“A park this small?” I hear you ask looking at Ashmead Mall. It is so small that it cannot host a playground. It cannot host a comfort station. It cannot host other amenities associated with parks. Yet, it is still called Ashmead Mall.
Ashmead Mall’s history predates the 1898 annexation of Jamaica by New York City. It sits by Liberty Avenue and 168th Street. A turn lane connects Liberty to 168th.
In early 2018, the Parks Department installed a historical sign. This sign explains Ashmead Mall’s origin and namesake. Alfred and Amelia Ashmead were English immigrants. They purchased this triangular parcel. They decorated it with flowers. Then, they donated it to the village of Jamaica.
In 1914, the Jamaica Women’s Club teamed up with the Parks Department. Kate Porter Blanchard led the club. Together, they operated the borough’s first public playground here at Ashmead Mall.
The playground’s opening day brought out 400 children. A decade later, the playground fell into disuse. A 1929 Brooklyn Daily Eagle photo describes Ashmead Mall as a garden spot. Yet, it appears empty in the photo.
168th Street was once known as Canal Street. There was never a canal here. No one ever proposed one. The Canal Streets of Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island all had documented waterways. This one remains a mystery adding to the intrigue of Ashmead Mall.
An 1891 Bromley map shows the original size of Ashmead Park. It also shows the eventual path of Liberty Avenue. Beaver Pond and Jamaica Town Hall are also on the map. These are now long gone. Fulton Street is along the top of the map. It was later renamed Jamaica Avenue.
In the late 1930s, Liberty Avenue was extended through Jamaica. This reduced the once-sizable triangular park. Now, it is only .27 acres. A tight cluster of shrubs marks it. A Parks-issued flagpole stands here. The historical sign tells its story. These demonstrate its status as a park.
Grand Army Plaza is diagonally across Liberty Avenue. It honors northern Civil War veterans. But there are no monuments here. Not even a street sign. The DOT is responsible for this median not the Parks Department.
So, next time you think of New York City parks, remember Ashmead Mall. Remember its small size and big history. It is a testament to community spirit. It is a reminder of a bygone era.