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Ferry Point Park, The Bronx

Ferry Point Park is a park located in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx along the East River and Westchester Creek.  The park spans 413.8 acres.

The neighborhood "Throggs Neck" takes its name from John Throgmorton who obtained a license on October 6, 1642 from Niew Amsterdam's Governor to settle in the area.  The area served primarily as farm land for families for the next two centuries.

In 1850 the land that will become Ferry Point Park is purchased by Augustus diZerega and Jacob Lorillard, a shipping tycoon and a tobacco manufacturer, respectively.

In 1916, the land is sold to the Catholic House of the Good Shepherd.
The east side of Ferry Point Park prior to land-filling
New York Public Library 1905

The original parcel of Ferry Point Park totaled 171 acres and came under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation in 1937.  It was purchased by New York City from the Roman Catholic House of the Good Shepherd during the acquisition of land for the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which was completed in 1939.  The Hutchinson River Parkway bisects the park and leads to the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge.  The east side has a community park, a waterfront promenade and a golf course being developed while the west side has athletic fields, the Ferry Point 9/11 Memorial Grove and 9/11 Living Memorial Forest.  The Memorial Grove planted in 2008 features daffodils, while the Memorial Forest of 3000 trees were planted in 2007 features trees donated by the Prince of Monaco.  The west side of the park opened to the public in 1940.
The west side of Ferry Point Park prior to land-filling and the
construction of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge.
New York Public Library 1905

 The park's parcel was formerly called Old Ferry and was located at the junction of Westchester Creek and Baxter Creek Inlet - which has since been filled in.  The park was named Ferry Point Park for the many ferries which once passed this route, including the Bronx to Queens, Westchester Village to Whitestone and Clason Point to College Point.  These ferries operated from 1910 to 1939 and operators included the City of New York and the Twin City Ferry Company. 

In 1948, two additions to parkland were acquired through condemnation totaling 243 acres.  This portion will ultimately form the east side of Ferry Point Park.  From 1952 until 1970, portions of the area had served as a raw garbage landfill for the New York City Department of Sanitation, which included the filling-in of the Baxter Creek Inlet.
Ferry Point Park to the west and the Department of
Sanitation's land-filling of Baxter Creek to the east.
Museum of the City of New York 1960

The conversion of the former landfill into a park includes development of an 18-hole golf course.  The area will cost approximately $97 million for the city to remove waste and various additional park upgrades.  The golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is currently under construction within the park and will be developed and operated by the Trump National and International Golf Clubs at its anticipated completion of Spring 2014.
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Location: Ferry Point Park, Bronx, NY 10465, USA

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