St. Mary's
450 St. Ann's Avenue, Mott Haven, Bronx, NY
Location:
Cross Streets: 145th Street and St. Ann's Ave
History:
The Wackquaskeck Indians of the Delaware Nation settled upon the land that is now St. Mary's Park.
The people of Morrisania used what later became official park land as a popular picnic place.
What is now St. Mary's Park was once part of the estate of Gouverneur Morris, the patriot statesman of Revolutionary War days. He is buried in the cemetery of St. Ann's Church, just a few hundred feet from the park. (Mulhally 1887:97-98)
1874 -- before this year, the entire area of the Bronx was part of Westchester County. In 1874 the portion west of the Bronx River (the towns of Morrisania, West Farms and Kingsbridge) was annexed to New York City.
1887 -- even long ago, John Mullaly (1887:97) wrote that the park seemed more like a city park than a suburban one. But he also wrote that the park was "beautifully undulating."
1888 -- A commission purchases Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx Park, Pelham Bay Park, Crotona Park, Claremont Park, St. Mary's Park, Mosholu Parkway, Pelham Parkway, and Crotona Parkway, thereby founding the park system of The Bronx (today covering 24% of the borough's land surface). Half of Bronx Park and all of Pelham Parkway and Pelham Bay Park were located outside of the city's boundaries of the time.
1895 -- the portion of the Bronx east of the Bronx River (the town of Westchester and parts of the towns of Eastchester and Pelham) was annexed to New York City.
1898 -- both halves of the Bronx (west and east of the Bronx River) were consolidated into Greater New York City.
(John Mullaly. 1887. The new parks beyond the Harlem. New York City: Record & Guide.)
Facilities:
swimming pool, gym, indoor pool, fitness room, boxing room, basketball Court, classrooms, kitchen, game room, locker rooms, computer resource center, arts & crafts room, and dance room