St. Nicholas Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Nicholas Park |
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135th Street entrance
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| Created | 1895 |
| Public transit access | Subway:   to 135th Street,   to 125th Street or 145th StreetBus: M3, M10, M60 SBS, M100, M101, M104, Bx15, Bx19, Bx33 |
St. Nicholas Park is a fun public park in Manhattan, New York City. It's located between the neighborhoods of Harlem, Hamilton Heights, and Manhattanville.
This nearly 23-acre park is a great place to visit. It stretches from 141st Street in the north to 128th Street in the south. On its sides, you'll find St. Nicholas Terrace to the west and St. Nicholas Avenue to the east.
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Park History: How St. Nicholas Park Began
The park was created in 1895. The city first bought land for the park from the Croton Aqueduct area. More land was added later, and construction on the park started in 1906.
Why the Park is Named St. Nicholas
The park, like the streets next to it, is named after Saint Nicholas. He is the patron saint of Amsterdam. His image was on one of the ships that brought the first Dutch settlers to New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam is what New York City was called a long time ago.
Who Designed St. Nicholas Park?
Parks Commissioner Samuel Parsons designed the park himself. The park grew bigger in 1909. Its southern border was extended to 128th Street. In 1931, a playground opened on 129th Street. A new playground was built in the same spot in 1965.
Cool Features of St. Nicholas Park
St. Nicholas Park is home to a very important building: Alexander Hamilton's historic house, called The Grange. Alexander Hamilton was one of America's Founding Fathers. This house is now a national memorial.
The Grange: A Historic Home in the Park
The Grange was moved 500 feet in 2008. It used to be on Convent Avenue. Now it's on the north side of St. Nicholas Park, facing 141st Street. When it was built in 1802, The Grange was considered a "country home." Its new spot is actually inside the area of Hamilton's original 32-acre estate.
What Else Can You Find in the Park?
Much of City College of New York's campus is right across St. Nicholas Terrace. The park itself is very green and wooded. It has lots of fun things to do.
You can find basketball courts and playgrounds. There are also handball courts and a special dog park for pets. If you like to cook outdoors, there are barbecue areas too. All these areas are kept nice by NYC Parks.
Nature in St. Nicholas Park
The park also has large Manhattan schist rock formations. These are cool natural rock outcrops. If you visit at migration time, you might see many monarch butterflies. They cover the butterfly bushes, which is an amazing sight!
Getting to St. Nicholas Park
You can easily reach St. Nicholas Park using the New York City Subway. The IND Eighth Avenue Line has stations nearby.
