Seaside Park (Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Seaside Park
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Perry Memorial Arch
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | South End, Bridgeport, Connecticut |
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| Area | 375 acres (152 ha) |
| Architect | Frederick Law Olmsted; Ernest G. Southey |
| Architectural style | Classical, American "beautiful" |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004373 |
| Added to NRHP | July 1, 1982 |
Seaside Park is a beautiful park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It's shaped like a crescent moon and stretches for about 2.5 miles along the water. It touches Bridgeport Harbor, Long Island Sound, and Black Rock Harbor. You can find it in the South End part of Bridgeport.
Contents
A Look Back: Seaside Park's Story
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As Bridgeport grew quickly in the 1800s, people realized the city needed more public parks. In 1863, a local newspaper called The Standard suggested creating a park. Soon, a movement began to build a park along Long Island Sound and Black Rock Harbor.
How the Park Began
By 1864, P. T. Barnum (a famous showman) and other residents had given about 35 acres of land to start Seaside Park. This area slowly grew to about 100 acres by 1884. In 1867, plans were made for a seawall and paths for driving and walking. Famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (who also designed Central Park in New York City) helped create the park's layout.
Barnum gave even more land in 1878. Over the years, several important statues and monuments were added:
- A Soldiers' monument was started in 1866 and finished in 1876.
- A statue of Elias Howe (who invented the sewing machine) was added in 1884.
- A bronze statue of Barnum himself, made by Thomas Ball, was placed in the park in 1893.
- The last major monument, the William Hunt Perry Memorial Arch, was added in 1918. It was designed by Henry Bacon, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial.
In 1884, Olmsted described Seaside Park as a "capital place for a drive or walk." He called it a "fine dressy promenade."
Early Races and Growth
In the early 1900s, the park's driving track was still used for horse driving. But people with early automobiles also raced their "steam carriages" and "gasoline cars" on the track!
The park continued to grow over time. Fayerweather Island was added in 1911, and Barnum Field in 1936. With more land added through landfill projects, the park reached its current size of 375 acres.
National Recognition and Changes
Seaside Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. The main designers were Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, and Egbert Viele. A Bridgeport architect named Ernest G. Southey designed the Casino (an old bathhouse).
The park has three main historic buildings:
- The Casino (built in 1918)
- Stables built around the same time
- The Black Rock Harbor Light lighthouse on Fayerweather Island, built in 1823.
From 1994 to 2002, the city spent about $9 million to improve the park. They changed some roads, added more parking, and built a new bathhouse with restrooms, showers, and changing rooms. Not everyone liked all the changes. Some felt they didn't respect the park's original design. However, city officials explained that changes were needed for modern visitors, especially with more cars. They tried to keep the original design in mind while making updates.
Music in the Park
Seaside Park has a long history of hosting concerts. In 1890, the idea of Sunday concerts "for the benefit of the working people" was suggested. Many nearby residents were against it, but P.T. Barnum, whose home was next to the park, strongly supported the idea in local newspapers. When there was talk of police stopping the first concert, Barnum told the band to come play at his house instead, and he opened his grounds to everyone who wanted to listen.
In the 1930s, the Bridgeport WPA Orchestra gave free concerts on Thursday nights. The city provided sound systems so everyone could hear the music.
Since 2007, Seaside Park has been the home of Gathering of the Vibes. This is an annual four-day music, camping, and arts festival that celebrates the Grateful Dead and features many different kinds of music.
Park Facilities
Seaside Park offers many fun things to do! You can find:
- Ball fields for sports
- Picnic areas for outdoor meals
- A bathing beach for swimming
- Bath houses with facilities
- Hiking trails for exploring
Parts of the park with water views are easy to access for people using wheelchairs. There are also places to buy food, a pier for access, and facilities to launch boats.
