St. John's Park facts for kids
St. John's Park was once a beautiful square park located in Lower Manhattan, a busy part of New York City. It was surrounded by Varick, Laight, Hudson, and Beach Streets. Today, this historic spot is no longer a park. Instead, it's a large traffic circle that leads to the Holland Tunnel, a major road connecting Manhattan to New Jersey.
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History of St. John's Park
St. John's Park has a long and interesting history. It started out as a farm owned by a farmer in New Netherland, which was an early Dutch colony in America.
From Farm to Church Land
Later, the land became property of England. The English government then gave the park area to Trinity Church. This church is very old and famous in New York City. Trinity Church built St. John's Chapel right next to the park. They also built many fancy townhouses around the park.
A Rich Neighborhood
By the year 1827, the area around St. John's Park became a very popular place for wealthy people to live. It was known as a fashionable and rich neighborhood. However, by the 1850s, many of these rich families started to move away to other parts of the city.
The Railroad and the Tunnel
In 1866, a very powerful businessman named Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the park. He was famous for building railroads. Vanderbilt wanted to use the park's land to build a big railroad terminal, which is like a train station where trains start and end their journeys.
The railroad terminal was eventually torn down in 1927. In the same year, a new and important structure was built in its place: the Holland Tunnel. This tunnel was created by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, an organization that manages transportation in the New York and New Jersey area. The Holland Tunnel made it much easier for cars and trucks to travel between New York City and New Jersey.
Images for kids
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A print from St. John's Park's time as a fashionable neighborhood
