Lord for hunting many years ago.
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History of Park Row
Park Row has a long and interesting past. It has changed a lot over the centuries.
Early Buildings and the Philosophical Hall
Between 1767 and 1776, twenty-three houses were built on the east side of Park Row. These were some of the first buildings on the street.
Later, in 1821, an important building called the Philosophical Hall opened on the west side of Park Row. This hall belonged to the Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society. It had a lecture hall for talks, a library full of books, and a museum with interesting collections.
During the Second World War, German bombs damaged the building and some of its collections. The museum eventually closed in 1965. The site was later rebuilt as a bank. The museum's collections found a new home in 2008 at the Leeds City Museum in Millennium Square.
From Homes to Businesses
Starting in the 1830s, some of the older Georgian houses on Park Row began to be used by early businesses. By the mid-1800s, many of these houses were replaced. New buildings were specially designed as offices. These new offices were better for growing companies. They also allowed businesses to show off their identity through their architecture.
Some of these buildings were updated again in the 1900s. A few have been redeveloped more recently. Others have been changed from offices into different types of spaces.
Britain's First Traffic Lights
Park Row is also famous for a special invention. In 1928, Britain's very first permanent traffic lights were put in place on Park Row. They were at the crossing with Bond Street. These lights were installed by a person named Herbert Thorp.
Fun and Food on Park Row
While Park Row is a busy place for financial businesses during the day, it changes at night. It becomes a lively spot for Leeds' nightlife. There are many fancy restaurants along Park Row. You can also find a number of cafes there. It's a great place to go for a meal or a drink with friends and family.
